Vacancy Announcement

ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION AGENCY

Position:              Senior Communications Officer

Term of Employment:  One year with possibility of extension

Duty Station(s):             Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC), Addis Ababa

Required Number:        One

Salary & Benefits:          Competitive

Application Deadline:   October 26, 2020

BACKGROUND:

The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) is a strategy and delivery-oriented government agency created to help accelerate the growth and transformation of the country’s agriculture sector. The ATA envisions that, by 2025, smallholder farmers are commercialized with greater incomes, inclusiveness, resilience and sustainability, contributing to Ethiopia’s achievement of middle-income country status.

The agency focuses on two primary national approaches to catalyze agricultural transformation. First, we support the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Resources (MoA), its affiliate institutions, and other partners to identify and address systemic bottlenecks within an Agricultural Transformation Agenda. Second, we support Regional Governments to accelerate development of high-priority commodity value chains in clearly defined geographic clusters, through the Agricultural Commercialization Clusters (ACC) Initiative.

Our major activities include conducting strategic and analytical studies, providing technical implementation support, coordinating platforms to better integrate partners and projects, and designing and directly leading a number of implementation projects. Our headquarters are in Addis Ababa, and we have regional offices in Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, and Tigray regional offices, allowing us to work closely with a wide range of public, private and development sector partners across the country.

Our Culture

We have an exceptional team of highly competent employees with a proven track record of success in managing complex activities and achieving transformational results. Our culture is one where talented, dedicated and adaptable individuals are committed to doing their best and exhibit great team work to achieve excellent results. 

At ATA, we provide an exceptional platform for people who want to achieve their highest potential and make a meaningful contribution in changing the country’s agricultural sector. We offer rewarding work in a young, fast-paced growing organization with passionate, committed, motivated colleagues and excellent career development and training. We recognize our most valuable assets are our staff and are committed to providing our employees with the tools, training, and mentorships necessary to achieve their career goals. 

POSITION SUMMARY:   

The Sr. Communications Officer is a key position within EIC, lending direct support to the overall objectives of the Communications team and helping to successfully define and execute the Commission’s communications strategy. The Sr. Communications Officer will work closely with the Commission’s divisions to develop and implement communication strategies that enhance commission’s investment promotion, facilitation and aftercare work among international, regional and national audiences. Additionally, the Sr. Communications Officer will oversee all media and public relations strategies and platforms. The Sr. Communications Officer will report directly to the Commissioner’s office based in Addis Ababa. The ideal Sr. Communications Officer would possess a passion for strategic communications work and public relations, and familiarity with Ethiopia’s agricultural system and the different stakeholders involved in the sector. S/he would likewise possess and be able to demonstrate strong verbal and written communication skills and relationship building abilities, and the entrepreneurial ability to visualize transformation and mobilize stakeholders across the system and drive practical change on the ground.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Support the development/refinement and implementation of the EIC’s Communications Strategy.
• Support the Public Relations and Communications Director at the Commission.
• Organize weekly updates to senior management on media coverage of investment issues.
• Support the development and production of key publications, including annual reports, quarterly newsletters, weekly bulletins, print and online articles, news summaries, brochures, press releases, etc.
• Contextualize and package key messages, talking points and briefing notes.
• Drive the preparation of regular and ad-hoc reports on the status and impacts of major activities of the Commission for internal consumption and external stakeholders.
• Support the development and management of the EIC’s website, including keeping content up to date and appropriate, making improvements to functionality and advising colleagues and stakeholders on maximizing its potential.
• Implement and expand a social media strategy to support EIC’s investment promotion work, and disseminate its activities and results.
• Support the Communications Directorate and Promotions Directorate in keeping EIC’s website up to date.
• Monitor the social media accounts of the commission.
• Organize public events and outreach activities.
• Liaise with local and international media to help ensure the wide and accurate publication of EIC’s news and messaging.
• Liaise with Communications teams at partner organizations (GoE, MoA, Donors, NGOs, etc.) to align shared messaging and maximize spread related news and information.

Job Requirements

• A Minimum of Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in communication, journalism, international relations, media relations or equivalent.
• At least 4 years (for Master’s) and 6 years (for Bachelor’s) in communications and/or marketing -including both strategic communication work and/or public relations -- with demonstrated knowledge of a broad range of communications tools: media, websites, publications, marketing, social media, events, etc.
• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Proven and demonstrable experience creating and/or managing the production of written publications, developing media strategies and relations, preparing press releases, maintaining web content, and engaging social media.
• Experience in working with e-communications, including preparing and disseminating e-bulletins and online publications.
• Strong team player with outstanding management skills.
• Excellent IT skills: able to work with MS Office (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint).
• Strong organizational skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to work under pressure and in a constantly evolving and challenging environment.
• Self-starter and self-motivated person.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Amharic.

How to Apply

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

We invite all candidates meeting the required qualifications to submit (i) a cover letter and (ii) CV (maximum 3 pages) to https://apply.ata.gov.et

It is mandatory to mention the position title in the subject line of your application email.

Please DO NOT submit scans of educational and experience certificates with your application.

Women are highly encouraged to apply.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.