About the Role
As CPO, you will play a pivotal rolein translating ambition into results. You will oversee Agriterra’s programmeportfolio, with particular focus on our largest and most strategic initiatives,ensuring that our work continues to empower cooperatives and agriculturalorganisations worldwide. Beyond programme oversight, you will addressstructural organisational challenges, create the conditions for success, andstrengthen Agriterra’s capacity to deliver lasting impact.
About Agriterra
Stichting Agriterra was founded almost 30 years ago byDutch farmer cooperatives and has over the years evolved into an organisationpartnering and supporting farmer cooperatives and organisations worldwide.Agriterra assists them with advice and training through peer-to peer support incombination with locally based experts. Agriterra is organised with a headoffice in Arnhem, the Netherlands, and has a network of country offices spreadover Africa and Asia; employing approximately 200 staff members. Agriterra isfinanced via donor-granted projects and programmes. For more information, visitour website www.agriterra.org.
Main responsibilities:
You will be accountablefor overall programme performance and impact at portfolio level with particularfocus on the largest and most strategic programs. The main focus of the CPO isto flag risks in the implementation of our project portfolio, and to address thesein collaboration with the regional teams. The CPO identifies structuralorganisational challenges and supports initiatives to strengthen Agriterra’scapacity for project delivery in each of the countries we operate. You reportto the CEO. A few key areas of focus are:
Lead for Impact
- Drive the performance and impact of Agriterra’s global programme portfolio.
- Provide strategic oversight of key programmes and ensure alignment with organisational objectives.
- Identify portfolio-wide risks and opportunities, proactively developing mitigation and improvement strategies.
- Deliver consolidated programme reporting to management, the supervisory board, and external stakeholders.
Inspire and Develop People
- Lead, coach, and mentor Regional Managers, Country Managers (where applicable), and the Programme Coordinator.
- Foster a culture of continuous learning, and shared accountability, where staff at all levels feel confident to ask questions, take initiative, learn from mistakes, and deliver on what was agreed.
- Create an environment in which employees can thrive, grow professionally, and achieve their full potential.
- Combine analytical sharpness with curiosity, approaching underperformance adequately and constructively, and work collaboratively with the people concerned to develop improvements they genuinely own.
- Ensure clarity of roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations across the programme organisation.
Drive Strategic Change
- Champion organisational learning, innovation, and programme excellence.
- Lead the continuous evolution of programmes and institutional processes, ensuring relevance and effectiveness in changing contexts.
- Collaborate with the management team to develop and refine Agriterra’s organisational strategy.
- Translate strategic ambitions into regional and operational priorities, supporting teams in delivering the multi-annual plan.
Represent and Position Agriterra
- Act as a senior ambassador for Agriterra in the Netherlands and internationally.
- Represent Agriterra's work with authority and depth, speaking and reporting knowledgeably about the relevance and progress of our projects, and Agriterra's position within the wider landscape of international development.
- Build and strengthen strategic partnerships that contribute to Agriterra’s long-term success.
- Promote Agriterra’s mission, vision, and expertise in national and international forums.
- Advocate for the interests of cooperatives and agricultural organisations in emerging and developing economies.
What do you offer?!
You are a strategicleader with a passion for international development and organisationalexcellence. You combine strong analytical skills with the ability to inspirepeople, build partnerships, and navigate complexity. You thrive in aninternational environment and are motivated by creating sustainable impact forfarmers and agricultural entrepreneurs worldwide. Furthermore, you bring:
· Academicworking and thinking level. A completed university master's degree in relevantfield.
· 5years of experience in similar position in the context of internationaldevelopment programming. Experience in strategicplanning and implementation, quality narrative and financial reporting,programme/project management, thoroughknowledge of project cycles, budgeting and financial management. Extensive workexperience in developing countries. Experience withmanagement of staff in multi-locations. Demonstrated ability to work inand lead a diverse multi-skilled team.
· Experiencein and affinity with the agricultural sector and the agricultural businesscommunity. Introduced into relevant networks such as cooperatives, agriculturalorganisations, chain parties, business, government, international organisations.
· Fluentin Dutch and English (speaking and writing), French is an asset.
· Theposition is based in the Netherlands, but frequent international travel will berequired in this role.
· Competencies:Strategic leadership, stakeholder engagement, people development, performancemanagement, excellent communication skills, and sound decision-making.
What do we offer!
At Agriterra, you will have theopportunity to shape programmes that strengthen farmer organisations, improvelivelihoods, and contribute to sustainable agricultural development across theglobe. You will join a purpose-driven organisation where innovation,collaboration, and impact are at the heart of everything we do. The salary willbe based on experience and ranges between EUR 6.000 and 9.000 gross/month.
If you are ready to leadtransformational change and help build resilient agricultural organisationsworldwide, we would love to hear from you.
Interested?
Send an email with your CV and cover letter to vacancy@agriterra.org to the attention of Jasper Spikker, CEO, with the jobtitle ‘CPO’ in the subject of the mail. If you require further information, donot hesitate to contact us via the same e-mail address.
An assessment is part of the selection process. Local Applicants Only.