Term of Employment: One year with possibility of extension
Duty Station(s): Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
Required Number: One
Application Deadline: Nov 1, 2026
Job Description
BACKGROUND:
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, Systems and capacities of the workforces. The ATI’s focuses on improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, pastoralists, internally displaced people (IDPs), recovering people affected by conflict and other across the country for improved income, inclusiveness, resilience, and sustainability.
The ATI works to transform the agriculture and rural development in Ethiopia by conducting analytical studies in the policy and programmatic areas, piloting innovative agricultural technologies and systems , creating jobs to youth and women along the value chain providing technical implementation support, linking actors along the value-chains and attracting foreign direct investment who can work with cluster farmers, implementing problem based, inclusive and sustainable innovative projects and programs and building capacities of diverse players along the transformation continuum. The Institute joins forces with various stakeholders, like MoA and other affiliate Institutions of the Ministry, 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, learning opportunities and resources mobilization. . The Institute plays a crucial role primarily in supporting agricultural policy and strategies development to drive transformation of agriculture and rural development; facilitate knowledge exchange, generating and disseminating information to support evidence-based policy formulation and decision-making and pilot innovative projects to be scaled nationwide.
Our Culture
ATI brings together highly competent specialists to address some of the toughest challenges in agriculture and rural development and make transformation a practical reality. We work with clear insight and foresight analysis, measurable goals, making use of the unique strengths of our staff. 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 to agricultural and rural transformation leading to structural changes of the sector. We expand our thinking, strengthen our capabilities, and redefine our roles to cover new settings to the extent possible fitting to national, continental and global dynamics. 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 ATI is committed to fostering a safe, respectful, inclusive, and equitable environment for its employees, farmers, partners, and all stakeholders. We maintain zero tolerance for any form of abuse, exploitation, harassment, discrimination, bullying, retaliation, or other harmful conduct. The Institute is dedicated to promoting equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion by ensuring fair and respectful treatment regardless of gender, age, disability, ethnicity, religion, or other protected characteristics. We expect all employees, consultants, and partners to uphold ATI’s Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct, and related ethical standards in all interactions with colleagues, farmers, communities, and stakeholders. Successful candidates will be required to demonstrate commitment to these principles and to contribute to a workplace and service environment that protects the dignity, rights, safety, and well-being of all individuals.
There are many reasons to join us, but if you are seeking a dynamic and meaningful career whin a community of talented professionals with diverse expertise-collaborating to create real impact-ATI is the right place for you.
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Regional ACC and Projects Director will lead the refinement of regional ACC strategies, integrate ACC strategies with national and regional priorities (Agro-industrial parks and others), represent regional ACC in strategic platforms (ACC plan preparation, Package revision , Regional field days etc.). He/She is the primary responsible person to lead and coordinate a team of experts who are engaged in the implementation of ATI’s current flagship initiative, establishment of farmer owned agri-business companies in the region.
He/she is also responsible to develop capacity building plan for regional ACC and project staffs and key stakeholders at all levels, serve as an independent voice to the regional ACC team and the Regional SD to gage the progress of cluster strategies implementation on ATI priorities and act as a risk mitigating agent in the project management office (PMO). In addition, the Regional ACC and Projects Director will create regional level platforms to bridge the gap of public and private sector to maximize the commercialization of small farmers’ output. Besides, he integrates food security and youth development projects with the region `s development program. He also design strategies to realize production and productivity increment by employing mechanizations and inputs provision through completed construction projects. The ACC and Projects Director will report to the Senior Director of the Regional office.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Ensure Effective Program and Project Management
- Align strategies and programs with regional priorities to deliver increased results to effectively impact the agricultural sector.
- Coordinate and ensure effective leadership to achieve program and project objectives of the ACC within the agreed period.
- Ensure effective planning and Optimize organization resources to drive impact on small farm holders’, pastoral and agropastoral livelihood.
- Ensure programs and projects are effectively executed.
- Monitor and evaluate regional program/project performance periodically.
- Ensure proper closure and sustainable institutionalization of projects.
- Perform and implement any additional assignment given from Immediate Supervisor
- Support any measures and project interventions in putting IDP/refugees on the same footing as non-displaced farmers.
Ensure and Coordinate Effective stakeholders Capacity Building
- Share ATI’s vision, mission, values, initiatives, programs and plans to the regional cabinets, and other implementation partners.
- Lead ATI’s Regional engagement with the regional president office, Bureau of Agriculture, regional Livestock bureau, research, cooperatives, trade, gender, humanitarian organization, local peace building institutions and other regional institutions and relevant Federal level Ministries/ Agencies in the implementation of ATI target deliverables.
- Effectively coordinate the regional programmatic as well operational component of the regional office.
- Proven record in smoothly working with multiple community leaders, IDPs/Refugees, stakeholders, humanitarian organizations, and Donor Partners.
- Support effective cross-sector and public-private stakeholders’ coordination and problem-solving issues at the regional and federal level, including alignment of ATI’s priorities with other national and regional strategies and programs
- Lead the regional enhancement program while instilling transformational mind-set to regional staff and beyond.
- Conduct assessment of the knowledge and skill gaps of the program and project staffs and implementing agencies and develop capacity building regional plans to ensure skill transfer in increasing production and productivity and marketing while transformational mindset is instilled in regional staff.
- Co-coordinating regional public-private stakeholders’ alignment on Project strategies and deliverables
- Ensure effective regular communication with the various government offices, the private sector and development partner.
