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 (MoALR), 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 will work closely with the Delivery Unit team, the Ministry and the ATA to provide technical support to the project leaders of agriculture extension-related interventions in the Transformation Agenda. Specific projects include:

• Building the human, physical and organizational capacity of the extension system at federal and regional levels

• Promoting improved and environmentally-friendly technologies in a manner that integrates agro-meteorology

• Strengthening the extension system in a way that creates jobs for youth and women

• Modernizing extension communication, knowledge and information management

• Strengthening coordination among MoALR and other partners on extension

• Ensuring sustainable access to finance and its efficient utilization for the extension system

• Developing a mechanism for agricultural technologies and services delivery, dissemination and utilization

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 MoALR Director of Agricultural Extension and have a second, functional reporting line to TA Advisor, Agriculture Development Sector. 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 implementproject adjustments

• Provide support in the introduction and scaling up of ICT in the extension system for enhancing effectiveness and efficiency

• 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, TA Advisor: Agriculture Development Sector and the Head of Delivery Unit

• Provide capacity building on technical project execution to MoALR ( specifically to agricultural extension staff)

• Provide other technical advisory and input needed for effective project implementation

• MA/MSc required preferably in Rural Development and Agricultural extension, if the MA/MSC is in Agricultural Economics at least BA/BSC in agricultural extension or Rural development is required, PhD is preferred.

• 6+ years of professional experience with MSc, or 4+ years of professional experience with PhD is preferred in rural development and agricultural extension management.

• Deep understanding of Ethiopia’s agricultural sector, with a broad perspective on how the entire system operates and how public, private and non-government organizations operate in the system

• Deep knowledge and skills in extension communication and ICT, participatory models of extension systems, principles and practices of market-oriented extension, and the interaction of extension and research

• 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