Vacancy Announcement
ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION AGENCY
Position: Fertilizer Blending team leader
Term of Employment: 18 months
Duty Station(s): Addis Ababa
Required Number: One
Salary & Benefits: Competitive
Application Deadline: March 08, 2019
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 (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.
PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
The Fertilizer Blending project Lead will be a full time employee of the Ethiopian Soil Information System (EthioSIS)/ Fertilize Blending project, and coordinates the smooth and successful transition of the five fertilizer blending factories located at Betcho-Woliso, Enderta, Gibe-Didessa, Melik, and Merkeb farmer cooperative unions (FCUs) to the OCP Sub-Sahara Commercial Representative Office in Ethiopia. She/he will be a point person to closely work with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Federal Cooperative Agency, the FCUs and other key stakeholders to ensure the overall full-functionalization of the existing fertilizer blending factories and provide possible solutions for effective management of fertilizers in different storages.
The incumbent will also coordinate development of handbook and guidelines for blended fertilizers production and uses and documentation of the project learnings and their communications. The candidate should be prepared to do other related office activities given by her/his immediate supervisor.
The incumbent will officially report to the EthioSIS/Fertilizer Blending Project Team Leader. The position will be for one year with possibility of extension.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES
· A point person to ensure smooth and successful transition the existing five fertilizer blending factories to the OCP; make close follow-up of activities against target and report on deviation to the team.
· Closely work with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Federal Cooperative Agency, the FCUs and other key stakeholders to ensure the overall full-functionalization of the existing fertilizer blending factories and provide possible solutions for effective management of fertilizers in different storages
· A point person to partnership with Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) to support the fertilizer recommendation validation work towards generating crop and agro-ecology based tailored fertilizer recommendations and supports the quality control scheme of fertilizers.
· The project lead will also be a member of a team supporting capacity building of experts in the MoA, Regional Agriculture Bureaus and other stakeholders regarding fertilizer blending initiative, their operationalization and demand estimation of fertilizers.
· Coordinate development of guidelines and standard operating procedures for blended fertilizers production and uses and documentation of the project learnings and their communications.
· Presence and communication of the Fertilizer blending learnings on key conferences and workshops (nationally and internationally).
· Conduct additional project related activities when informed by project team leader
Required qualifications and experience