- Invest in, and support, conflict analysis, early warning systems, and local conflict prevention and resolution mechanisms in localities where displaced and host populations are jointly included in Programme implementation.
- Coordinate the inclusion of displaced and host communities with humanitarian actor to ensure that live-saving assistance is not ended prior to the target populations achieving self-reliance and maximize synergies and impact.
- Coordinate the inclusion of displaced and host communities with humanitarian actor to ensure that live-saving assistance is not ended prior to the target populations achieving self-reliance and maximize synergies and impact.
Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and outcome of the training
- Ensure and Organize Regional level Platforms to Bridge the gap of Public and Private Sector to Maximize the Commercialization of agropastoral.
- Ensure the strengthening and operationalization of transformation platforms such as the regional Transformation council and Value Chain Alliances
- Establish/strengthen and implement an effective stakeholder’s communication through socialization, formal meetings, and mentoring
- Plan and implement one to one catch ups with regional level team leaders, senior managers, and officers to capture activity updates and resolve the bottlenecks immediately.
- Ensure regional ACC programs and projects budget utilization in accordance with the plan.
- Prioritize and deliver support for private sector engaged in input provision, production, collection, aggregation processing and marketing of prioritized commodities Agricultural value chains.
- Experience in emergency support and rehabilitation, reinstating affected agro- pastoralists would be a strong asset.
- Organize stakeholder platform to link the FPCs and private sectors with input, credit, and other service providers.
- Coordinates and facilitate the selection of exhibition participants to be invited for trade and import/export expos and market linkages organized by Head Office.
Ensure & establish/strengthen Internal & External Effective Regular Communication
- Provide effective and timely upward reporting to the ATI ACC Senior Director, ATI senior management, ATI leadership on programmatic and operational issues.
- Ensure effective regular communication and reporting with the various government offices, and key public, private and development partner stakeholders.
- Provide effective and timely upward reporting to the Regional Cabinet Council.
- Provide timely and updated information to regional staffs to ensure smooth internal communication and transparency.
- Ensure organizational visibility, image, and reputation
- Build stronger connections with team leaders and staffs and encourage better vertical and horizontal communications.
Ensure Effective Resource Management
- Commit in human development plan to ensure the regional office is staffed with high calibre staff.
- Build effective regional team through socialization, coaching and mentoring.
- Provide strategic guidance for healthy-team development in the regional Office through team health-checks and encouraging teamwork.
- Support teams to effectively manage diversity in the regional office.
- Ensure both financial and operational standards are maintained to meet government and donor partners audit requirements.
- Ensure regional budget utilization is according to the plan.
- Ensure and exert all efforts to manage financial and human resources of the ACC Program.
Required Qualification, Experience and Competence:
Education:
- PhD or master’s degree or equivalent in Agricultural sciences, Economics, Agribusiness, Business Management, Development Studies, Rural Development, or other relevant fields
Experience:
- Master’s degree minimum of 12 years and 6 years for PhD of directly relevant experience and out of which 6 years is in leadership and managerial position.
Behavioural Competencies required:
- Result /outcome oriented – Focus on critical matters that concern the whole organization and end users.
- Team Building – Believes in a teamwork, organize, and develop team-based leadership.
- Passion for rural development – Have a great passion working with and for IDPs/Refugees and host community development
- Strategic thinking – Focuses on the big picture; Alignment with national development program; Balancing short-term benefits with long-term goals; Commitment to organizational Vision, Mission, and values; Thinking out of the box.
- Networking – Creating a network in his /her functions with all actors in humanitarian, peace & development.
- Communication Skill – Buying the hearts and minds of people; Ability to scan internal and external environment; Ability to thrive in a fast-moving environment, with an emphasis on high performance, teamwork, accountability, and results; Ability in creating a learning organization.
- Decision making – Ability to identify strategic problems and taking timely decision; Excellent analytical skill, taking calculated risk, Consultation, participation, and negotiation skills; Ability and willingness to shoulder responsibilities under hectic conditions (in terms of overlapping assignments that may happen occasionally).
Technical competencies required: - Planning, implementing, and monitoring – Planning, implementation and monitoring of HDP and ACC Programs
- Value chain Management – Market-led value chain development and upgrading activities (preferably including project management of large-scale agricultural development, Agro-processing, and/or agribusiness-focused initiatives).
- Building operation excellence – Lead ACC and Projects staff and ensure staff development plan; Manage maximum budget utilization and activities implementations; Ensuring value for money is achieved and driving impact in the agriculture sector; Obtaining operation excellence in organization capacity building
- Stakeholders’ Management – Knowledge and understanding of various regional-level and federal-level institutions; extensive experience in facilitating dialogue with relevant public and private stakeholders focused on ACC and Projects interventions; Good experience of working in Federal, regional, and civil society or private sectors; Excellent in identification, analysis, planning and management skill of stakeholders.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS (LANGUAGES, LICENSING OR CERTIFICATIONS)
· Competent in utilizing essential computer applications.
· Proficiency in oral and written English and Amharic.
· The job holder favoured having a certificate in project management.
· Driving license with adequate driving experience (Preferable).
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: https://apply.ati.gov.et. It is mandatory to mention the position title in both the subject line of your cover letter and the Outlook email subject line. Please DO NOT submit scans of certificates with your application.
Women are highly encouraged to apply
NB. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.