Terms of reference

“Food security and Agriculture Rehabilitation measures in Conflict Affected Regions of Ethiopia – FARM”

Project Job Title:Senior Project Officer II - Environmental and Social Specialist

Term of Employment:  Three years with the possibility of an extension

Duty Station(s):Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Required number:One

Application deadline:March 18, 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 Project Officer II E & S Specialist is specifically expected to have strong skills and experience in environmental and social risk management, well experienced in the coordination of E&S management plan and framework as well as able to adapt activities to the context, desire for preventing any risk to improving the lives of smallholder farmers, and a deep familiarity to Ethiopia’s environmental and social context.

 She/he should have extensive knowledge of potential and existing major E&S risks at national and regional levels. The expert should also have a deep understanding of national and international E&S standards according to the overall world bank ESF and EHS standards. She/he should work either at federal level and coordinate E&S and gender aspects as well as moving in the field to support ATI and partners in the right implementation of activities. She/he should ensure all staff and partner have the adequate capacity to manage E&S and gender activities and provide adequate training in close relationship with the CCI division. She/he will have a crucial role in engagement with stakeholder, from institutions (REPA, BoWSAF, BoA, ARARI as well as NGOs and local authorities.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Coordinating with CCI division (E&S team, gender team and climate team) and ensure compliance with current ATI ESMF update, and relative policies (Sexual Harassment, Gender equity)

• Mobilize CCI on Transformative activities of the GAP and jointly coordinate implementation of transformative activities with support of regional gender specialists

• Coordinating and implementing the ESMF: (i) ESMP; (ii) Stakeholder engagement Plan –SEP; (iii) Beneficiary selection approaches; (iv) Do no harm approach – project recommendations; (v) Grievance and Redress Mechanism – GRM.

• Coordinating the Gender Action Plan and supervising the gender accommodating activities.

• Identifying and training of regional CCI focal point[1] and regional security focal point.

• Regularly exchanging with regional CCI focal point, regional security focal point and ATI regional gender specialists.

• Reviewing implementing partners contract and ensuring the integration of E&S clauses, code of conduct and relatives measures from project ESMP.

• Provide inputs when new concept notes and projects are designed by ATI

• Supervising the process of E&S impact assessment: (i) supporting the team and partners in implementing E&S screening; (ii) validating screening with Regional EPA; (iii) support E&S complementary documentation elaboration (ToRs, study, etc.); (iv) technical review of the complementary E&S documentation if needed (Preliminary EIA and associated ESMP)

• Supervising and supporting short and long-term consultancies on E&S aspects, including ToRs elaboration, procurement, consultant supervision and report technical review and validation[2].

• Regularly updating E&S documentation according to the context and needs (project ESMF according to ATI overall ESMF change and tools, E&S exclusion list and screening documentation, GRM notices, etc.)

• Ensure sex, age and environment related data are collected based on CCI template

• Elaborating the project GRM and sensitizing the ATI staff and partners on its functionality.

• Elaborating/updating the security procedure based on PSNP experiences

• Elaborating an Integrated Pest Management Plan in support to the project and overall ATI activities, in close relationship with the CCI division.

• Elaborating of training material on E&S aspect (E&S standards, major mitigation measures, GRM presentation, etc.)

• Assess capacity of team members and partner on all E&S aspects, including internal GRM and monitoring systems

• Training of staff, committee selection, and partners (selection criteria, GRM systems, gender aspect closely with the CCI Division, etc.)

• Mobilization of project regional specialist in implementing gender activities and monitoring them.

• Ensure transversal integration of E&S indicators within the Project M&E system

• Ensure transversal integration of Gender indicators[3] within the project M&E system

• External monitoring and evaluation of E&S aspect on ATI, BoA, ARARI and others implementing partners activities based on punctual sampling with focus on key risks (conflict, social selection, infrastructure rehabilitation, etc.)

• Annual report and monitoring to the Project chef leader and CCI Division on ESMF and GAP implementation status (gender accommodating activities).

• Regular field mission in regions with strong focus during the first two years of the project to tier-monitor beneficiary selection process within committee selection, conflict resolution and infrastructure rehabilitation

• Accept and undertake other tasks (in relation to the above duties and responsibilities) given by ATI

Job Requirements

• Master’s Degree in Environmental Science, Sociology, and development studies

• At least 8 years of professional experience on E&S aspects

• Experience in coordinating Environmental and Social risk management according to the World bank Environmental and Social Framework (ESF 2018) and World bank Environmental Health and Safety standards (EHS).

• Good experience in planning and implementation of E&S activities

• Experiences on managing gender aspect and especially Gender Action Plan would be an assets

• Excellent stakeholder management skills including thorough knowledge and understanding of various regional level and federal level institutions; extensive experience in facilitating dialogue with relevant public and private stakeholders

• Excellent oral & written communication skills with highly collaborative working style.

• Experience in working with multi-cultural teams preferred.

• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and reporting skills.

• Strong set of personal values including integrity, honesty, and desire to be of service.

• Passion and skill in networking, partnership, collaboration, and alliance building

• Creative thinker, self-starter, and a self-motivated person.

• Ability and willingness to shoulder responsibilities under hectic conditions (in terms of overlapping assignments that may happen occasionally).

• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving environment, with an emphasis on high performance, teamwork, accountability, and results.     

• Demonstrable track record in program and systems design and implementation   

•  Experiences with international donors would be an assets

•  Fluency in oral and written Communication in English & Amharic required.

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.