Tupande Biochar Compliance Specialist (Fixed-Term)

Job description

Position Overview

Owns the facility's Compliance function, combining leadership of the Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) programme with responsibility for facility Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) programme design and oversight. Designs and runs the data system that captures feedstock, production, quality, and end-use data to the standard required by the external verifier. Owns HSE programme design, training, documentation, and audit readiness. Serves as the primary interface with external verifiers, auditors, and regulators (NEMA, DOSH, third-party carbon verifiers). Reports to the Biochar Lead.

About One Acre Fund

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund equips 5.5 million smallholder farmers to make their farms more productive. Across nine countries that together are home to two-thirds of Africa's farmers, we provide high-quality farm supplies, tree seedlings, accessible credit, modern agronomic training, and a wide range of other agricultural services. On average, this model enables any farmer to increase their income and assets on supported land by more than 35 percent, while permanently improving their resilience. This is all made possible by our team of 9,000+ full-time staff, drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions. To learn more, please see our Why Work Here blog post.

Our Kenya program, founded in 2006, operates under the local brand Tupande. Close to 500 staff in our Kakamega headquarters support 1,747 field staff and serve more than 1 million farmers. In Nairobi, around 50 staff support global functions like procurement, recruitment, government relations, and communications.

About the Role

Owns the facility's Compliance function, combining leadership of the Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) programme with responsibility for facility Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) programme design and oversight. Designs and runs the data system that captures feedstock, production, quality, and end-use data to the standard required by the external verifier. Owns HSE programme design, training, documentation, and audit readiness. Serves as the primary interface with external verifiers, auditors, and regulators (NEMA, DOSH, third-party carbon verifiers). Reports to the Biochar Lead.

Responsibilities

Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) Leadership

Design and maintain the facility's HSE programme, including risk registers, emergency response plans, and safety-critical procedures

Design and deliver HSE training for all facility staff, including inductions, toolbox talks, and emergency drills

Ensure PPE distribution, safety signage, and site safety infrastructure are in place and maintained

Support the Production Shift Supervisors, who carry shift-level safety accountability, with the programme, tools, and training they need to enforce safety on shift.

Coordinate scheduled third-party HSE testing and audits (fire safety, emissions, occupational health)

Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) Leadership

Design, implement, and manage the facility's MRV system covering feedstock inputs, production outputs, quality measurements, and carbon removal calculations.

Ensure data collection processes across all shifts are accurate, consistent, and traceable to the carbon standards the facility reports against

Oversee and support the Lab and Quality Technicians in their data recording responsibilities to ensure the standard required for verification

Develop and maintain data management systems, dashboards, and reporting templates for MRV purposes

Stay current on evolving carbon standards, methodology requirements, and MRV best practices in the biochar sector

Audit Readiness

Serve as the primary point of contact with external verifiers, auditors, and certification bodies during verification and audit cycles (carbon, HSE, environmental)

Prepare and submit monthly and quarterly reports required for carbon credit verification

Prepare the facility for audits, including documents, site walkthroughs, and evidence for the verifier

When auditors flag issues, own the corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) through to closure

Maintain audit-ready documentation across MRV, HSE, and environmental compliance streams at all times

Staff Training

Train all relevant staff at the facility on MRV data recording requirements, HSE procedures, and the importance of data and safety discipline

Coordinate cross-functionally with Production, Quality, and Administration on the completeness and accuracy of the data they record for MRV and safety reporting

Farmer Engagement

Develop and maintain training materials for field staff on correct biochar application methods and how to collect data at the point of delivery

Deliver refresher training to field teams before the start of each season

Career Growth and Development

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You'll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. We hold career reviews every six months, and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You'll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

Qualifications

Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, you will have:

Degree in Health and Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, Data Science, Agronomy, or a related field

Minimum 3 years of experience in HSE, compliance, audit, or environmental data management roles

Strong background in HSE, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act, Kenya, 2007), ISO (International Organization for Standardization), or comparable regulatory environments is a strong advantage

Comfort engaging with third-party auditors and external verifiers, and comfort designing and running audit-facing programmes

Familiarity with carbon standards (e.g., Isometric, Puro.earth, EBC, IBI) or carbon credit methodologies is a plus but not required. Successful candidates will build this expertise on the job, supported by Tupande's carbon partners

Strong data management, reporting, and analytical skills

Experience with data management platforms, spreadsheets, or environmental monitoring software

High attention to detail and a strong commitment to data integrity, traceability, and safety discipline

Willingness to learn on the job across both MRV and HSE domains; the role's success depends on translating a strong compliance foundation across both areas

Fluent in English; experience working in an East African context is an advantage

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Rukanga, Kenya.

Benefits

Health insurance, paid time off

Contract Duration

6 months

Eligibility

This role is only open to citizens or permanent residents of Kenya.

Application Deadline

12 November 2026. Please note that we hire on a rolling basis which means that applications are reviewed and processed on a continuous basis until a hire is made.

One Acre Fund never asks candidates to pay any money or pay for tests at any stage of the interview process. Official One Acre Fund emails will always arrive from an @oneacrefund.org address. Please report any suspicious communication here (globalhotline@oneacrefund.org), but do not send applications or application materials to this email address.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and anti-racism are deeply connected to our organization's mission and purpose. One Acre Fund aspires to build a culture where all staff feel consistently valued, represented, and connected – so that our team can thrive as professionals, and achieve exceptional impact for the farmers we serve.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.