Vacancy Announcement
ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION AGENCY
Position: Project Team Leader, Commercial Farm Services Center
Term of Employment: Project based 1 year contract with possible extension
Duty Station(s): Addis Ababa
Required Number: One (1)
Salary & Benefits: Competitive
Application Deadline: July 26, 2015
BACKGROUND:
The Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) was established by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) to identify and address systemic bottlenecks to Ethiopia’s agricultural development. The Agency does this through problem-solving, implementation support, and capacity building of stakeholders involved in implementation of interventions that address the systemic bottlenecks. The Agency reports to a Transformation Council chaired by the Prime Minister and co-chaired by the Minister of Agriculture.
The programmatic focus of the Agency is responding to a core set of needs identified by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Transformation Council. Within the Agency, issues are divided into three different verticals; Systems which includes seeds, soil health and fertility management, cooperatives, input/output markets, household irrigation, agricultural mechanization, and extension/research; high priority Value Chains including tef, wheat, maize, pulses and oilseeds, and livestock; and Cross Cutting Initiatives that include gender mainstreaming, climate adaptation and environmental sustainability, and monitoring and evaluation. Across these programs, the ATA engages public, private and non-governmental stakeholders to support strategic planning, manage and strengthen implementation capacity and test innovative models. The ATA is financed by the GoE and a range of development partners.
Our Culture
ATA has an exceptional team of employees with a proven track record of success in managing complex activities and achieving transformational results. Our culture is one where talented individuals are committed to doing their best and work together 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, motivated colleagues and excellent career development and training. We recognize our most valuable assets are our people and are committed to providing our employees with the tools and training necessary to achieve their career goals.
POSITION SUMMARY:
ATA, in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Bureau of Agriculture, USAID and CNFA, is implementing a three-year Feed the Future Ethiopia Commercial Farm Services Project. The objective of this project is to improve smallholder productivity, food security and incomes through the development of sustainable private sector driven agricultural input supply and services by creating 20 new Farm Service Centers (FSCs) throughout Oromia, Amhara, Tigray and SNNP Regions. These FSCs will serve as innovative and replicable private, retail input supply and farm service businesses model for scaling up private farm supply and service networks in Ethiopia and throughout Africa.
Working under the supervision of ATA’s Chief of Staff & Senior Director - Special Projects, the Project Team Leader (PTL) will provide leadership and management of operational aspects of the project. S/he will manage operational team and oversee regional offices. S/he bears overall responsibility for program delivery and managing progress and expenditure against the project’s key deliverables. Key responsibilities include: managing program delivery, ensuring strong operational systems are in place for finance, procurement, logistics, transport, converting detailed program agreements into implementable strategies and development of work plans against milestone with key deliverables and M&E to support project implementation, manage regional teams, hold strong representation and coordination with partners, particularly with Feed the Future Ethiopia Farm Service Center Project Office and the Apex whole Sale Buying Cooperative, EGAA Agricultural Input Suppliers PLC. The Project Team Leader will ensure planned activities are executed against approved PMP with M&E data indicators efficiently, addressed with quality and professional ethical code of Conduct. The Project Team Leader will be based in Addis Ababa, with frequent travel to regional project offices.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
The specific duties of the Project Team Leader will include the following:
I. Project Oversight and Management
a. Provide overall leadership and management of Commercial Farm Services Project delivery in Oromia, Amhara, Tigray and SNNP Regions, including management of project teams;
b. Develop and manage strong internal systems for monitoring project performance and ensuring the project deliverables and their milestones are met;
c. Ensure progress against key project deliverables through development of detailed project implementation plans and performance monitoring plan, in collaboration with project team, regional staff and partners,
d. Oversee establishment and staffing of project-office in Addis Ababa (HQ), and in Oromia, Amhara, Tigray and SNNP Regions to implement project activities and ensure key deliverables are met;
e. Ensure effective and efficient implementation of Commercial Farm Services Project at regional level;
f. Develop effective resource mobilization strategies through concept notes and budget utilization proposals on outreach campaign; Grant signing events; FSC running costs; FSC opening ceremonies; FSC staff and clients capacity building programs through trainings and seminars; farmers’ field days and demonstrations, etc.;
g. Develop functional working relationship with EGAA Agricultural Input Suppliers PLC & Major Agricultural Input Suppliers, Output Marketing Networks in the country and the FSCs;
h. Provide leadership, guidance and management support in the establishment and effective operation of FSCs in the region;
i. Produce annual work plan and ensures effective and efficient implementation as per approved budget ceiling;
j. Communicate with stakeholders and partners on matters pertinent to the project;
k. Ensure proof documentations are kept after each milestones accomplished and regularly submitted; and
l. Produce timely and quality periodic reports.
II. Operations (HR, Logistics, Security and Finance)
a. Develop and maintain efficient and effective operational systems and ensure compliance with all USAID’s Minimum Operating Standards, including safety & security management;
b. Manage and monitor expenditure against plans, and analyze monthly financial reports with an emphasis on keeping expenditure on track with budget projections;
c. Ensure that high priority purchases are monitored and prioritized and solicited in accordance with the project’s requirements;
d. Oversee recruitment of key project staff at federal and regional level and ensure effective performance management and professional development system;
e. Identify training needs for project staff and ensure that the team receives appropriate training (including mentoring, on-the-job sessions as well as formal trainings);
f. Ensure that project monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment systems and tools are in place;
g. Undertake periodic and regular monitoring and evaluation of project activities and implementation of lessons learnt from these monitoring and evaluation activities and other best practices;
h. Ensure that FSCs are staffed with competent and motivated employees.
III. Project monitoring
a. Monitor progress against detailed activity and budget plans with technical teams ensuring that objectives and indicators are achieved;
b. Prepare and review periodic reports incorporating activity and financial progress for project work at all regions;
c. Oversee delivery of outcomes of the different technical components of the project in the regions, with a focus on keeping activities on track for completion and ensuring adequate technical support is provided to activities;
d. Lead the planning and coordination of project activities with technical staff and partners as required ensuring that an integrated approach is exercised; and
e. Ensure that effective engagement is maintained with partners, to ensure responsive and sustainable programming.
IV. Coordination & representation
a. Participate on project related meetings providing strategic oversight to the project delivery and ensure updates on project progress, risks and risk mitigation strategies;
b. Lead periodic program management meetings to review project progress with staff and partners at the HQ and regional level and develop and monitor actions to ensure timely and effective delivery of project outcomes;
c. Represent the project in any forum with partners, Federal & Regional Governments, Donors and other external stakeholders as required; and
d. Attend other internal and external meetings as required.
· Minimum of Master’s degree in Agriculture, Development Studies, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, or related fields;
· At least 10-15 years work experience in managing large multi-year programs with staffs of diverse background;
· Extensive USAID or other donor-funded Project Management experience and good organizational, management and leadership skills;
· Prior program management experience, managing programmers in excess of $3M preferably from donors such as USAID;
· Experience of building, leading and developing teams with different backgrounds and expertise;
· Experience managing procurement processes and solicitation;
· Strong communication and interpersonal skills in English, with substantial experience in managing multicultural teams;
· Experience in solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy-in;
· Understanding of Ethiopia’s agricultural system, with a broad perspective on agrochemical and/or veterinary drug usage and their supply-chain system;
· Strong technical and analytic capacities and sound judgment;
· Team player and strong experience in managing resource mobilization;
· Excellent communication and partnership management skills