About CRS: Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work are accomplished through programs of emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. For nearly 60 years, CRS has taken the lead in responding to natural and man-made disasters affecting Ethiopia's most vulnerable communities. Moving beyond emergency response, CRS' disaster mitigation and recovery projects in drought and flood-prone areas have rebuilt individual and community assets through non-food aid in the form of agriculture, livestock, health, nutrition, and water and sanitation assistance. CRS's humanitarian work in Ethiopia also provides livelihoods support to farmers and entrepreneurs, promotes equality and inclusion, and mitigates the impact of COVID-19. As part of CRS family, you will join the more than 5000 strong and vibrant individuals working globally to accomplish the mission of CRS. CRS/Ethiopia invites you, the qualified candidate, to apply for the following position.

Job Summary

CRS is seeking a Deputy Chief of Party & Market Systems and Private Sector Specialist for the Feed the Future funded five-year Seed Activity Project. The Deputy Chief of Party & Market Systems and Private Sector Specialist will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day project implementation and leading, designing and implementing market system and private sector engagement. This will include activities to support upgrading the forage value chain with a focus on increasing forage crop cultivation and supporting private sector led processing and marketing of valued added forages including hay, silage, and pellets. The DCOP will also be responsible for managing the planning to implementation of activities, providing management support to the MEAL team and scaling up activities with private sector partners.

Position Title:                Deputy Chief of Party & Market Systems and Private Sector Specialist

Department:                 Programming – Ethiopia Seed Activity

Duty Station:                  CRS Ethiopia/Addis Ababa

Employment Term:       Definite term (April 2023-March 2028)

Reports To:                     Chief of Party-Ethiopia Seed Activity

Application Deadline:   March 10, 2023

Job Responsibilities:

• The DCoP will support the CoP in overseeing the planning and day-to-day project implementation. Providing a combination of management, guidance, and technical oversight throughout the project cycle.

• Manage the innovation fund, review proposals, and develop market-based approaches that engage private sector development.

• Lead the market systems and private sector development approaches providing direct support for activities related to upgrading forage production and value addition and marketing.

• Facilitates strategies and partnerships that strengthen linkages between market actors and private sectors along the forage and livestock value chain. This will include input suppliers, commercial/smallholder farmers, cooperatives, traders, aggregators, processors, and distributors to drive efficiency and sustainability in the forage and livestock value chains.

• Monitor and facilitate dialogues along the marketing value chain of forage-based products.

• Identify and cultivate new opportunities that strengthen market linkages across the value chain.

• Work closely with private sector actors to identify new business models for forage processing with a focus on establishing new business models to de-risk and co-invest with the private business sector to develop new forage feed products to support livestock fattening and marketing.

• Develop and conduct market analysis including RoR (rate of return) and cost-benefit analysis to facilitate private sector engagement and assess Investment returns.

• Conduct periodic market systems analyses, to generate a deeper understanding of market actor, including private sector functions, behaviors, incentives, dynamics, opportunities and develop pilots and approaches to support the establishment and expansion of the private business sector in the forage and livestock values chain.

• Lead the implementation of high impactful activities to support forage and livestock market actors to enable them to create job opportunities for youth, women, and job seekers in the value chain.

• Ensures the project captures and responds to up-to-date information about market developments and private sector engagement within the forage and livestock market systems and global best practices for Markets Systems Development.

• Identify opportunities for learning, research, and publications in the area of market systems and private sector engagement. Facilitate the dissemination of promising practices and lessons learned to contribute to the agency knowledge management agenda.

• Support the Technical Director with data needed to drive evidence-based briefs for the Seed Activity learning agenda.

• Oversees technical assistance and capacity strengthening activities in market systems and private sector programming for staff and partner organizations to enhance program quality and impact.

• Trains and provides mentoring to the teams working with him/under him to acquire knowledge and key tools in market systems and private sector development and facilitation approach and works in field with the objectives to increase their capacities in program implementation effectiveness.

• Supports the production of reports providing summary of market-based activities and recommendations.

• Influences and representation by building collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, sub-grantees, donors, local governments, and other stakeholders.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

*Integrity *Continuous Improvement & Innovation *Builds Relationships *Develops Talent *Strategic Mindset *Accountability & Stewardship

Job Requirements

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• MSc/MA degree (with five years of experience) or a BSc/BA (with 8 years of experience) in one of the following subjects: Business Administration, Economics, Agricultural Economics, Rural Development or other relevant fields.

• Experience leading agricultural market systems development programs with a track record of effective private sector and financial institution engagement. USG or other similar development project experience preferred.

• Deep understanding of markets and private sector development approaches and Economic & Markets Development facilitation including coaching, relationship building, communicating, entrepreneurialism/business understanding and innovating

• Experience in working with livestock, crop production and financial market actors in the industry (public and private) actors and institutional stakeholders.

• Knowledge of participatory analyses, action, and results processes.

Required Languages – Professional level proficiency in written and spoken English is required.

Travel - Must be willing and able to travel up to 40% of time.

Personal Skills

• Business minded, entrepreneurial, adaptive, curious, and results motivated.

• Demonstrated ability to work and coordinate effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders, including national and local government, donors, community-based organizations, and the private sector.

• Highly data driven with strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with ability to make sound judgment and decisions and offer innovative solutions.

• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.

• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills.

• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented, and results-oriented.

• Excellent communication, facilitation, and networking skills with a wide range of private, partner and NGO-sector actors.

• Computer literate especially in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Good experience in project management, preferably for grants from USAID.

• Experience engaging with partner organizations.

• MEAL skills and experience required.

• Staff management experience.

How to Apply

You should fill the application form through this link: CLICK HERE and attach your up-to-date CV on / before the application deadline March 10, 2023. You will be contacted only if selected for written exam/interview. Phone solicitations will not be accepted. These job opportunities are open to Ethiopian nationals only.

CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. 

 ** Qualified women and Persons with Disabilities are highly encouraged to apply**

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer