Program Associate Trainee

Title: Program Associate Trainee

Location: Murang’a, Nyeri and Uasin Gishu Counties

Reports to: Program Associate /Program Analyst

About Food 4 Education

Food for Education (F4E) is an African-led, women-led social enterprise that uses technology, smart operations and logistics to provide low-cost, high-quality meals that improve nutrition and education outcomes for primary school children in Kenya.

We are growing quickly. Our mission is to scale models that prioritise efficient supply chain management and sustainable sourcing, so we can continue lowering the cost of school lunches. We have delivered over 40,000,000 meals since 2012 and are expanding to reach our goal of serving at least 1,000,000 public primary school students in Kenya every day by 2027.

Position Overview

The Associate Trainee – Program is a 6-month entry-level position within the Decentralized operations team. This role offers a structured learning pathway designed to develop the skills, mindset, and leadership qualities required for future county-level program and operational management roles.

The trainees will be expected to:

• Support and lead one or more Field Program Officers to drive operational excellence in assigned kitchens.
• Learn and apply best practices in report writing, data tracking, and performance metric analysis.
• Identify and resolve on-ground operational issues in a timely and sustainable manner.
• Gain exposure to and understand the unique challenges across various kitchen environments and regions.

This role is designed to equip you with hands-on experience, leadership development, and the foundational knowledge needed for a long-term career in program operations within decentralized teams.

Trainees will:

• Be exposed to kitchen operations oversight, data monitoring, production planning, and team leadership support.
• Participate in weekly training sessions covering analytical tools, Lean/Kaizen methods, SOP compliance, and financial planning.
• Complete weekly assessments to track progress and readiness for the Associate role.
• Upon successful completion and evaluation, trainees may be promoted to Program Associate, based on performance and organizational needs.

Key Responsibilities

Learning and Operational Exposure

• Shadow Program Analysts and Associates to gain hands-on experience in kitchen performance review, data analytics, and operational troubleshooting.
• Assist in analyzing daily meal production data, flagging inconsistencies or deviations in Looker/Tableau under supervision.
• Support the implementation of SOPs and learn to conduct compliance checks.
• Oversee daily kitchen operations across a designated number of kitchens, ensuring adherence to set guidelines for meal preparation, hygiene, and food safety.
• Provide support to kitchen teams to resolve operational challenges and ensure consistent execution of daily meal plans.
• Monitor meal production and consumption data, ensuring kitchens meet daily targets and quality standards.
• Support the enforcement of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for food safety, hygiene, and meal production in all kitchens.
• Conduct regular spot checks on kitchens to ensure compliance with program guidelines, Assist in identifying areas of non-compliance and work with kitchen teams to implement corrective measures..

Reporting

• Assist in collecting operational data from kitchens and Field Associates, ensuring data accuracy and timeliness.
• Prepare and submit reports to the Program Analyst on kitchen performance, meal production, and any operational challenges encountered

Team Collaboration and Communication

• Work with Program Associates to understand county team structures, performance management approaches, and internal reporting expectations.
• Support coordination of feedback loops between kitchens, regional teams, and compliance functions.
• Coordinate and distribute tasks to Field Associates to ensure all kitchens are visited and monitored regularly.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for Field Associates, providing operational guidance and addressing any issues they escalate.
• Supervise and provide guidance to a team of Field Associates, ensuring they effectively support kitchen teams within their assigned areas.
• Assist in building and maintaining relationships with local authorities and community leaders to foster collaboration and program support.
• Act as the first point of contact for any operational issues that arise at kitchen sites, escalating them to the Program Analyst if necessary.
• Monitor the resolution of any problems, ensuring that corrective actions are implemented and sustained.

 Financial Planning Exposure

• Learn the basics of kitchen budgeting, purchase scheduling, and cost-per-meal analysis.
• Support budget justification processes and review sample quotations with guidance.

Training and Assessments

• Attend all scheduled weekly training sessions led by the Regional Program team and Operations leads.
• Complete weekly practical and theoretical assessments on operational workflows, data analysis, financial tracking, and leadership readiness.
• Reflect and document key learnings throughout the program.
• Support the training of kitchen staff and Field Associates to enhance their skills in operational excellence, food safety, and data management.
• Help organize and facilitate capacity-building workshops for kitchen teams, ensuring they are up to date with the latest procedures and guidelines.

Eligibility Criteria

• Must be a current employee at Food for Education.
• Demonstrated strong performance in current role, especially in kitchen-level operations and team coordination.
• Strong interest in growing into a leadership role within the Program team.
• Basic proficiency in digital tools such as Excel, Google Sheets, or Looker.
• Proven commitment to F4E’s values: excellence, ownership, continuous improvement, and curiosity.

Career Growth & Development

This program is a stepping stone to the Program Associate role. Trainees will receive mentorship, structured feedback, and performance evaluations during the 6 - month period. Successful candidates will be considered for promotion based on performance, learning progress, and available roles.

Deadline 20th June 2025

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You will have weekly check-ins with your manager, 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 will have the opportunity to shape a growing organisation and build a rewarding, long-term career.