Senior Associate – Food Systems, Agriculture and Climate Resilience Management

About the role

Busara Center’s FaRM team uses behavioural science to tackle complex challenges in food systems, smallholder agriculture and climate resilience across the Global South. As a Senior Associate you will partner with the Engagement Director to lead rigorous research and advisory projects for donors, governments, NGOs and private‑sector clients.

Key responsibilities

• Own the client relationship throughout the engagement lifecycle, from scoping and contracting to delivery and dissemination.
• Lead senior‑level conversations with donors, ministries, implementing partners and private‑sector clients, managing expectations and navigating complexity.
• Translate client problems into well‑defined research briefs and push back constructively when scope is unclear.
• Develop proposals, concept notes and pitch decks, contributing to business development in food systems and climate resilience.
• Design and execute qualitative research, ensuring methodological rigour and high‑quality deliverables.
• Represent Busara at conferences, technical working groups and client convenings.
• Directly manage project staff and coordinate across internal teams to keep multi‑method projects on track.

Required profile

• Significant field experience with smallholder farmers and agri‑food value chains.
• Strong organisational ability to manage complex, multi‑method projects.
• Excellent communication skills, comfortable presenting to senior government officials and development economists.
• Proactive, detail‑oriented and able to work independently while knowing when to involve senior leadership.

Required skills

• Deep expertise in qualitative research methods.
• Strong behavioural science knowledge applied to agriculture and climate resilience.