Vacancy Announcement

ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION AGENCY

Position:                          Senior Project Officer, Power Access

Term of Employment:   Full time

Duty Station(s):              Addis baba

Required Number:         One

Salary & Benefits:           Competitive

Application Deadline:     July 10, 2021

BACKGROUND:

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 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, and Tigray regional offices, allowing us to work closely with a wide range of public, private and development sectors 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 ATA, we provide an exceptional platform for people who want to achieve their highest potential and make a meaningful contribution to 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 Power Access project work with multiple external stakeholders to expand the availability of electricity for smallholder farmers in Ethiopia, starting with the piloting power access through mini-grids electrifications in 10 horticultural FPC locations in order to deliver energy to FPC farmers for their productive uses of irrigation of horticultural crops in the ACC Woredas in Ethiopia.

The project will pilot mini-grids as a viable renewable energy solution to horticulture FPC farmers in ACC Woredas, promote the adoption of modern irrigation modalities (electricity-based) and other productive uses and ensure the continued sustainability of the business model, system and the environment. Owned by the Ministry of Water, Irrigation, and Energy (MoWIE), the Mini-grids power access piloting will be implemented in partnership with the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA), MoA and Vertias Consultancy.

The Senior Project Officer is responsible for supporting the Power Access Team Lead on planning, implementing and tracking the performance of the ATA’s delivery on the Mini-grid pilot, and helping identify additional opportunities to expand electricity access to smallholder farmers in the ACC.

The person in this role is expected to support the Project Team Lead through rigorous and practical project management and problem-solving. He/she will support the ATA’s efforts in powering agriculture production through planning, preparation of reports and presentations, data collection, analysis, identification of challenges and development of solutions, as well as organizing socialization events and workshops. He/she brings experience working in energy and electricity access initiatives and demonstrates focus, urgency, and ownership in his/her work.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

Responsibilities for the Senior Project Officer are to assist the Power Access Team Lead in the implementation of the Mini-grid piloting and electrified irrigation initiatives through effective data collection, analysis, problem-solving, material preparation, reporting and stakeholder management. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Assist Power Access Team Lead in managing power access through piloting Mini-grid electrified irrigation and other power access activities, ensuring on-time completion of deliverables. Activities include:

·       Assist the Power Access Team Lead in detailed planning, implementations, and execution of activities.

·       Ensure effective operational planning of interventions and activities, budgeting, reporting, and monitoring and evaluation.

·       Ensure effective day-to-day management and execution of relevant ATA-owned interventions within the scope of the Power Access pilot.

·       Follow up and facilitate ground-level project implementation and support.

·       Collaborate with other project teams within the ACC vertical for enhanced impact.

·       Execute data collection, analysis and problem solving swiftly.

·       Produce high-quality written materials and reports as required.

·       Review project progress and develop and monitor actions to ensure timely and effective delivery of project outcomes.

• Assist the Power Access in managing stakeholders to give prioritized support. Activities include:

·       Assist implementation and provide support to MoWIE in resolving strategic and operational problems that arise over the course of the project's lifetime.

·       Liaison the MoA, Vertias Consultancy and other regional and federal stakeholders and partners to jointly support the implementation of the project, as required by the Team Lead.

·       Provide technical support and ensure the development and revision of tools and approaches used to assess the projects by key stakeholders.

• Support in the identification of other opportunities to expand access to electricity for productive use and other value-adding activities to smallholder farmers. Activities include:

·       Design extension and capacity building services are given to ACC farmers to support irrigation and horticulture production.

·       Conduct research into existing solutions approaches best practice cases in other countries and help identify electricity access opportunities.

·       Conduct data analysis to understand the viability of opportunities in the local context.

Produce briefing materials on new solutions and initiatives within the Power Access project.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree required, preferred in Electrical Engineering, Irrigation Engineering, solar energy, Business/ Economics, Project Management, or related fields.

• At least 6 years of experience in delivery-focused roles in public, private, or development sector organizations.

• Strong data analysis skills, project management skills, problem-solving ability stakeholder. engagement ability and experience working in energy and electricity access initiatives.

• Knowledge of, and experience within an electrical infrastructure.

• Strong analytical and project management abilities, with proven experience in delivering projects.

• Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with multiple departments and stakeholders across different organizations.

• Outstanding analytical, communication and presentation skills with the ability to communicate at, coordinate and manage engagements with senior stakeholders in the ATA and in other organizations.
• Strong core values of integrity and professionalism.
• Fluency in English and Amharic.