Vacancy Announcement

ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION AGENCY

Position:  Regional Project Manager

Term of Employment:  One Year possibility of extension

Duty Station(s):  Oromia (Addis Ababa),

Required Number: One

Salary & Benefits:   Competitive

Application Deadline:   12 June 2021

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 (MoALR), 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: 

Project planning and execution capacity has been identified as a major bottleneck to the transformation of Ethiopia’s agriculture sector, and the PM will be on the front line of catalysing change affecting millions of smallholder farmers.

The Regional Project Manager (PM) is responsible to establish the regional PMO and standardize Project Management practices in the regional office with a guidance from the senior project manager of HO. The PM will support the regional project staffs/teams and build their execution capacity to ensure that all the projects under the Agricultural Commercialization Cluster (ACC) initiative and other ATA-led projects implemented in the region are delivered on time, on budget and achieve the targeted results.

The incumbent will work very closely with the senior project manager in the head office, regional Systemic Interventions & Strategic Services director, regional ATA project staffs, concerned Regional Bureau of Agriculture teams and other regional Government offices to ensure the establishment of the regional PMO and standardizing project management processes and techniques thereby increasing the execution and delivery capacity of the regional project team.

This position will report directly to the Regional Systemic Interventions & Strategic Services Director and the senior project manager at the Head office. The senior project manager sits within the Strategic Services (SS) Vertical and Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (PMER) department, which strives to standardize project/program/portfolio management practices in the agency and elevate project management skill of ATA project teams that drive the impact and effectiveness of the ATA’s and partners’ work with smallholder farmers. The position will be based in ATA regional Offices.

 RESPONSIBILITIES:

Responsibilities of Regional Project Manager include, but are not limited to:                                                                                                                                       

Standardize Project Management practices in the regional office

• In close collaboration with the Regional Systemic Interventions & Strategic Services Director and the Senior Project Manager of the ATA Head office, establish the regional Project Management Office (PMO).
• Support the design and implementation of project management systems, processes, and tools in the regional ATA office with guidance from the Senior Project Manager of the ATA Head office and support from the Regional Systemic Interventions & Strategic Services Director.
• Monitor compliance with project management standards, policies, procedures and templates set by PMO
• Provide feedback on the improvement of processes and tools by arranging sessions

Support the regional project staffs/teams and build their execution capacity

• Undertake regular capacity need assessment of the regional ATA office with respect to Project Management Skills and implement tailored capacity enhancement interventions.
• Facilitate the development of problem-solving skills within the regional projects team.
• Develop an approach to enhance the capacity of ATA regional government partners in best project management practices and techniques.
• Regularly seek feedback from ATA and partner project teams for improvements to Project Management tools, training, and support.
• Coordinate reporting of projects implemented through the regional office
• Facilitate concept initiation, project kickoff, project closure/transition, evaluation and project status update meeting 

Ensure Projects Integration at the regional level

• Facilitate the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques
• Link projects with common or related activities and facilitate the transfer of learnings from one project to another.
• Coordinating communication across programs and projects at the regional level

Other

• The Project Manager is responsible for additional assignments assigned by immediate supervisor/s to meet project management functions

Job Requirements

The following capabilities are critical to play this role effectively:

• Master’s degree in project management, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, Development Studies, IT or other relevant disciplines with relevant professional training in Project Management.
• A minimum of 6 years’ relevant experience in Project Management, with focus on project planning, capacity building and coordination in international organization, the private sector or government office.
• Advanced communication and negotiation skills- ability to work with peoples without line managing responsibility.
• Energized by a fast-moving environment with an emphasis on high performance, accountability, and results, has a drive for excellence and enjoy being around others with the same drive.
• Strong set of personal values, including integrity, honesty, and desire to be of service – this is your bedrock when all else is uncertain.
• Previous PMO managing experience is advantageous.
• PMP or equivalent certificate/ ready to be certified within six months after recruitment.
• Fluency in English and Oromiffa are essential. Knowledge of Amharic language is a plus

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 the following link by mentioning the position title on the subject line.

Please DO NOT submit scans of certificates with your application.

Women are highly encouraged to apply. Only short listed candidates will be contacted.