Senior Director, Agribusiness and Markets 27 views

Vacancy Announcement

ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION AGENCY 

Position:                         Senior Director, Agribusiness and Markets

Term of Employment:   Fixed Term

Duty Station(s):              Addis Ababa

Required Number:         One

Salary & Benefits:           Competitive

Application Deadline:    January 27, 2020

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 (MoA), 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.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Senior Director of Agribusiness and Markets is a senior executive level management position within the ATA, serving on the senior management team of the Agency. His/her role will primarily involve managing and supporting Program Directors within the ATA’s Agribusiness and Markets programs which include Market Support Services, Agro-processing and Market Development, Cooperative Development and Commercial and Contract Farming programs. In addition to these programs, the Senior Director will also have primary responsibility for overseeing programs in related areas. These include: the Private Sector in Agriculture, the ICT in Agriculture and the Rural Financial Services program areas.

The Senior Director of Agribusiness and Markets will also work closely with other Senior Directors at the ATA, in order to leverage and maximize on synergies across different program types. To this end s/he will support and guide implementation plans and strategies along priority program areas in his/her oversight. To this effect, he/she must possess and be able to demonstrate strong verbal and written communication skills and relationship building abilities.

This position will report directly to the ATA’s CEO and will be based in Addis Ababa.

 ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Supervise and manage performance of the Program Directors of the various Agribusiness and Markets and related programs under the Senior Director oversight to ensure that high quality deliverables and outputs are created within each program, in line with the ATA’s overall goals.
• Actively participate in diagnostic activities, solution design and development of policies, strategies and solutions developed by the Knowledge Centers in the Agribusiness and Markets and related programs.
• Support the Delivery Unit mechanism within the ATA and partner organizations to facilitate close and collaborative relationships with key stakeholders/partners across problem solving and implementation support areas of the Transformation Agenda.
• Ensure that the ATA’s Agribusiness and Markets and related programs provide sufficient support in the execution of the Agricultural Commercialization Cluster (ACC) Initiative
• Critically assess capacity gaps that may hinder effective implementation of activities and develop solutions as required.
• Coordinate and harmonize the design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of programs and projects within the ATA’s Agribusiness and Markets and related programs
• Assist in building capacity of key government, private and informal actors in other relevant institutions continuum associated with the agribusiness and market development.
• Support the organization in other operations or roles as required by the CEO.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Member of the Senior Management Team, which is responsible for organizational strategy within the ATA.
• Direct supervisor of Program Directors of ATA’s Agribusiness and Markets and related programs, spearheading solution development, implementation, M&E, reporting and documentation of programs and projects.
• Facilitator of the required financial, human and organizational resources for the successful implementation of programs and projects
• Supporter to the CEO in the creation and delivery of strategies and programs to enhance the ATA, and where appropriate obtain external expertise and counsel.
• Provide guidance to and manage output of the staff within the Agribusiness and Markets and related programs and contribute to performance reviews and planning for their continued professional development.

Job Requirements

• Master’s degree in Agriculture, Agribusiness, Rural Development, Development Economics, Business Administration or other relevant subject.
• At least 12 years of experience with a minimum of 10 years in a management role within government, an international organization or the private sector.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced corporate environment.
• Deep understanding of Ethiopia’s agricultural, trade and Industry system with a good perspective on how public, private and informal actors interact within the system.
• Practical experience in implementing solutions at a both the federal and regional level.
• Experience in developing and building relationships between the public and private sector.
• Demonstrable track record of success with program design, performance management, learning systems and monitoring & evaluation.
• Strong team player with outstanding management skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and in a constantly evolving and challenging environment.
• Self-starter and self-motivated person.
• Fluency in English is essential. Fluency in Amharic is strongly desired, and knowledge of an additional Ethiopian language is a plus.