Job Title:Senior Technical Expert I – Food System  

Term of Employment:  One year with the possibility of extension

Duty Station(s):Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Required number:One

Application deadline:March 09, 2023

 BACKGROUND:

The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) is a strategy and delivery-oriented government Institute created to help accelerate the growth and transformation of the country’s agriculture sector. The ATI envisions to be the leading center of innovative solutions for the transformation of Ethiopian Agriculture by 2030.

The Institute focuses on two primary national approaches to catalyze agricultural transformation. First, we support the Ministry of Agriculture (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 the 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, Sidama, South-West, 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 ATI, 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 Senior Technical Expert I – Food Systems will be a member of the Food Systems programs, responsible to support the development of the implementation framework, setting up a detailed work plan for obtaining all the necessary stakeholder engagement and implementing the food system program; results framework for tracking and measuring the effectiveness of the overall project activities as well as identification of areas that require studies/analyses and development of analytical plan and terms of reference.

The position works with ATI and MoA team to provide thought partnership and support for the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the food system program including project implementation, strengthening sector M&E systems, and capacity building on mainstreaming of cross-cutting issues. The candidate will provide technical and strategic coordination to effectively align and ensure synergies among the various streams of work and engagements that support the development of enabling environment for Agriculture Transformation and Project Management for the food systems.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

The Senior Technical Expert I of the food systems program is accountable for ensuring:

The setting up of a detailed work plan, development of implementation framework, results framework for tracking and measuring the effectiveness of the overall food system project activities as well as identification of areas that require studies/analyses and development of analytical plan and terms of reference.

·    Strategic thinking

• Proactively identify gaps in food system transformation

• Perform diagnostics of food system transformation projects, interventions' and propose solutions

• Strategize to ensure collaboration across VCs and VC segments

·    Problem-solving

• Proactively identify project level challenges and solve accordingly

• Effectively translate high-level strategy into project & intervention for entire food system program

• Develop Analytical plan and terms of reference for food system projects that require detail studies/analyses is prepared and submitted

• Ensure integrated and coordinated implementation among all program components and between different stakeholders at the federal and regional level

• Provide technical support to Program Management and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning for food system projects.

• Build the capacity of project and government staff on different topics that are critical to food systems activities.

• Implementation framework development for planning, implantation, monitoring and evaluation of food system program 

• Develop a multipurpose TOR, including for the deployment of consultants, stakeholder validation workshops, the food system, and policy dialogues.

• Ensure the quality and timeliness of project deliverables.

• Manage project implementation process developing execution strategies for cross-organizational efforts toward common goals of the Food System program

• Communicate with project partners to leverage best practices for successful implementation of the food system program

• Create, support, and mobilize partnerships to promote successful project outcomes based primarily on food system project deliverable

• With support from the relevant Director, coordinate the analytical works required to develop the policy instruments

• Develop regular and other reports on the implementation of food system project performance to ATI on time

• The position reports to the director for policy and food system program of the ATI.

• Take other assignments as appropriate and assigned by the supervisor

Job Requirements

• Master’s degree in Food System, public health, nutrition, agriculture, project management and economics or closely related fields from a reputable University is required.

• At least 6 years of combined experience is required in the agriculture sector, project management and food systems within the government, international, research or think-tank organizations.

• Significant experience and proven success in the agriculture sector, food system segments, project management and stakeholder consultation and engagement with food systems is required.

• Strong understanding Ethiopian food system transformation, food and nutrition strategy and other food system initiatives.

• Strong understanding of the country’s broad economic reform program, the rationale and what it will mean for food system. 

How to Apply

We invite all candidates meeting the required qualifications to submit (i) a cover letter and (ii) a CV (maximum 5 pages) to THIS LINK

It is mandatory to mention the position title under the subject line of your cover letter.

Please DO NOT submit scans of certificates with your application.

Women are highly encouraged to apply.

NB. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.