Senior Generating Specialist

Are you passionate about building real economic opportunities for rural communities? Do you have the experience to turn a farmer cooperative into a thriving business, and the patience and skill to bring women and youth into leadership roles along the way? If so, we would love to talk to you.

Preferred by Nature is looking for a Senior Income Generating Specialist to drive income diversification and financial resilience within the Rokan Hulu Landscape and Livelihoods Initiative in Indonesia. You will lead the development of sustainable income opportunities for farmer organisations and cooperatives, with a target of establishing 120 functioning micro and mini business units over the course of the project. Working closely with smallholder communities in the palm oil sector, you will strengthen cooperative business and financial capacity, build market linkages, and create inclusive pathways for women and youth to take on income‑generating and leadership roles.

This is a hands‑on, field‑based role at the heart of one of Preferred by Nature’s flagship livelihoods projects.

• Develop a solid understanding of the Rokan Hulu Landscape and Livelihoods Initiative, its communities, farmer organizations, and existing cooperative structures.
• Complete onboarding and begin building relationships with farmer organizations, cooperative leaders, and project partners in Rokan Hulu.
• Conduct an initial assessment of business and financial capacity gaps within target cooperatives to inform your strategy.

• Launch the first cohort of micro and mini business units under farmer cooperatives, with clear business and financial plans in place.
• Establish initial women and youth committees within at least one farmer organization or cooperative.
• Begin facilitating financial training and business mentoring sessions for cooperative members and business unit leaders.

• Demonstrate measurable progress towards the 120 business unit target, with a portfolio of functioning, revenue‑generating units.
• Have established market linkages that connect cooperative‑run business units to certification‑aligned or premium palm oil markets.
• Deliver a reflective review of key achievements and propose a scale‑up plan and priority focus areas for the following year.

• Hold a Master’s degree in business, finance, agricultural economics, agribusiness, cooperative management, or a related field.
• Bring 6 or more years of experience in community business development, cooperative strengthening, or rural enterprise development, including financial analysis and business planning.
• Have proven experience working with farmer organizations or smallholder value chains, ideally in palm oil or a similar sector.
• Have a demonstrated track record delivering inclusive capacity building and income‑generating initiatives.
• Understand Indonesian laws and regulations relevant to setting up micro and mini businesses and cooperatives.
• Have a strong understanding of agricultural value chains, particularly palm oil, and knowledge of certification systems and premium market management.
• Bring expertise in rural enterprise development, business planning, and engaging marginalized groups such as women and youth.
• Have an understanding of microfinance and rural credit systems.
• Are proficient in designing and delivering training for smallholders, with experience using participatory business development approaches.
• Are fluent in English and Bahasa Indonesia.
• Are willing to travel extensively to rural communities in Rokan Hulu.

• Have experience building relationships with financial institutions and market actors on behalf of cooperatives or rural enterprises.
• Have mentoring or coaching experience with entrepreneurs or small business owners.
• Have worked on other palm oil or agricultural livelihoods projects in Indonesia.
• Bring experience in gender‑responsive programming within agricultural communities.

• Global work culture
• High degree of flexibility - remote work, work from home.
• An in‑depth onboarding and professional training that prepares you with the right skills and knowledge to thrive in this role.
• Excellent opportunities for growth and professional development
• Potential future international travel opportunities
• A friendly, international team of colleagues, with a pleasant work environment
• 20 days of vacation leave per year