The Feed the Future Ethiopia Value Chain Activity is part of the US Government’s Feed the Future Initiative and the Government of Ethiopia’s (GoE) Agricultural Growth Program II (AGP-II), and represents a major United States Agency for International Development (USAID) investment in the agricultural sector over the next five years.
Major Duties and Responsibilities will include:
AGRIBUSINESS COORDINATION
- S/he will be responsible to develop a Public-Private Partnership framework for developing agri-business investments to promote the selected agricultural value chains across the region, including appropriate modalities for concessions with non-governmental and the private sector.
- Communicate and participate in meetings with FTFE-VCA partners including regional AGP-II coordination office, ATA and others. Maintain effective networks and dialogue with all relevant project stakeholders.
- Identify sustainable business models that can be promoted during the project to maximize farmers’ returns and provide assured backward / forward linkages.
- Prepare and recommend a business plan approach together with a roadmap for implementing key activities, including the involvement of local development committees as needed.
- Support project teams in value chain development and marketing strategies, improving access to agricultural inputs, agricultural extension and value addition opportunities.
- Facilitate commercial linkages between producers, aggregators, wholesalers, processors, and exporters to relevant markets within Ethiopia, and the adjacent African region, and the wider global marketplace.
- Assisting the Regional Manager in responding to information requests and presentations for USAID, Ministry staff and other counterparts.
- Assist the Regional Manager in his coordination and representation role, particularly as concerns relations with the private sector and government entities.
- Appraise, in collaboration with the technical specialists and grant management team, business plans prepared by unions, agribusiness firms and other actors to access institutional loans and grants and determine their viability
- Provide specific technical support to agribusiness firms, unions, and enterprises in the preparation of bankable business plans, establishment of linkages with private sector service providers and buyers for accessing new farm and non-farm enterprise opportunities and in the negotiation of market contracts and MOUs.
- Performing any other duties as may be assigned by the Regional Manager.
MONITORING, EVALUATION, and LEARNING COORDINATION
- Coordinate and support the development of the annual work plan for the Region; including effective collaboration with the Regional office team, AGP, and key stakeholders.
- Provide strategic oversight across the E-VCA regional sub-contractors, grantees and agribusiness clients and maintain a consistent performance monitoring system and proper documentation of expected outputs/results.
- Oversee and support regional M&E specialist in CIRIS data entry and other M&E tasks. Ensure that all client and partner information including complete demographic information and global position system (GPS) coordinate data is collected and entered into CIRIS in a timely and consistent process.
- Assist in the execution of annual and other sample surveys and routine data collection activities.
- Train subcontractors and grantees in the region in M&E, data collection and reporting.
- Assist in identification and documentation of best practices, lessons learned and success stories.
- Support the Regional Manager in the preparation of progress reports for submission to FTFE-VCA head office and regional AGP-II partners. Ensure that source documents are properly filed and documented.
COORDINATE CROSS-CUTTING ACTIVITIES
- Coordinate and support cross-cutting activities and inclusive campaigns that enhances the E-VCA scale and impact across the components of Gender, Youth, Nutrition, Environmental Management, and Climate-smart agricultural systems.
- Act as the focal person for cross-cutting components at a Regional level.
- S/he will be acting as a deputy regional manger in the absence of the regional manager
Job Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree (master’s preferred) in agricultural economics, marketing, business administration or related field of study from a recognized University;
- 3 to 5 years of experience in an agribusiness and/or M&E position within an NGO or Development contractor, preferably with experience working within USAID projects; at least 3 years is in a management position;
- Good knowledge of government policies, in particular the AGP and the mechanism for its coordination and implementation; the structure and conduct of agriculture marketing and related agribusiness policies of the country;
- Demonstrated capacity to work with private sector players (financial institutions, exporters, buyers, traders, transporters, input suppliers and processors);
- Familiarity with commonly used tools for market analysis and program design such as sub-sector analysis, gross margin analysis and business planning;
- Adequate knowledge and proven experience in M&E including in data collection, management and report writing;
- Demonstrated leadership and decision-making skills to stand-in for the regional manager, as needed, and provide specialist advice and guidance on strategy for a strong results-oriented practice across the team;
- Demonstrated ability to set priorities and to work with minimum supervision in order to meet changing deadlines;
- Good analytical and writing skills with the ability to synthesise and integrate M&E data into reports;
- Excellent team building and organizational skills together with the ability to interact across a multi-cultural environment;
- Fluency in English and Amharic and also preferably the main local language;
How to Apply
On the subject line, please clearly write the position and region you are applying for
Candidates should submit a CV and cover letter to [email protected]
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Telephone communication will result automatic disqualification.
Application deadline is July 19, 2019
More Information
- Job City Bahirdar, Amhara
