Agricultural Policy Advisor

Job Description

Position:                            Agricultural Policy Advisor 

Term of Employment:     One Year

Duty Station(s):               Addis Ababa  

Required Number:           1

Application Deadline:     November 27, 2023      

 Background: 

 The Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) has been established by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) to identify and address systemic bottlenecks to Ethiopia’s agricultural development. The Institute does this through problem-solving, implementation support, and capacity building of stakeholders involved in implementation of interventions that address the systemic bottlenecks. ATI has an exceptional team of highly competent and committed staff with proven track records 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 results as an individual and as a member of a team. 

ATI provides a unique 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 teams with the tools, training, and mentorships necessary to achieve their career goals.

The programmatic focus of the Institute responds to a core set of needs identified by the Ministry of Agriculture and other sectors along commodity value chains. Across the programs, the ATI engages public, private, and non-governmental stakeholders to support strategic planning, manage and strengthen implementation capacity and test innovative models. In addition, ATI has been delegated by MoA to coordinate the agriculture and rural development policy revision and strategically lead the operationalization of the policy reform, where a policy team was institutionalized to deliver this function and as such the unit requires high level expertise in the policy areas and skillsets in coordination and networking with multiple stakeholders.

POSITION SUMMARY 

The Policy Advisor is a critical senior role in the team- Policy and Study Vertical and will be involved across the Team’s various areas of focus including policy analysis, policy instrument development and support their endorsement at various level and piloting of policy reform implementation. In particular, the Policy Advisor, with guidance from the Policy Director, who heads the policy team of ATI and to whom she or he reports to, will be involved in internally executed policy-focused studies, which focus on identifying and assessing policy options for the Ethiopian government in a range of challenging agricultural and rural development policy areas.

The Policy advisor will work closely with the ATI’s Analytics team, to provide thought partnership, guidance, and support on the existing policy situation, how policymakers can be most effectively engaged, and the specific policy and economic analysis required.

With guidance from the Policy Unit Director, she or he will also manage several policy studies outsourced to local and international study partners, including the procurement of services from these partners. She or he will review and input policy study ToRs and plans, facilitate interaction between study partners and key stakeholders, and manage regular updates and other activities to ensure the studies are completed on time and to the quality required. To ensure the impact of the Policy Unit’s work, the Policy Advisor will need to maintain strong relationships and lead discussions with senior policymakers in the sector, as well as relevant development sector and private sector partners.

Significant experience and proven success in leading and delivering high-impact, challenging policy-related analysis, policy drafting, stakeholder consultation, and engagement with policymakers is therefore required. A strong passion for transforming agriculture and improving the lives of smallholder farmers is highly preferred. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• With guidance from the Policy Unit Director, oversee policy assessments to inform agenda‐setting and identification and prioritization of sector-wide or sub-sector policy issues.
• Coordinate and/or participate in joint planning and alignment workshops with partners focused on policy issues.
• Share or present studies to policymakers at existing policy forums or by organizing round-table discussions focused on policy work.
• Contributing to the development of the ATI’s approach to policy focused work, including prioritization of   policy analyses, preferred analytical approaches and tools, engagement model with clients, local partners and senior policy makers, standard output formats, and other areas.
• Join Analytical case teams to take on policy-focused work, including problem structuring, data collection, quantitative and qualitative analysis, leading stakeholder engagement.
• Provide expert guidance and advisory support to other case teams where lighter support such as validation of methodology, modelling approach, assumptions or outputs is required.
• Drive development of strategic data solutions to support policy analysis.
• Develop the approach to contract out policy analysis to partner institutions and service providers, locally and internationally, and oversee quality control of the deliverables.
• Manage relationships with specific partners and service providers for externally contracted work and oversee specific engagements to ensure outputs are fit for purpose.
• Develop and run training courses on policy analysis, drafting and other related topics for staff in the organization and the sector at large.
• The position reports to the Policy Director – Policy and Study Vertical

Job Requirement

• Master’s degree/PhD in policy, economics, agricultural economics, or closely related fields.
• At least twelve years of relevant experience / six years with PhD, out of which six years experiences in the areas of leadership and policy analysis.
• Proven ability to undertake Ex-ante and Ex-post Economic Impact Assessment of policy and regulatory reform options.
• Proven ability to develop credible, evidence-based policy advice and effectively liaise with senior policymakers, as well as development partners, non-governmental and private sector organizations.
• Policy analysis experience in consulting or government setting, in areas such as policy reform agenda, program design and evaluation, cost-benefit analysis / investment cases, price stabilization and minimum support prices for agricultural commodities, investment incentives and private sector development, design / enhancement of regulatory processes and enforcement mechanisms
• Remaining current with relevant major macro-economic and micro-economic policy changes and carrying out analytical work associated with the changes to generate evidence to inform and guide policy and regulatory reforms.
• Strong understanding of the country’s broad economic reform program, the rationale and what it will mean for agriculture and rural development
• Exceptional ability to communicate clearly and effectively with a range of stakeholders in a cross-cultural environment (fluency in English is essential)
• Highly collaborative working style and demonstrated success in managing and developing high-performing teams.
• Strong set of personal values including integrity, honesty, and desire to be of service
• Undertakes additional tasks as may be required by her/his supervisor.