Position: Regional Senior Project Officer II – Afar RBoA Focal Person

Term of Employment:  One year with a possibility of extension 

Duty Station(s): Afar – (Based at Semera)

Required Number: One 

Application Deadline: October 2,2024

The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI), formerly known as the Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA), is a strategy and delivery-oriented government institute created to help accelerate the growth and transformation of Ethiopia’s agriculture sector, which is a key contributor to the country’s GDP, exports, and workforce. The ATI’s work is centred on improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers (SHFs) across the country for improved income, inclusiveness, resilience, and sustainability. 

The ATI works to transform the agriculture sector in Ethiopia by conducting policy and analytical studies, providing technical implementation support and capacity building, coordinating. 

platforms to better integrate partners and projects and designing and directly leading several innovative/pilot interventions. 

The Institute joins forces with various stakeholders, including policymakers, researchers, farmers, and development partners, to support the implementation of agricultural development programs and initiatives. In addition, the ATI collaborates with national and international partners to facilitate knowledge exchange and learning opportunities. The Institute plays a crucial role in generating and disseminating information to support evidence-based decision-making in Ethiopia’s agricultural sector.

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. 

The  Regional Senior Project Officer II - AFRBoA focal person is responsible for coordinating project interventions indicated on component I and II with proper linkage and alignment of key stakeholders like Afar Bureau of Livestock, Afar Bureau of Agriculture and Natural Resource. He/She also support the implementation of the FARM project and the achievement of its planned results to a high level of quality and in a timely manner. To achieve this, he will coordinate with other PMU members and liaise regularly with Afar region project stakeholders at regional, zonal, woreda and kebele level. He is the relay of the Team leader in the Afar region and will closely coordinate with him and the rest of the PMU at central and regional level in order to ensure the smooth exchange of information with local stakeholders and an efficient project implementation at field level. Based in AFRBoA, he/she will liaise closely with AFRBoA personnel and ATI regional management as well as with all other regional authorities and actors implicated in the project (AFRARI, Abala and Awra Agriculture Research Center - Livestock fattening and breeding cooperatives, local authorities at zonal, woreda and kebele level, Farmer Training Centers -FTC…). He/she will report to the Project Manager globally, as well as to the ATI regional senior Director and the Head of regional BoA (functional reporting).

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Coordinate Farm Project interventions in the region and align with key stakeholders for proper implementation. 

• Support the coordination of project implementation and achieve planned results to international quality standards, including logistics, procurement, political, bottlenecks in implementation, project management compliance, etc.

• Liaise with FARM project stakeholders at regional and subregional level and coordinate the implementation of activities at regional level with the FARM project team.

• Provide technical and strategic advice to all members of the PMU and facilitate capacity building when needed.

• Support the monitoring of project progress and the evaluation of results.

• Support the identification of external technical support needs for effective project implementation.

• Help organize and oversee short term missions

• Assist in administrative and financial management for regionally procured services and products, including procurement of goods and services, budget and expenditure analysis or contractual management.

• Assist in beneficiary targeting (with the PSNP for component 1), based on the established criteria in the region.

• Support the drafting of project related reports through regular reporting on regional activities to the FARM project manager (in a format to be agreed with the TL) in a timely manner and including reporting on ESMF and GAP implementation status and complaint and resolution status.

• Contribute to ensure coordination and harmonization of FARM project activities with those of government authorities and other Development Partners active in the Amhara region.

• Contribute to build partnerships whenever relevant and possible.

• Contribute, in coordination with the TL, to support the establishment and facilitate strategic dialogue between AFD, project staff and Government officials at regional and local levels, in project´s areas of work, particularly seed value chain development and agroecology

• Facilitate knowledge management, particularly in terms of lessons learned and best practices which may feed a dialogue with government authorities and other DPs as well as contribute to future interventions and policy making.

• 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.

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

Job Requirements

Required Qualification, Competencies and Experience

• Master’s degree or above in Agriculture, Agricultural economics, Economics, Rural Development or related fields.

• Minimum 8-year experience of the implementation of agricultural development projects.

• Experience in working with multi-dimensional teams, donor-based project coordination and implementation with complex work programs.

• Analytical skills, including livelihood and farming system analysis.

• Knowledge of Ethiopia with knowledge of the Afar region context a very strong asset.

• Experience on Donor supported (AFD, EU or world bank) project coordination and implementations 

• Experience in crop and livestock value chains, particularly on livestock restocking , support or management would be a strong asset.

• Proficiency in oral and written communication in English, Afar and Amharic would be strong asset.

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

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

• Experience in agroecology would be a strong asset.

• Experiences with international donors would be an assets 

• Familiarity with Ethiopia’s agricultural research system is an asset.

• 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

• inclination towards participatory management (at team and beneficiary level), capacity to implement and experience of participatory planning methods.

• Desire of improving the lives of smallholder farmers.

• Leadership, autonomy, and integrity.

• Strong capacity to facilitate teamwork.

• Conflict management capacity.

• Willingness to undertake frequent field visits.

• Computer literacy.

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 application email.  

Please DO NOT submit scans of certificates with your application.  

Women are highly encouraged to apply. 

NB. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted