Job Purpose / Summary

The Apiculture Development Officer is responsible for implementing its respective Cluster MaYEA Program apiculture development component in selected Woredas of each zones in each region.. He / She will work within the wider MaYEA program team and other SOSSE staff. He / She is accountable to the respective cluster coordinator and coordinates with other program officers within his/her cluster and the other SOSSE cluster office. Moreover, he/she is responsible for the follow-up of the overall MaYEA resource management and communications of the Cluster's apiculture development component to adhere to all universal and MasterCard Foundation, SOSSE, Federal and Regional Governments, and program-specific standards and procedures.

Duties and Responsibilities

Program and Partnership Management

• Collaborate with the three cluster officers (Enterprise Development; Gender, Youth and Safeguarding; and Programing, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officers) and the cluster Finance & Admin Officer to support and follow up the Woreda program officers as well as other stakeholders in their effort to properly implement the MaYEA program with the required quality and magnitude in their jurisdiction.

• Ensures quality of program delivery and efficacy of the program resources allocated for apiculture development and establishes and maintains closer working relationships with relevant program stakeholders at the regional, zonal, cluster and woreda level with regard to the apiculture development component.

• Ensures all program resources of the apiculture development component (human, financial, material, time, and other resources) are effectively and properly utilized for better impact and fulfillment of the program objectives.

• Nurture and demonstrate team spirit to create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect that motivates program staff to deliver more.

• Ensure all activities of the apiculture development component of the cluster respects the law of the land and complies with MasterCard Foundation's and SOSSE's rules, regulations, and procedures.

Programming, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning

• Based on the program document, with the support of the cluster coordinator, prepare detailed annual implementation plans of the apiculture development component of the cluster for every fiscal year specified on the contract agreement between SOSSE and the IIRR (the lead agent) and get the plan approved by the concerned.

• Ensure records of the apiculture development component are well kept, consolidated cluster-level ad-hoc, quarterly, and annual reports are timely produced and communicated to all concerned.

• Ensure apiculture development component stakeholder, partners, and program participants’ have access to reflect on interventions of MaYEA, and all programmatic and operational learning and results of the apiculture development component of the cluster are fully documented, shared, and used to facilitate learning, knowledge management, and informed and adaptive management systems across all project components and stakeholders.

Program Implementation

• Build the capacity of the cluster team including the Woreda program officers and ensure that they have a proper understanding of the apiculture development component and approaches.

• Provide technical support for key stakeholders of MaYEA in the cluster and collaborate and coordinate with cluster officers and government counterparts to technically support Woreda officers and community beekeeping mentors to improve the quality and quantity of apicultural production.

• Collaborate and work with the sub-national program hub and others on improving the enabling environment for youth and apiculture sector development and improvement of honey quality to meet international and national standards.

• Coordinate with the other technical officers of the cluster to plan, implement and follow up the commercialization of existing apiculture enterprises, establish new youth lead apicultural enterprises, organize cooperatives and promote contractual farming.

• Coordinate with the other officers of the cluster to strengthen both public and private apiculture related extension system and encourage private sector engagement.

• Coordinate with the enterprise development officer of the cluster to avail important apicultural inputs (like beekeeping equipment, bee colony, bee hives etc.), finance and other resources required for the proper implementation of the program.

• Coordinate with the enterprise development officer of the cluster to plan, implement and follow up apiculture input and output market development activities.

• Coordinate with the enterprise development officer of the cluster and the sub-national hub technical leads to plan, implement and follow up apiculture and apiculture allied value chain development activities ensuring business creation and forward and backward linkages.

• Coordinate with the sub-national capacity building and policy lead to plan, implement and follow up all the capacity building interventions of the program in the cluster.

• Coordinate with the sub-national capacity building and policy lead to plan, implement and follow up all the policy related interventions of the program and support the implementation and enforcement of related policies, regulations, proclamations and initiatives.

Youth Engagement, Gender Equity, and Inclusiveness

• Ensures an enabling environment is created and mechanisms are in place in the cluster for real and effective engagement of young people in the apiculture and allied value chains, especially those of young women and other vulnerable groups.

• Coordinate with the other officers of the cluster to plan, implement and follow up a youth focused targeting strategy and prioritize young women (at least 80%) and  other vulnerable groups (at least 10%) to engage in apiculture based Agro-enterprise.

Networking and  Communication

• Ensure that at the cluster level, the program is well networked with all critical apiculture and allied value chains actors and networks to better contribute to and benefit from networking.

• Actively participate and support effective functioning of Participatory Review and Reflection Sessions (PRRS), Multi-Stakeholder Platforms (MSP), Value Chain Actors Platforms (VCAP), and other arrangements as necessary.

• Ensure the program's objectives and approaches and standards especially that of the apiculture development component are well communicated to all stakeholders and program participants in the cluster.

• Ensure that all periodical and ad hoc communications of the apiculture development component of the cluster are accurate and timely.

• Ensure that feedback is collected and project gains and progress in the apiculture development component are documented and publicized to concerned stakeholders and the wider audience.

Safeguarding and Accountability

• Make sure every apiculture related activities of the program in the cluster are in line with universally accepted safeguarding principles and SOSSE’s and MasterCard Foundation’s Safeguarding policies and procedures.

• Ensure that project participants are aware of safeguarding policies and how to rise and report concerns.

• Serve as a liaison between the cluster and project participants on safeguarding matters.

• Ensure the implementation of safe apicultural development activities by being alert and responsive to safeguarding risks.

• Ensure appropriate reflection mechanisms are in place for stakeholder, partners, and program participant of the apicultural development program to ensure that program interventions in the cluster are effective and downward, horizontal, and upward accountability among the program stakeholders is materialized.

Number of Position: Three (One in each town)

Job Requirements

Qualification and Competence

Educational Background

• BA/MA/BSC/MSC and above in Agriculture, Animal Production, Apiculture, Business Management, Economics, Agricultural economics, Business Administration, Development studies and closely related fields .

Work Experience

• A minimum of 12 years’ experience for BA and eight years for MA, with a minimum of 6 years in managerial position of development programs and projects

• Experience in executing and managing complex programs related to livelihood development, rural finance, agribusiness development, marketing and value chain, youth employment, and inclusive development at higher capacity (such as chief of party, program director/manager)

Skills and competencies required

• Proven skill and track record in team building, leadership, partnership management, multi-stakeholder engagement, networking, effective communication and facilitation, problem-solving, and decision-making.

• Ability to meet tight deadlines and work independently

• Ability to think and lead strategically while managing details

• Advanced computer skills.

• Integrity and honesty, hard work, firm belief in equality, transparency, and respect for others are core values needed.

• Prior experience in apiary and honey and allied value chain development is desirable.

*   Preference

Women and people with disability are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

Interested applicants to send a single page cover letter and maximum of 3 pages CV and the applications shall be addressed to sos.sahel@ethionet.et 

N.B. write the job title on the subject line of your email

Application deadline is on 20, December 2023.