Job Summary:

You will manage the marketing system and value-chain component for Catholic Relief Services (CRS)-lead Feed the Future Livelihoods for Resilience -Oromia Activity, which works with the Ethiopia Catholic Church and Social and Development Coordination Office of Meki (MCS) to support PSNP clients in 9 woreda in Arsi, West Arsi and East Shewa zones.  You will be primarily responsible for both 1) arranging technical trainings to PSNP clients on value-chains they selected and 2) supporting relevant market systems and value-chains.  

Job Responsibilities:

• Organize and monitor technical trainings on priorities value-chains to PSNP clients.   Priority value-chains include ox and small ruminant fattening, poultry, maize, wheat, haricot beans, potatoes, cabbage and red chili pepper.   In addition, the value-added activities of agriculture products, such as baltina and agro-processing, are priority areas. Options may include working closely with MCS in contracting training providers (i.e. research centers, co-operatives, etc.) to either provide training of trainers (TOTs) to project and/or GOE staff who cascade these training to clients or trainings or directly train clients.
• Support market-systems through value-chain development, value-chain financing, market linkages and multi-stakeholder platforms (MSP).
• Work closely with the Innovation Fund Technical Advisor in identifying potential points of in value-chains for Activity investments.
• Work closely with the Youth and Gender Technical Advisor to ensure value-chains are youth and women friendly.
• Provide guidance to MCS technical and field staff on establishing and nurturing marketing groups, as well as identifying potential areas for organizational capacity.
• Support capacity strengthening initiatives in market systems and value-chain programming for staff and partner through helping develop learning and training strategies and agendas/curriculums, conducting trainings and workshops, and coaching.
• Collect and analyze program data, capture and share lessons learned and best practices for specific projects to facilitate improvements in decision-making and contribute to the market systems and value-chain learning agenda.
• Contribute to maintaining relationships with donors, peer organizations, research and other institutions, participate in forums in the area of market systems and value-chain to collect and share best practices and promote CRS’ work.

Key Working Relationships:

Supervisory:

• Matrix management of 2 field-based Livelihoods Officers

Internal:

• Activity staff as well as with other CRS/Ethiopia technical and managerial staff, as well as with regional and headquarters technical staff.

External:

•  Meki Catholic Secretariat (MCS) technical and managerial staff, USAID officials, government organizations, representatives from for-profit and other non-profit organizations, research centers, universities, private sector actors and other USAID-funded projects.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

• These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

Trusting Relationships 

• Professional Growth 
• Partnership 
• Accountability                

Department:    Program

Band:                IX

Reports To:      LRO Chief of Party (COP)

CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• A Master’s degree in a relevant field including international development, agriculture, business, marketing, supply chain and/or food security. An advanced degree can be substituted with an additional 3 years of relevant experience.
• Minimum 5 years (8 years preferred) demonstrated experience with USG or other similar development projects focused on value chain and market systems & access development, including improving financial services for the poor, preferably Ethiopian with understanding of the Ethiopian context
• Spoken and written proficiency in English
• Demonstrated ability to work and coordinate effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders, including national and local government, donors, community-based organizations, and the private sector
• Project management experience in market systems and value-chains is highly desirable.
• Experience engaging with partner organizations.
• Experience contracting and monitoring training providers
• Experience contributing to the development of technical proposals.
• MEAL skills and experience preferred.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

Personal Skills:

• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse groups.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented

• Travel Required (40%)