The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking a Project Manager and Value Chain Specialist for a new 4-year integrated Agriculture-Nutrition-Marketing Project focused on orange-fleshed sweetpotato in selected districts (“woredas”) in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region of Ethiopia. The position requires good leadership and management skills, experience in implementing an agricultural value chain, and the ability to work in a challenging environment.
The Center: CIP is a not-for-profit international agricultural research-for-development organization with a focus on potato, sweetpotato, and Andean roots and tubers. Its vision is of roots and tubers improving the lives of the poor. CIP is dedicated to achieving food security, improved well-being, and gender equity for poor people in root and tuber farming and food systems of the developing world. CIP works with partners to contribute high quality science, technology, and capacity strengthening for sustainable science-based solutions. CIP is headquartered in Lima, Peru, with staff and activities in over 30 locations across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. CIP is a member of the CGIAR Consortium, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future. The CIP Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) main regional office is in Nairobi, Kenya. CIP also has offices in eight other African countries.
The position: The Project Manager and Value Chain specialist is to be based in Awassa, Ethiopia and will report to the CIP Country Manager in Addis Ababa and the CIP Program Leader for sweetpotato.
Duties and Accountabilities:
- Provide overall leadership and management of the project, being responsible for work plan design and implementation, coordination of several partner organizations, and timely data collection and report writing.
- Lead in the development of the sweetpotato value chain strategy and its implementation.
- Ensure that the project meets its targets and deliverable on-time and within budget.
- Supervise key project staff and ensure accountability to the International Potato Center policies and donor rules and regulations.
- Serve as the primary program representative for CIP at the provincial level.
Selection Criteria:
- Ph.D. degree in an agricultural economics, marketing, agronomy or other relevant degree for successful work in a rural setting with at least 2 years working experience on a medium to large-scale project. Specific training related to a vegetatively propagated crop is an added advantage.
- Extensive experience in managing a technology dissemination project expected.
- Experience in developing agricultural markets and value chains required.
- Up-to-date understanding of food-based approaches to improving nutrition, including main outcome and impact indicators, is expected.
- Experience in overseeing or contributing to rigorous M&E and timely reporting in a multi-institutional project
- Demonstrated ability to manage and motivate international and local staff into a cohesive team.
- Demonstrated awareness and responsiveness to gender and social issues in cross-cultural and gender integration programming.
- Strong experience with communication technologies as research and development tools.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English are required. Working knowledge of Amharic preferred, or willingness to learn Amharic required.
- Record of publications and citations.
- Willingness to travel frequently and work under field conditions.
Conditions: The employment contract will be for a three-year term with a four-month probation period and the possibility of renewal. The salary will be internationally competitive, paid in US dollars, and commensurate with experience.
How to apply:
Applicants should apply online through our CIP’s Job Opportunities website including a cover letter, a full C.V with the names and contact information of three references that are knowledgeable of the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. Screening of applications will begin on January 13th, 2016 and will continue until the post is filled. All applications will be acknowledged; however only short listed candidates will be contacted.
CIP is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified women and professionals from developing countries are particularly encouraged to apply
More Information
- Job City Awassa
