ABOUT RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTE (RTI)

Research Triangle Institute (RTI) has over 30 years of experience assisting governments, communities, and the private sector. As a not-for-profit, an independent research institute based in North Carolina, USA, RTI has roughly 5,000 employees with global experience implementing international development projects. RTI's Sustainable Growth & Resilience (SG& R) technical unit within the International Development Group brings together RTI experts and capabilities across food security, agriculture, energy, environment, water, governance, and economic opportunity. SG&;R will leverage RTI's experience designing and delivering multisectoral programming and technical solutions to respond to climate change, build resilience, and promote economic growth around the world.

ABOUT SG&R’s Global Food Security and Agriculture portfolio

SG&R’s Global Food Security and Agriculture portfolio is working to strengthen agricultural markets, engage youth and women as critical leaders of the on- and off-farm workforce, and tackle the dual burden of malnutrition around the globe. RTI’s work is helping foster stronger food systems, reduce malnutrition in all its forms, build resilience and engage the next generation of food security leaders. RTI is currently partnering on nearly 30 projects in East Africa, including activities focused on private sector- driven agricultural growth in Rwanda and market systems development in Kenya.

ABOUT FIRST CONSULT

First Consult is a leading economic development consulting firm implementing projects in Ethiopia. Founded in 2006, First Consult (FC) has grown to design and implement projects across the agriculture, manufacturing, and service sectors. Our multidisciplinary teams combine a capacity to execute with clarity of the local context. As a result, we have delivered at-scale real impact in terms of jobs & wealth creation, business formation & growth, and investment attraction & mobilization.

ABOUT THE PROJECT/PROGRAM

The purpose of the USAID/Ethiopia Food and Agriculture Systems Transformation (FAST) Activity is to increase access to healthy diets, particularly for women and children, by improving competitiveness, inclusiveness, and resilience of the Ethiopian food and agriculture system. FAST will also increase incomes gained from agriculture by as much as 40 percent over the next five years. To achieve its goals FAST must collaborate intensively with other USAID-funded projects working in the food and agriculture sector.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Workforce Development Specialist, based at the head office in Addis Ababa, is responsible for analyzing the workforce market and designing and implementing systemic interventions addressing underlying constraints which are hampering productivity and competitiveness. S/he is responsible for engaging in strategic labour issues that bring bigger labour-area systemic changes in general and addressing IP-specific strategic labour matters such as product and productivity enhancement, retention mechanisms, soft skills provision and engagement on policy changes.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Define the workforce development strategy/plan for the Project and maintain high- quality, up-to-date activities to support workforce of varying skill levels.

• Design and monitor interventions primarily related to wage employment within the value chain.

• Work effectively across the Project with partners, stakeholders, and experts to support programs for workforce capacity-building activities.

• Collaborate with agro-processors, large-scale farms, or irrigation schemes and the Ethiopian Investment Commission to tailor prior systems that match job-seekers with jobs, to better manage workforce supply, seasonal farm labor, and migration.

• Engage with Ethiopian Investment Commission, Ministry of Labour and Skills, Federal and Regional Job Creation Bureaus, One-Stop Service centers and other relevant stakeholders in designing interventions, and facilitating wage employment linkages by building capacity of both demand and supply sides.

• Assist in employers reaching out to women employees, youth, and PWD and to better accommodate people in those groups (e.g., by developing childcare centers and improving accessibility).

• Work with large firms to address binding constraints, such as lack of employee housing or transportation, low-skill areas, and childcare options. Support may include developing new training solutions using hybrid digital techniques and partnering with technical and vocational education training (TVET) facilities to upgrade training curriculums to better meet the needs of vulnerable groups.

• Refine and implement the pre-employment “Worker Engagement and Retention” (WEAR) training (i.e. updating standardized training materials and customizing them to the respective cultural context)

• Monitor developments in wage employment areas and engage in the development of wage employment without deviating from the programme objectives

• Design interventions that contribute to the national labor market policy regarding gender, pay, inclusion, persons with disabilities (PWD)

• Identify and design specific labor engagement areas that contribute to labor retention and productivity enhancements.

• Engage in interventions that bring policy and regulatory changes

• Prioritize focus areas and design specific intervention ideas on strategic engagements in close cooperation with the team

• Develop quarterly and annual work plans and progress reports, including resource planning

• Build and cultivate relationships with stakeholders and implementers to solve or mitigate constraints around wage employment areas

• Monitor the results of interventions in line with USAID’s standards. Develop project plans and work with the Monitoring & Evaluation team to develop appropriate monitoring plans for these interventions, assess results and draw the necessary conclusions from the evaluation such as scaling up or closing down interventions as necessary.

• Performs additional duties as assigned

REQUIRED SKILLS, QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree (or higher) in economics, business, social work, public policy and/or other closely related fields from a recognized University/College

• Minimum of 5-8 years of experience with USAID compliance and reporting requirements;

• In-depth familiarity with, understanding of, and ability to successfully navigate within the Ethiopian context preferred;

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving capacities – ability to identify issues with contractual implications, ensure consistent donor reporting and support teams in providing appropriate analyses of activities.

• Good interpersonal skills and a good team player

• Ability to work independently and shoulder delegated authority

• Strong technical and analytic capacities and sound judgment

• Professional fluency in English (both spoken and written) and strong command of Amharic is required, additional local language is a plus;

• Excellent computer skills; Good proficiency in Microsoft Office

REPORTING

The Workforce Development Specialist report directly to the Food Systems Transformation Manager.

HOW TO APPLY

Please use the HaHuJobs easy apply platform link CLICK HERE to apply for this job