Senior Research and Project Management Assistant _at Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Ethiopia

Project Overview

• Project Name: Project for “Disseminating Evidence-based Sustainable Land Management (SLM) through Multi-Stakeholder Partnership”
• Contract Period: As soon as possible until March 31st, 2027
• Implementing Organization: Bureau of Agriculture in Sidama region (BoA)
• Collaborating Organizations: Ministry of Agriculture, Hawassa University, Sidama Regional Government Agricultural Research Institute, and several governmental and research institutions
• Budget Administration: JICA
• Position Title: Senior Research and Project Management Assistant
• Duty Station: Sidama BoA, Ethiopia
• Contract Type: Full-time, Fixed term
• Reporting to: JICA Expert / Project Coordinator
• Application Deadline: November 23^rd at 5 PM, 2026

Background

Current Status of Sustainable Land Management in Ethiopia

Ethiopia has a population of approximately 120 million, of which about 70% reside in rural areas, and around 60% of the labor force is engaged in agriculture. Agriculture accounts for approximately 40% of the GDP and is a core industry directly linked to the country’s economy and food security. However, due to population growth, farmland fragmentation, intensive continuous cultivation, deforestation, and overgrazing, approximately 27 million hectares (about one-fourth of the national land area) are affected by land degradation. In highland areas, soil erosion of up to 100 tons/ha per year has been reported, resulting in an estimated 2-3% loss in agricultural GDP (World Bank). These conditions exacerbate rural poverty and food insecurity. Furthermore, climate change-induced natural disasters and changes in rainfall patterns increase land vulnerability, amplifying risks in a society highly dependent on agriculture.

Implementation of the JICA SATREPS-SLM Project

In response to the above situation and upon request from the Government of Ethiopia, the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) project titled ‘The Project for Development of Next-Generation Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Framework to Combat Desertification’ (2016-2023) was implemented (hereinafter referred to as the SATREPS-SLM Project).

In Amhara Region, 13 types of SLM technologies and 4 approaches for social implementation were identified based on scientific evidence, and a next-generation SLM framework was developed. These technologies and approaches were developed jointly by Japanese research institutions, including Tottori University, together with Bahir Dar University (BDU) and the Amhara Agricultural Research Institute (ARARI). In pilot sites, soil erosion was reduced by 66-96%, land productivity improved by 48-134%, and income of targeted women and youth groups increased by approximately 40%.

To disseminate the developed technologies, ‘Guidelines for Sustainable Land Management’ and technical manuals, including local language versions, were prepared. Academically, 86 internationally co-authored papers were published, 21 of which ranked in the top 10% by citation count, receiving high international recognition. As a framework for social implementation of these achievements, the ‘Regional Research-based Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Partnership’ was agreed upon among the Amhara Bureau of Agriculture (BoA), Bahir Dar University (BDU), and Amhara Agricultural Research Institute (ARARI).

Request and Approval of the Successor Project from the Government of Ethiopia

To further disseminate and expand the technologies and approaches developed under the SATREPS-SLM project, the Ministry of Agriculture submitted an official request to the Government of Japan in 2022, and the Project was approved in 2023. The Project is positioned as a social implementation of the SATREPS-SLM project.

Change of Target Area Due to Security Instability in Amhara Region

Initially, the Project was planned to be implemented mainly in Amhara Region, utilizing the framework of the Regional Research-based SLM Partnership. However, due to security instability in the region since April 2023, the Project could not be launched. Given the difficulty in forecasting the stabilization of the region, both parties agreed to change the target area to the Lake Hawassa Watershed, which has stable security and a high need for strengthening sustainable land management systems.

Objective

The Senior Research and Project Management Assistant (hereinafter referred to as “the Staff”) shall provide continuous support to the JICA expert team in implementing project activities. Specifically, the Staff shall provide technical and operational support for the project activities, and serve as the management assistant to ensure smooth project implementation based on the directions of the Project Coordinator.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Staff shall carry out the following duties under the supervision of the Project Coordinator. Responsibilities cover all components upon the request of the Employer, focusing on two major categories:

Technical & Operational Coordination

• Coordinate the establishment and smooth operation of the partnership among stakeholders.
• Liaise with and follow up on the involvement of all relevant actors represented in the partnership.
• Facilitate field visits arranged for the partnership.
• Provide technical support for the pre-contract review of the baseline survey.
• Provide administrative and operational support for conducting the baseline survey in the Lake Hawassa Watershed.
• Coordinate logistical arrangements for selecting three pilot sites in the Lake Hawassa Watershed based on baseline survey results.
• Assist in organizing data and documentation to screen available SLM technologies and approaches based on evidence, policy relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and socioeconomics.
• Facilitate the coordination of field and laboratory examinations to develop, verify, and monitor SLM practices screened at the three pilot sites.
• Support the partnership secretariat in validating effective technologies and approaches within the regional SLM partnership.
• Contribute to administrative and technical revisions when updating the SATREPS guidelines.
• Perform additional tasks assigned by project component leaders and the coordinator/manager as deemed necessary.

Administrative Office Management

• Support the initial setup and maintenance of the project office.
• Assist in the procurement of materials/equipment, accounting, and overall logistics.
• Perform daily office operations in accordance with instructions from the Project Coordinator.
• Translate documents, reports, and official correspondence from Amharic into English and vice versa.
• Manage the systematic documentation and filing of all project-related records.
• Carry out other additional project-related duties as assigned by the Employer.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Degree Requirement: Bachelor’s degree or higher in Agriculture, Plant Science, Food Science, Agricultural Economics, Biology, Natural Resource Management, or a related field.
• An advanced degree or specialization in sustainable land management or agricultural research is highly advantageous.

Experience

• JICA Experience (Mandatory): Prior professional work experience on JICA-funded projects is a strict requirement.
• Financial Management: Proven experience in handling finance, accounting, and logistics management within JICA-funded projects is highly evaluated.
• Years of Experience: Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in Natural Resource Management, agricultural research, or related fields in Ethiopia.
• Institutional Experience: Practical experience working with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Bureau of Agriculture (BoA), regional research institutes, or Universities is desirable.
• Donor Experience: Experience working with international donor agencies or NGOs is an asset.

Skills and Competencies

• Policy Familiarity: Deep understanding of the SLM policy framework, strategies, activities, and active projects in Ethiopia.
• Regional Knowledge: Sound understanding of land management challenges specific to the Lake Hawassa Watershed.
• Language Proficiency: Excellent written and spoken English and Amharic. Working knowledge of additional local languages spoken in the Sidama or Oromia regions (such as Sidama and Oromo languages) is a strong asset.
• Technical Skills: Strong report writing, data organization, and analytical skills.
• Communication: Excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with both the JICA expert team and Ethiopian counterparts.
• Autonomy: Proved ability to work independently between the visits of short-term JICA experts to maintain project momentum and continuity.
• IT Literacy: Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Mobility: Full willingness and physical ability to undertake frequent field travel to project pilot activity sites.