The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) is a strategy and delivery-oriented government agency created to help accelerate the growth and transformation of the country’s agriculture sector. The ATA envisions that, by 2025, smallholder farmers are commercialized with greater incomes, inclusiveness, resilience and sustainability, contributing to Ethiopia’s achievement of middle-income country status.

The agency focuses on two primary national approaches to catalyze agricultural transformation. First, we support the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Resources (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 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, 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 ATA, 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:

ATA is looking to hire Project officer to work with Tigray regional BoAs, various development partners, and other stakeholders to oversee and coordinate the implementation of the DSM expansion project in the region.

The project officer will report to the project team leader who lead a dedicated DSM team that is currently operating under the Inputs and Plant Protection Program. The project officer will be tasked to coordinate project activities across the region. Moreover, the project officer will manage technical experts in various regional offices to oversee the initiative in the region.

The ideal project officer possesses a passion for improving the lives of small-holder farmers, and a deep familiarity with Ethiopia’s agricultural system. The candidate should have strong skills and experience in project management, stakeholder management and coordination. Moreover, the candidate is expected to have extensive background knowledge and experience in the marketing and distribution of agricultural inputs. In addition, s/he should possess the operational and entrepreneurial ability to mobilize stakeholders across the seed system and drive practical change on the ground.

 ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

The technical experts will be part of a dedicated DSM team that will report to the Input supply and marketing and plant protection program. The major duties of the technical expert include, but not limited to, the following:

• Support the design of concrete implementation plan with clear activities, milestones and targets in collaboration with BoAs and development partners.

• Coordinate with regional BoAs in the identification of direct seed marketing agents based on pre-defined criterion.

• Support the development and review of modules to be used for training relevant stakeholders such as producers, seed marketing agents, farmers, woreda experts, DAs , etc.

• Organize workshops, training sessions, and capacity building programs for relevant stakeholders such as producers, seed marketing agents, farmers, etc.

• Coordinate with external partners and ATA teams in co-launching Input Tracking system (ITS) and Input Credit through voucher system.

• Evaluate and monitor the overall progress of the DSM annual performance in the region.

• Document and report project progress and associated risks to the project team leader and external partners (MoA, BoAs and development partners) .

• Integration with related external projects/ program: liaise with external development partners and ensure effective integration of DSM project with other related programs e.g. CBSP, AOSS, IVS, etc.
• Provide ad hoc support to Inputs program and Regional ACC team as required on issues relating to core organizational development, prioritization of interventions, problem solving, planning.

 REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• BSc or MSc degree in fields such as Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Business Management, Development Economics or other closely related fields
• At least 6 years for (BSc) and 4 years for (MSc) of work experience in areas related to agricultural input marketing, Small and Medium enterprise (SME) development, cooperative development, value-chain development, and other related disciplines.
• Understanding of Ethiopia’s agricultural system with a broad perspective on interactions between public, private and informal actors in the seed system.
• Deep knowledge of agricultural input marketing and distribution systems across value chains of key crops such as maize, wheat, tef, etc.
• Experience in prioritizing and sequencing of both programmatic and operational activities.
• Experience in program design, performance management, stakeholder management, MLE systems.
• Knowledge of analytical methods such as different statistical tools.
• Practical experience in developing and maintaining linkages between producers and markets
• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving, start-up environment, with an emphasis on high-performance, teamwork and accountability.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong set of personal values including integrity, honesty and desire to be of service.

• Fluency in Amharic and proficiency in English are essential. Knowledge of the regional language - Tigrigna – is desired.