Regional Senior Project Officer II – Crop Value Chain | Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

Food security and Agriculture Rehabilitation measures in Conflict Affected Regions of Ethiopia – FARM” Project

Job Description

BACKGROUND:

The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) is a strategy and delivery-oriented government Institute created to help accelerate the growth and transformation of the country’s agriculture sector. The ATI envisions to be the leading center of innovative solutions for the transformation of Ethiopian Agriculture by 2030.

The Institute focuses on two primary national approaches to catalyze agricultural transformation. First, we support the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), its affiliate institutions, and other partners to identify and address systemic bottlenecks within an Agricultural Transformation Agenda. Second, we support Regional Governments to accelerate the development of high-priority commodity value chains in clearly defined geographic clusters, through the Agricultural Commercialization Clusters (ACC) Initiative.

Our major activities include conducting strategic and analytical studies, providing technical implementation support, coordinating platforms to better integrate partners and projects, and designing and directly leading a number of implementation projects. Our headquarters are in Addis Ababa, and we have regional offices in Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, Sidama, South-West, and Tigray regional offices, allowing us to work closely with a wide range of public, private and development sector partners across the country.

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 team work 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 Amhara Region Senior Crop Value Chain Officer (SPO II) is responsible, in coordination with the Senior Crop Value Chain Officer based at central level, for supporting the implementation of all crop production related activities in the Amhara region and contributing to the achievement of corresponding agricultural results to a high level of quality and in a timely manner. In particular, he will support, with the exception of fodder related activities, all activities concerning the increase of seed and plant multiplication capacity (Result 2.2), all activities concerning the increase in productivity and resilience of farming systems (Result 2.2), as well as activities linked to strengthening local seed, seedling and germoplasm selection and management capacity (within Result 2.1).

He/she will collaborate closely with the Agriculture and Seed Value Chain expert for the implementation of the crop production activities under his responsibility, with the FARM agricultural economist and ARBoA focal point for all other agricultural activities in Component 1 and part of Result 2.1 in component 2; and he will coordinate with the Amhara region agricultural focal point concerning possible overlap or synergies with livestock and fodder related activities. He/she will report to the FARM project Manager.

 ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Support the implementation of crop production related activities and achieve planned crop production results to international quality standards at the level of the Amhara region.
• Liaise with FARM project stakeholders at regional and subregional level and coordinate the implementation of crop production activities at regional level with the FARM project team.
• Participate in the preparation of annual work plans and budgets, establishing performance objectives and standards related to crop production activities, and ensuring timely and appropriate feedback, guidance, and support for optimum performance.
• Provide crop production related technical advice to all project stakeholders.
• Support the monitoring of crop production components progress and the evaluation of corresponding results at the level of the Amhara region.
• Support the identification of external technical support needs for effective implementation of crop production activities.
• Help organise and oversee crop production related short-term missions.
• Support, for crop production related activities, procurement of goods and services, and budget and expenditure analysis.
• Assist in beneficiary targeting with the PSNP for component 1 crop production activities in the Amhara Region.
• Support the drafting of agricultural parts of FARM reports through regular reporting on regional activities to the project manager (in a format to be agreed with the TL) in a timely manner and including reporting on ESMF and GAP implementation status and complaint and resolution status.
• Contribute to ensure coordination and harmonisation of FARM project agricultural activities with those of government authorities and other Development Partners active in the Amhara Region.
• Support the TL in strategic dialogue between AFD, project staff and Government officials at central and local levels, in relation to agriculture, particularly seed value chain development and agroecology.
• For issues related to crop production, facilitate knowledge management, particularly in terms of lessons learned and best practices.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, COMPETENCIES, AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s Degree or above in agronomy, plant production, seed science, horticultural science or related fields.
• AT least 8-year experience in agricultural development projects.
• Professional field experience in at least 4 of the following (more is an asset): i) farming system analysis, ii) seed value chains (formal and informal) support, iii) agroecological practices, iv) horticulture, v) adaptive research, vi) participative research farmer groups, vii) establishment of Seed Producer Cooperative Unions (SPCU), viii) Community seed banks, or ix) agricultural extension service development.
• Knowledge of Ethiopia with knowledge of the Amhara Region context is a strong asset.
• Experience in Participatory Guarantee Scheme (PGS) establishment is an asset.
• Familiarity with Ethiopia’s agricultural research system is an asset.
• Proficiency in oral and written communication in English and in Amharic.
• Sensitivity to gender and environmental issues.
• Desire of improving the lives of smallholder farmers.
• Willingness to undertake frequent field visits.
• Computer literacy.
• Rigour, autonomy, and integrity.

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.ata.gov.et

It is mandatory to mention the position title under the subject line of your cover letter.

Please DO NOT submit scans of certificates with your application.

Women are highly encouraged to apply.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.