Position: Senior Project Officer I: National Master Trainer- Livestock & Fisheries Farmers’ Field School (L&FFFS)

Term of Employment: Six months 

Duty Station(s):  Addis Ababa

Required Number:  Two

Application Deadline:   18/10/2024

 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.

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 teamwork 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 Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) has been designing, piloting and tracking the performance of Livestock and Fisheries Farmers’ Field School (L&FFFS), which is a specialized adult training approach, across LFSDP regions of the country. The approach brings together a group of livestock producers to engage in a process of hands-on farm-based learning over a season/production cycle as a time-bound activity, with a beginning and an end. To support the implementation of this activity two certified national master trainers with documented experience are required. The trainers will be employed for six months. The trainers will report to the Livestock Commercialization Program Director (ATI) and contribute to the team's activities. 

Duties and Responsibilities

• Update training materials for facilitating skill-based training to facilitators. 

• Validate updated version of the training materials with the ATI Livestock team and stakeholders.

• Develop timeline for the provision of training in consultation with the ATI Livestock Team.

• Facilitate the training of facilitators for LFSDP woredas where L&F FFS has not been established 

• Organize and deliver practical sessions on FFS for facilitators

• Monitor the progress and evaluate the performance of established L&F FFS

• Facilitate the training to lead farmers in collaboration with facilitators 

• Provide technical backstopping to facilitators and lead farmers

• Provide advisory services on the implementation of FFS to Federal and regional PCUs and Livestock and Fisheries Offices. 

• Develop data collection instruments for tracking the performance and validate with livestock team and stakeholders

• Coordinate field data collection focused on the experience and performance of L&F FFS

• Compile and analyze the data collected from field, and synthesize and produce a report  

• Support the establishment of L&FFFS in selected regions and woredas where it hasn’t been established

• Provide monthly report on the milestones covered and challenges encountered to livestock Director 

• Compile lessons learnt from the training and establishment of the school and provide final report including issues that require attention. 

• Perform other related activities as required and requested by the Livestock Director (ATI).

Job Requirements

Required Qualification, Competencies, and Experience (Person Specification )

•  Master’s or bachelor’s degree in Agri-extension, Livestock extension, natural resources or other relevant disciplines.

• Minimum of 8 years’ relevant experience for Bachler’s and 6 years for Maste in the agricultural extension system, with at least 4 years’ experience in the implementation of Farmer Field Schools approach. 

• Practical experience in facilitation and implementation of livestock and fisheries farmers field school approach in the country

• The applicant must be a certified master trainer (certificate shall be attached with the application).

• Experience in training extension staff and managing extension programs/activities (government, NGO or commercial). 

• Understanding of Ethiopia’s agriculture sector, with a broad perspective on how the entire system operates and how public, private and informal actors operate within the system.

• Knowledge of the agricultural and/or the livestock extension system of Ethiopia, and livestock development issues in Ethiopia.

• Excellent skills and experience in use of computers and common office applications.

• Highly facilitative and collaborative leadership style.

• Ability to build relationships with all kinds of people.

• Excellent adaptive problem-solver in challenging work environments.

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

• Experience in prioritizing and sequencing both programmatic and operational activities; and

• Good command of English and Amharic are essential. Knowledge of additional Ethiopian languages would be an advantage

How to Apply

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

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