Vacancy Announcement

ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION AGENCY

Position: Senior Transformation Agenda Specialist, Gender and Nutrition

Term of Employment: One year with possibility of extension

Duty Station(s): Addis Ababa

Required Number: One

Salary & Benefits: Competitive

Application Deadline: January 06, 2020

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 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:

The Senior Transformation Agenda (TA) Specialist for Gender and Nutrition will work closely with the MoA’s Director of Women’s Affairs and the Director General of Extension to mainstream gender and nutrition across projects in the Transformation Agenda. The TA Specialist will utilize a framework developed by the ATA for mainstreaming these two cross-cutting issues within the Transformation Agenda, and collaborate with the ATA’s Cross-Cutting Initiatives team to further refine the approach.

The Senior TA Specialist must have strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, technical expertise and problem-solving experience, as well as initiative design, planning, implementation management and reporting experience. The Senior TA Specialist will report directly to the MoA’s Director of Women’s Affairs and have a second, functional reporting line to the Delivery Unit Coordinator. This position provides an opportunity to be on the front lines of Ethiopia’s growth and transformation into a middle-income country. The successful candidate will have a strong desire to learn, innovate and drive rapid change to benefit Ethiopia’s farmers.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

Coordinate effective annual planning, budgeting and target setting activities for Transformation Agenda projects
Identify and analyze critical technical issues directly related to design and implementation of prioritized projects
Proactively engage with other DU team members, the ATA and external partners to develop solutions and recommendations to address identified technical issues
Engage with senior staff within the Ministry, the ATA and external partners to align on and implement project adjustments
Contribute to ToRs, concept notes, studies, workshops, and training materials, directly related to prioritized projects
Monitor progress reporting through key reporting systems and tools, engaging with relevant activity owners to ensure reporting is timely and accurate
Identify and escalate challenges around implementation and reporting, as well as solutions and recommendations, to project leaders and the Delivery Unit Head
Provide capacity building on technical project execution to MoA staff
Provide other technical advisory and input needed for effective project implementation as may be demanded by the implementation owners & coordinators, and the DU head pertinent to the TADs and the priorities set by the Minister’s Office
Job Requirements

BA/BSc or MA/MSc required in gender studies (preferred), agriculture, agriculture development, nutrition or a related area.
8+ years of professional experience with BA/BSc or 6+ years of professional experience with MA/MSc, in areas directly relevant to gender or nutrition in agriculture
Deep understanding of Ethiopia’s agricultural sector, with a broad perspective on how public, private and non-government organization operate in the system
Specific experience in planning, prioritizing, sequencing, managing, problem-solving and reporting on implementation of projects
Self-starter with strong motivation, ownership and commitment to deliver results
Promotes data-driven and evidence-based problem solving and decision making
Strong team player with excellent relationship building and communication skills
Desire to innovate and drive rapid change for Ethiopia’s farmers
Strong set of personal values including integrity, honesty and desire to be of service
Fluency in English and Amharic.

We invite all candidates meeting the required qualifications to submit (i) a cover letter and (ii) CV (maximum 3 pages) to https://apply.ata.gov.et

It is mandatory to mention the position title in the subject line of your application email

Please DO NOT submit scans of educational and experience certificates with your application.

Women are highly encouraged to apply.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.