ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION INSTITUTE

Job Description and Job SpecificationJob Title:Senior Technical Expert I - Planning and ReportingTerm of Employment:  One year with possibility of extension  Duty Station(s):Addis AbabaRequired number:OneApplication deadline:June 16, 2023

 BACKGROUND:

The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) is a strategy and delivery-oriented government Institute created to help accelerate the growth and transformation of the country’s agriculture sector. The ATI envisions to be the leading center of innovative solutions for the transformation of Ethiopian Agriculture by 2030.

The Institute focuses on two primary national approaches to catalyze agricultural transformation. First, we support the Ministry of Agriculture (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 the 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, Sidama, South-West, 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 ATI, 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 Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) is a strategy and delivery-oriented government Institute created to help accelerate the growth and transformation of the country’s agriculture sector. The ATI 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 Institute focuses on two primary national approaches to catalyze agricultural transformation. First, we support the Ministry of Agriculture (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.

The Planning & Reporting STE provide effective support for planning, activity and deliverable progress reporting, management reporting, developing, and overseeing implementation of data collection and reporting processes, and other activities.

The STE will support the Institute staffs/teams and build their execution capacity with a guidance from the Planning & Reporting Team Lead and Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (PMER) Director to ensure that all the projects under the Agricultural Commercialization Cluster (ACC) initiative and other ATA-led projects are delivered on time, on budget and achieve the targeted results. 

The incumbent will work closely with the Planning & Reporting Team Lead, PMER Director, ATI project staffs, concerned government offices to standardizing project management processes and techniques thereby increasing the execution and delivery capacity of the project team.

This position will report directly to the Planning & Reporting Team Lead sits within the Strategic Affairs Unit, Chief Operations Office Vertical.

ACCOUNTABILITY:

The Planning & Reporting STE is accountable for planning and reporting related activities in the Institute. Besides, he/she will also be accountable/contribute for the following areas:  

• Enhancement of Institute and partners staff’s capacity building related to planning & reporting.  

• Design and implementation of planning & reporting systems, processes, and tools  

• Monitor compliance with ATI’s planning & reporting management standards

• Ensure quality of data and reporting  

• Support strategic, program, project, and annual planning

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Responsibilities of planning & reporting STE include, but are not limited to:         

Manage, lead, and organize planning, and reporting

• Prepare reports, presentations, summary dashboards and present results to relevant stakeholders

• Communicate frequently with ATI program teams to collect high quality performance-based data and analyze for reporting and insights

• Actively participate and support the improvement of planning, tracking and reporting tools and process and package and provide guidance for PMER and program team ;

• Design planning and reporting templates and ensure their effective utilization

• Monitor Planning & Reporting managemnt compliance with project management standards, policies, procedures, and templates set by the Institute

• Prepare and submit periodically needed quality progress reports timely like monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, annual and others

• Support strategic plan, program/project, annual, bi-annual, planning and programming process for TADs, special projects and internal analysis

• Support results frameworks and M&E plans preparation for ATI and partners projects

• Follow up project teams and other IMP users are timely updating implementation progress

• Analyze targets and actual performance statuses based on reports generated using IMP and provide feedback and advise to teams.

• Regularly assess users’ needs, requirements and challenges in order to improve the IMP system and functionalities.

• Support PMER unit on planning and reporting of quarterly reports to Parliament and the Transformation Council

• Support concept initiation, project kickoff, case studies/assessments, project closure/transition, evaluation, and project status update meeting

• Engage in monitoring and evaluation activities and produce the required reports

• Provide feedback on the improvement of processes and tools by arranging sessions

• Manage documentation for planning and reporting on ATI projects

• Work closely with PMER and Program teams to flag key issues and suggest ways on how to address them

Support project staffs/teams and build their execution capacity

• Undertake regular capacity need assessment of the staffs with respect to planning & reporting managemnt skills and implement tailored capacity enhancement interventions.

• Facilitate the development of planning & reporting skills within the regional projects team.

• Develop an approach to enhance the capacity of the ATI teams and regional government partners in best planning & reporting management practices and techniques. 

• Regularly seek feedback from ATI and partner for improvements to planning & reporting tools, training, and support.

• Coordinating communication across programs and projects at the regional level

 Other

• The Planning & Reporting STE is responsible for additional assignments assigned by immediate supervisor/s to meet PMER functions  er commitments, clear abnormal balances before preparing reports.

• Back up the Senior Finance Manager and perform other duties assigned by the immediate supervisor and or finance Director.

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Senior Budget & Reporting-Manager

Job Requirements

The following capabilities are critical to play this role effectively:

• MSC in agricultural economics, project management, economics, statistics, agriculture, business administration, and agribusiness.

• At least six years of work experience in performance Management particularly in project planning, monitoring, evaluation, learning, and reporting in public, private and development sector organizations. Specific experience with project management software is preferred.

• Experience with and theoretical understanding of planning, program design, and monitoring including planning frameworks such as logical framework, results framework and outcome mapping

• Knowledge of reporting management and MEL methods and approaches (quantitative, qualitative, and participatory).

• Specific knowledge and/or experience in MS office, SPSS, STATA and similar analytical tools

• Good understanding and exposure to data visualization.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving, start-up environment, with an emphasis on high performance, teamwork, accountability, and results

• Understanding of Ethiopia’s agricultural system with a broad perspective on interactions between public, private and informal actors in the seed system

• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

• Self-driven individual with ability to drive work with minimal supervision; demonstrated track record of organization, multi-tasking, and time management skills.

• Experience in working with multicultural teams.

• Strong set of personal values including integrity, honesty, and desire to be of service

• Fluency in English, and Amharic languages required.   

How to Apply

We invite all candidates meeting the required qualifications to submit (i) a cover letter and (ii) a CV (maximum 5 pages) to THIS LINK

It is mandatory to mention the position title under the subject line of your cover letter.

Please DO NOT submit scans of certificates with your application.

Women are highly encouraged to apply.

NB. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.