Program Director – Transform Soil Fertility Management – Office of Programs – Ethiopia

Location:  Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Deadline: February 15, 2026

Job Description

About IFDC

IFDC is a public international organization active in 27 countries in Africa, Asia, and America. IFDC uniquely approaches the global issues of food security and poverty by bridging the gap between research and impact, combining science-based innovations, holistic market systems development, an enabling policy environment, and strategic partnerships to assist farmers and countries to identify and scale sustainable agricultural solutions, including improved nutrient use efficiency. These approaches are needed to boost soil health and crop productivity while reducing the environmental impact of fertilizer use. IFDC translates research into action by using locally driven, environmentally sound, and impact-oriented solutions. With our partners, we seek to close the yield gap, eradicate global hunger, safeguard the soil on which our lives depend, and generate economic resilience for farming households and the countries in which they live. 

Responsibilities

Technical

• Provide input and guidance to program staff in bottom up and participatory methods in farmer engagement; integrated soil fertility management (ISFM); smallholder farming systems, last mile input distribution systems, sustainable land use and watershed management;

• Prepare work plans and annual budgets for the program according to the dates indicated in the grant agreement between the Donor and IFDC;

• Develop narrative and financial progress reports for the donor, according to the dates indicated in the grant agreement between the donor and IFDC;

• Coordinate implementation of the program with Ministry of Agriculture and Consortium Partner Organizations;

• Coordinate collaboration with all program partners;

• Monitor all program activities with the technical staff;

• Any other duties as assigned by the IFDC Director of Scaling Soil Health Department or his/her designee.

Operational

• Ensure the daily management of the program, including financial management and management of program staff;

• Coordinate the recruitment of program staff and coordinate/supervise their daily activities;

• Working with communication staff, support development of external communication of the program;

• Organize trainings in response to identified training needs as planned in the program;

• Maintain day-to-day relationships with the donor, Government of Ethiopia, Regional and  Local Governments in relation to program activities;

• Develop progress reports for the Ministry of Agriculture, the donor and partner organizations as required and ensure compliance;

• Any other duties as assigned by the IFDC Director of Soil Health and Agricultural Productivity Department or his/her designee.

Requirements

• At least 10 years of experience successfully leading the management (implementation, logistics, budget, staffing)  of complex, results based, bottom up and purely participatory multi-year programs with a focus on soil health and fertility; developing last mile input distribution systems and agribusiness development;

• Demonstrated ability in concepts, principles, and approaches around bottom up and purely participatory methods in farmer engagement; ISFM ; last mile input distribution systems; fertilizer blending and fertilizer distribution systems; fertilizer policy and enabling environment;

• Doctor  degree in agriculture, agri-business development, soil sciences, economics or related field required;

• Previous working experience in the focus regions in Ethiopia  preferably in soil health and fertility, agribusiness development or agricultural policy and enabling environment.  Experience working and leading teams in conflict zones will be an added advantage;

• Demonstrated skills in effectively collaborating with National, Regional and local  governments, regional institutions, donors, other EKN and development partner programs, local organizations, private companies and other partners;

• Ability to successfully manage and develop staff as demonstrated by past experience;

• Ability to manage partners and grant programs with all required reporting requirements;

• Ability to perform internal control functions to manage day-to-day operations of the program;

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally in small and large audience  settings;

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required;

• Ability to travel in Ethiopia and in East and Southern Africa.

Reporting and work relationships

The program director reports to the Director of Scaling Soil Health Department or his/her designee. For all country issues and coordination with other IFDC programs in Ethiopia, the program director reports to the IFDC Country Director in Ethiopia  

Location

This is a national recruitment with a duty station at the IFDC office based in Addis Ababa Ethiopia with frequent travel to all program sites. 

 Benefits 

IFDC’s benefits include annual and sick leave, health and group life insurance coverage, a 13th-month salary, social security and pension contribution in compliance with local laws and end-of-contract benefits. 

 Salary Clause 

The salary grade for this position is BG 11 with a proposed starting salary of USD pegged 2,892 per month.  

The determination of new employee salaries considers various factors. These include the salary range linked to the assigned job grade, the candidate’s qualifications in relation to the job’s responsibilities and prerequisites, internal fairness, the competitive state of the job market, as well as potential organizational and budgetary considerations.  

Diversity Clause

IFDC is committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We believe in the value of bringing together people with a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. All employment decisions at IFDC are made on the basis of ability, performance, and organizational need, in alignment with our values of fairness, respect, and opportunity for all. 

About Project/ Program

The Transform Soil Fertility Management in Ethiopia (TRANSFORM) program, funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the European Union, is a four-year initiative (2025-2028) aimed at enhancing soil fertility and agricultural resilience in Ethiopia by addressing critical challenges such as nutrient depletion and soil acidity. With the goal of rehabilitating 65,000 hectares of farmland and strengthening the capacity of 100,000 small-scale producers, the program consists of four interrelated components: (i) provision of customized soil fertility extension services designed to enhance farmers’ technical knowledge, decision-making capacity, and adaptive management skills; (ii) development of a vibrant and efficient soil input sector to ensure the reliable availability and accessibility of high-quality soil amendments and fertilizers; (iii) strengthening of research-extension interfaces through participatory, farmer-led action research that promotes context-specific and evidence-based innovations; and (iv) creation of an enabling policy and institutional framework that supports coordinated, integrated, and sustainable soil health and fertility management in Ethiopia.  

Implemented through a consortium led by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) in partnership with Wageningen University and Research – Wageningen Environmental Research (WUR-WENR), ISRIC – World Soil Information, Environment and Coffee Forest Forum (ECFF), and SOS Sahel Ethiopia, the TRANSFORM program, together with Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Regional Bureaus of Agriculture (RBoAs), the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), and other government institutions and partners, aims to institutionalize sustainable soil fertility and land management practices, thereby contributing to a resilient, productive, and climate-adaptive agricultural system in Ethiopia. 

 

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