Individual Consultant: Project Coordinator _at Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), Ethiopia

• Position: Individual Consultant (Project Coordinator)
• Project: Scaling the Integration of Fortified Whole Grains (FWGs) into National School Feeding Programs in Ethiopia
• Duty Station: Tigray Region, Ethiopia
• Duration: 12 Months (Renewable based on funding)
• Nature of Engagement: Consultancy assignment, non-staff position

About Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA)

The Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) is an international non-profit non-governmental organization headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with Country Offices in four African Countries Uganda, Mali and Nigeria and Ethiopia. SAA is dedicated to catalyzing sustainable agricultural transformation in Africa by supporting smallholder farmers in Africa to enhance food, nutrition, and income security. SAA’s programming is guided by three strategic pillars: Regenerative Agriculture (RA), Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture (NSA), and Market-Oriented Agriculture (MOA), which together aim to enhance productivity, food security, resilience, and market integration for smallholder farming systems. SAA-Ethiopia, established in 1993, is officially registered with the Ethiopian Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO).

About the Project

In collaboration with the Fortified Whole Grain Alliance (FWGA), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), and Hawassa University, SAA is implementing a three-year initiative aimed at integrating fortified whole grains into Ethiopia’s National School Feeding Program.

The objective of this initiative is to support the scale-up of fortified whole grains (FWGs) in school feeding systems in the Tigray Region by strengthening demand creation, supply systems, processing capacity, quality assurance, policy uptake, and evidence generation through SAA’s implementation role.

The project seeks to improve child nutrition and educational outcomes while strengthening local agricultural systems. It focuses on enhancing production, postharvest handling, milling capacity, value addition, and policy uptake, thereby creating sustainable and inclusive grain value chains that benefit farmers, processors, schools, and communities.

Position Summary

The Individual Consultant (Project Coordinator) will lead the planning, coordination, and implementation of project activities in the Tigray Region. The role requires strong technical expertise in postharvest management, agro-processing, and value chain development, as well as the ability to effectively engage stakeholders across multiple levels—from farmers and millers to policymakers and development partners.
This is a consultancy assignment and does not constitute a permanent staff position.

Key Responsibilities

The Consultant will:

• Lead project inception activities, including stakeholder engagement, planning, and coordination with regional and local partners.
• Conduct comprehensive assessments of grain production, postharvest handling, and milling systems.
• Identify, train, and build the capacity of small- and medium-scale millers to produce fortified whole grain products.
• Facilitate the organization and strengthening of farmer groups and cooperatives to ensure reliable supply chains.
• Support extension agents and farmers in adopting improved production, harvesting, and postharvest management practices.
• Promote access to appropriate milling technologies and support pilot processing initiatives.
• Collaborate with partners on recipe development, menu integration, and product testing for school feeding programs.
• Design and implement Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) strategies to promote the consumption of nutritious foods.
• Organize school and community-based demonstrations, awareness campaigns, and learning events.
• Strengthen market linkages among producers, processors, and institutional buyers, including facilitating supply agreements.
• Support youth and women entrepreneurs to actively participate in grain value chains.
• Engage in technical working groups and contribute to policy dialogue and advocacy efforts.
• Lead monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) activities to track progress and inform adaptive management.
• Develop strategies for sustainability, scaling, and institutionalization of project outcomes.

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Postharvest Technology, Food Process Engineering, or a closely related field.
• At least five (5) years of relevant professional experience in grain postharvest management, food processing, and quality assurance.
• Demonstrated experience in agro-processing, value addition, and whole grain fortification.
• Proven commitment to working with smallholder farmers and rural communities.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Fluency in both English and Tigrigna, written and spoken.
• Strong analytical, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to prepare high-quality technical reports and presentations.
• Excellent teamwork, multitasking, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and in challenging field conditions.