Senior Project Officer II – Institutional Support for Seed Systems in Ethiopia (ISSSE)

at Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA)
Location Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Date Posted November 27, 2022
Category Management
Job Type Full-time
Currency ETB

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 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 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 seed system within the inputs program of the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency, is setup to strengthen the seed industry so that it can deliver sufficient quantities of high-quality seeds of improved varieties in a timely manner so that farmers are enabled to increase their yield and household income. The program works in close partnership with relevant stakeholders in the design and implementation of strategic interventions that will address systemic bottlenecks of the seed system across the value chain.

Among these deliverables is the Institutional Support for Seed Systems in Ethiopia (ISSSE) Project supporting partners in the production and delivery of quality EGS with sufficient volume, enhancing the capacity of seed quality assurance and create enabling environments through drafting and enacting of policy documents. The role of the seed expert is to support the implementation of these major component of the project and contribute on the liberalization of the seed system.

Essential Duties:

The Senior Project officer (SPO) is responsible to popularize the project, build the capacity of partners and enable them to reach more SHFs with quality seed, support establishment and functioning of institutions responsible to quality assurance and for the creation of enabling policy environment to seed actors.

The ISSSE project has several outputs related to policy formulation, validation and endorsement process. One of the key areas of the SPO is to actively engage with relevant actors ranging from experts to policy makers and support the project lead in the policy formulation process.

The Officer is accountable to provide input on project design, technical support on project implementation, coordinate the annual project physical and financial performance evaluations to identify key strengths, lessons and challenges and plan for the next year and report to the project manager. The expert is accountable for effective delivery of the following KPIs and report to the project leader:

1. Oversight the Ethiopian seed system with emphasis to the EGS production and supply, improve access by SHF to quality assured seed and provide improvement areas to enhance operation of the project.

2. Oversight establishment of an autonomous seed and related inputs regulatory institutions, facilitate institutional capacity building to undertake quality assurance, support in drafting, validation and endorsement of enabling policy documents to enhance the function of a healthy seed system.

3. Oversight establishment of an autonomous seed and related inputs regulatory institutions, facilitate the impartial variety release and registration processes, support impartial field and laboratory certification of seed and ensure this input accessed by SHF.

4. Actively engage with stakeholder and institutions in developing, validation and endorsement of policy documents.

5. Annual project planning: support the analysis, validation, prioritization and planning of the National Agriculture Research (NARS) and the effectiveness of Public EGS.

  • Support the enhancement of EGS production and marketing by NARI partners.
  • Support and strengthen seed technology research in the NARIs strengthened.
  • Assist to develop and maintain overall work plan for project and corresponding budget on an annual and quarterly basis; monitor project and update/adjust accordingly.

6. Capacity development: conduct critical assessments to identify capacity gaps hindering effective transition and implementation of the project and provide capacity building training accordingly.

7. Linkage and stakeholder management: - Participate on project related meetings, providing technical input to the project delivery and ensure updates on project progress, risks, and risk mitigation plans.

Job Requirements

  • A minimum of master’s degree in fields such as plant science (breeding, agronomy, protection), Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Business Management
  • At least 8 years’ experience on the Ethiopian seeds system EGS and certified as seed production marketing distribution
  • Strong capabilities in problem solving, project and stakeholder management.
  • Strong experience of project team management as well as liaising with senior decision-makers.
  • Exceptional ability to communicate consistently, clearly, and effectively with a range of stakeholders in a cross-cultural environment.
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