Regional Senior Project Officer II – Livestock 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 Livestock Value Chain Officer (SPO II) is responsible, in coordination with the Senior livestock value chain officer II based at HQ, for supporting the implementation of all livestock related activities in the Amhara region and contributing to the achievement of corresponding livestock related results to a high level of quality and in a timely manner. In particular, he/she will support, all activities concerning small ruminant and poultry production activities (Result 1.2), all apiculture related activities and all fodder related activities.

He/she will collaborate closely with the livestock expert for the implementation of livestock related activities under his/her responsibility, as well as with the FARM Senior Project Officer II based at ARBoA; and he/she will coordinate with the Amhara Region Senior Crop Value Chain Officer concerning possible overlap or synergies between livestock and fodder related activities and agricultural ones; as well as concerning the analysis of soil management techniques within the context of agroecological practices and the integration of agricultural and livestock activities within a farming system. He/she will report to the FARM project Manager (functional reporting) and to regional ATI senior director (matrix reporting).

 ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Support the implementation of livestock (including apiculture) and fodder related activities and achieve planned livestock and fodder 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 livestock 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 livestock and fodder activities, and ensuring timely and appropriate feedback, guidance, and support for optimum performance.
• Provide livestock and fodder related technical advice to all project stakeholders.
• Support the monitoring of livestock and fodder activity 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 livestock and fodder activities.
• Help organise and oversee livestock and fodder related short-term missions.
• Support, for livestock and fodder related activities, procurement of goods and services, and budget and expenditure analysis.
• Assist in beneficiary targeting, with the PSNP, for component 1 livestock activities in the Amhara Region.
• In collaboration with livestock expert at HQ organize and facilitate ToT training, value chain alliance platforms and coach and mentor targeted experts, development agents and processors engaged in apiculture value chain development.
• Support the drafting of livestock and fodder related parts of FARM reports through regular reporting on regional activities to the Team Leader (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 livestock and fodder related 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 livestock and fodder, particularly fodder production multiplication and distribution, soil fertility management and agroecology.
• For issues related to livestock and fodder, facilitate knowledge management, particularly in terms of documenting lessons learned and best practices.

 Required Qualification, Competencies and Experience (Person Specification)

• Master’s degree or above in Animal science, Animal production, or related fields.
• AT least 8-year experience in agricultural development projects of which half in relation to livestock development.
• Professional field experience in at least 2 of the following (more is an asset): i) fodder production multiplication and distribution, ii) farming system analysis, iii) soil fertility management, or iv) apiculture.
• Knowledge of Ethiopia with knowledge of the Amhara Region context is a strong asset.
• Understanding of Ethiopia’s agriculture sector, with a broad perspective on how the entire system operates and how public, private and informal actors operate within the system.
• Excellent ability to work effectively under pressure, and against strict time constraints.
• Excellent ability to build relationships with people, and teamwork.
• Excellent adaptive problem-solver in challenging environment.
• Proficiency in oral and written 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.