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 smallholder farmers are commercialized with greater incomes, inclusiveness, resilience and sustainability, contributing to a transformed agriculture by 2030.

The agency focuses on two primary national approaches to catalyze agricultural transformation. First, we support the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), and its federal and regional affiliate institutions, and other partners to identify and address systemic bottlenecks within sector’s development plan. 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) Program.

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, with regional office representations 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. 

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBLITIES

Responsibilities for Director of the Communications Team include, but not limited to:

• Develop and lead the implementation of ATA Communications Strategy in order to manage communication efforts and build favorable images of the ATA among its stakeholders
• Review and track the communication landscapes, design messages, and use appropriate channels of communication
• Maintain ATA’s internal and external communication platforms in order to ensure audiences are kept up to date on implementation progress, milestones and achievements. Activities include:
• Manage a contacts database of recipients of ATA’s newsletters, Annual Report, links to news and feature updates on the website, invitations, and other information
• Manage the ATA website working with project teams to develop and update content
• Produce and circulate quarterly newsletters among its key newsletter recipients and subscribers
• Produce and circulate ATA Annual Reports to its key partners using the organization’s, the CEO’s, Management teams’, and the Communications Team’s contacts databases
• Produce up-to-date project briefs in English, Amharic and other local languages of ATA’s implementation regions to be circulated among government partners, policy makers, parliamentarians and the private sector
• Manage the ATA internet with regular project updates, case studies, staff stories and interviews
• Produce visual evidence of ATA’s program implementation through photo repositories and video documentaries, engaging professionals as required. Activities include:
• Consolidate annual photo repository and video documentary needs across the organization, by engaging teams and reviewing annual plans
• Lead the development of photo repositories or documentaries working with outscoring partners, project teams and other relevant stakeholders
• Maintain media relations, send media alerts and provide press materials during key project milestones in order to reach wider public. Activities include:
• Maintain an up-to-date media database of key media contacts and champions
• Send media alerts ahead of any major ATA milestones followed by press release
• Actively seek media interviews with ATA’s CEO and other members of Management with key influential media on important updates and milestones.
• Brand ATA’s past and present projects that offer the platform for branding in order to build ATA’s visual identity. Activities include:
• Consolidate branding or rebranding needs and opportunities across ATA’s projects and periodically conduct branding
• Train staff on ATA’s existing and new brand manuals and style guidelines and support staff to comply with requirements
• Lead the organization of ATA wide events such as high-level program launches, anniversaries as well as All-Staff and Leadership Offsites. Activities include:
• Develop full event plans and organize events or outsource to event organizers and oversee activities
• Train new staff on ATA’s communication practices and guidelines and provide tailored media skill training to SMT and leadership in order to improve staff’s communication practices
• Build and maintain a positive and favorable image of the ATA, foster collaborative engagement with stakeholders, and the public at large
• Manage the performance of all Communications staff and conduct operational activities
• Manage performance review of Communications staff
• Reporting: Director of Communications will report to the CEO
• Approvals: Review/approve leaves, Communication team plan, performance goals/targets, budgets, reports, procurement, travel, etc.
• Report Writing: Provide qualitative info/narrative for reports
• Other
• He/she is also responsible for any additional roles as assigned by the CEO or his/her delegate, in line with ATA’s communication strategy

Term of Employment:  One Year with possibility of extension 

Job Requirements

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A minimum of master’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism, international relations, business/marketing management, media relations or other relevant field.
• At least 10 years of experience with relevant professional experience, preferably in a generalist corporate communications role with a national or international focus, including experience managing a team
• Experience in leading the communication efforts of a large organization
• Extensive experience in written communication or content development, in both Amharic and English languages
• Ability to organize internal and external events, press releases or other large communication events
• Understanding of various communication platforms (website, social media platforms, etc.)
• Strong management skills for optimal allocation of resources for making progress against Communication goals and KPIs
• Collaborative attitude for working with Senior Management, other Directors, and teams
• Insightful thinking for proactive, evidence-based decision-making.
• Self-motivated team-player with proven ability to contribute to organizational success at both strategic and operational levels
• First-rate oral and written communication skills, and ability to shift smoothly between storytelling and structured technical communication to fit the audience
• Sophisticated stakeholder engagement skills with a successful track record dealing with government bodies, development agencies, media, and the general public
• Passion and talent for training, coaching, and capacity building
• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving, start-up environment, with an emphasis on high performance, teamwork, accountability and results
• Strong set of personal values, including integrity, honesty and desire to be of service
• Experience in the agriculture and/or development sectors preferred.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Amharic.

How to Apply

We invite all candidates meeting the required qualifications to send (i) a cover letter, (ii) CV (maximum 5 pages), and (iii) a completed online ATA Application Form at https://apply.ata.gov.et

Also, please DO NOT submit scans of certificates with your application form.

Women are highly encouraged to apply.

NB. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.