National Coordinator for the Expanding Dairy Genetics in East Africa Project (consultant)

Job Description

ROLE: National Coordinator (NC), Consultant

About the Organization:

Development Gateway: An IREX Venture (DG) is an international non-profit organization with approximately 80 team members based in more than 10 countries worldwide. By leveraging the combination of programmatic and IT developer capacity and skills within DG, over the last 20 years we have researched data ecosystems, built digital tools to support those data ecosystems, and advised on data strategy and digital transformation to strengthen decision-making, transparency, and service delivery.

Project Summary:

Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) has awarded a sub-grant to Development Gateway to implement the Expanding Dairy Genetics in East Africa (EDGE) project activities through a four-year implementation period from May 2026 to Apr 2030. LIC and Development Gateway will reach the project’s goal of addressing supply, demand, and the enabling environment to sustainably increase dairy productivity through genetic gains by 1) strengthening last-mile delivery of improved genetics; 2) increasing farmer demand and adoption; and 3) improving the enabling environment.

Development Gateway’s role will be to build awareness and capacity of SSPs of sexed semen, strengthen artificial insemination technicians’ skills and reach and access to necessary inputs and infrastructure to sustainably increase dairy productivity through the adoption of the sexed semen technology at scale. Building on previous works with Gates Foundation, the Public-Private Partnership for artificial insemination Delivery and Sustainable Commercialization of Sexed Dairy Genetics (SCSDG) in East Africa projects, EDGE will work to improve market access to improved dairy genetics for youth, women and men dairy farmers of different scales.

Position Summary:

The National Coordinator (NC), Consultant will coordinate in-country, day-to-day activities through the life (4 years) of the program.

The consultant will be responsible for coordinating all public-private sector relationships for the EDGE project in Ethiopia. This consultant is responsible for the overall private sector engagement function, for internal and external private sector engagement in multi-stakeholder platforms and corresponding due diligence. The management of the local partnerships agreements for both Federal, regional, and local will be a key function, to allow the project within limited time deliver results at scale.

The consultant will maintain regular communications with key partners and identify opportunities for closer collaboration, leverage resources and deepen coordination. This will be with both the public and private sectors in the project implementation targeted milksheds and woredas.

Key duties include t working directly with the Technical Director to establish annual strategies and budgets. The consultant will also provide technical leadership to all proposed activities, including overseeing the project’s gender action plan.

• The consultant will report to the Project Manager and will coordinate their work with the Technical Director
• The consultant will deliver Gates Foundation required results within scope, budget and time as laid out in the funding agreement for activities within Ethiopia.
• The consultant will also be responsible for written and verbal monthly milestone and deliverable status update reporting to the project management team.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Contribute significantly to work planning and project implementation as well as technical guidance, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of project indicators to Development Gateway and donor organization, with a focus on gender integration.
• Effective planning and achievement of project goals and targets, within budget, time and planned scope.
• Provide technical oversight of project operations, including working with the Project Manager to ensure compliant execution of financial, administration, logistics, procurement, property, and database management.
• Ensure compliance with donor rules and regulations as well as policies and regulations of Development Gateway.
• Ensure close collaboration and coordination with implementing and cooperating partners to guarantee smooth implementation of activities and achievement of results as specified in agreements. Play the lead role in communication with in-country program sub-awardees and partners.
• Coordinate with government institutions and public and private technical experts to facilitate the development of updated training curriculums and programs that ensure that service provision as a business and gender inclusiveness goals of the project are met
• Work closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) coordinator to ensure specific indicators for measuring gender inclusiveness are properly included in all implementation activities and that data is being collected as a part of the Performance Measure Plan.
• Facilitate full integration of gender sensitive approaches throughout program implementation, through engaging and working with the GESI Specialist on a short term technical assistance basis.
• Engage and work with business development consultants to develop new business opportunities to scale Livestock impact within Ethiopia and the region
• Travel to implementation areas as needed to support the above activities.
• Other deliverables as agreed between the Project Manager and Consultant

Required Qualifications:

• Masters in agricultural economics, agricultural extension, livestock/dairy development or other relevant fields of study with at least 8 years relevant experience managing agricultural development projects. Higher post graduate degree is desirable.
• Previous experience managing donor-funded development projects.
• Demonstrated expertise in agricultural business management (livestock/dairy production) through engaging smallholders and commercial dairy farmers.
• Demonstrated experience and success in leading, supervising, coaching and developing others
• Ability to coordinate, collaborate, and negotiate with host government institutions and officials, NGOs, sub-grantees in implementing project activities
• Excellent verbal and written (English) communication skills with the ability to dialogue, network, and negotiate with funding organizations, community groups, private sector organizations and local governments
• Proven financial management and budgeting skills
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office and Excel.