Project Background

The global Feed the Future Policy LINK project will strengthen the capacity of local actors and institutions to lead and manage the agricultural transformation process and contribute effectively and collectively to improved, broad-based food security policy outcomes. 

Specifically, the program aims to strengthen food security policy systems by investing in and 

reinforcing productive human and social capital and developing strategic partnerships that help bring these innovations and capacity investments to scale in order to achieve a critical mass of local actors with the ability and opportunity to effect positive policy change through collective action.

Policy LINK’s general approach is grounded in facilitative leadership and collaborative governance, which emphasize engaging stakeholders from civil society and public and private sectors in consensus-oriented decision making, collaborative problem solving, and adaptive learning.

Policy LINK in Ethiopia

USAID/Policy LINK Ethiopia Champions for Food Security (C4FS) Activity is a buy-in activity under the global Policy LINK project. C4FS is duly focused on implementing policy systems strengthening and lowlands resilience work in Ethiopia. The Activity supports the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) and other development actors in their aspiration to transform Ethiopia through facilitating an inclusive policy development process and enhancing collaboration and coordination of resilience partners in lowlands. Specifically, the C4FS Activity will facilitate the transition towards a new, multiple stakeholder-driven paradigm infused with greater use of evidence in development decision-making, inclusion, collaboration, and coordination. 

C4FS will strengthen the capacities of Ministry of Agriculture to engage stakeholders traditionally excluded from decision-making, including academia, financial institutions, the judiciary, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and private sector representatives from the national, regional, and local levels. C4FS will also reinforce the capacity of the Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands to coordinate collaboration effectively and efficiently at the federal, regional, and woreda levels among development partners implementing resilience activities in lowland pastoral areas. 

Position Objectives

The Ethiopia Country Lead is a senior leadership position based in Addis Ababa responsible for overall planning, delivery, monitoring, and reporting of the Policy LINK program in Ethiopia at the national, regional, and community levels. The Ethiopia Country Lead will ensure leadership, effective technical program management, administrative supervision, high level representation, and technical excellence in the all the activities implemented by Policy LINK. Furthermore, the Lead will ensure project activities are consistent with the goals and objectives of the buy-in, Policy LINK’s overall program objectives and USAID Ethiopia Mission’s objectives. The Lead will promote the use of proven Policy LINK tools and approaches and ensure the high technical quality of activities, emphasizing the principles of facilitative leadership and collaborative governance. 

The Country Lead will supervise national staff and serve as the central point of interlocution between the Ethiopia team, other Policy LINK country offices, and Policy LINK Global Senior Management. 

Position objectives are summarized as follows: 

• Overall program management, delivery and achievement of program activities and deliverables per the activity description, workplan, and organizational policies and procedures.

• Providing strong technical leadership, guidance and mentorship to technical teams and managers working on activity implementation across the program. This includes leadership or support to design, operations, training and facilitation, mentoring and relationship management.

• Managing stakeholder relationships to advance technical engagement in a coordinated and coherent manner.

• Consistent and responsive communication and liaison with the USAID Ethiopia Mission to ensure Mission needs are addressed and Mission points of contact are appropriately and consistently informed and consulted on key project activities.

• Serving as the local bank signatory and reviewing and approving the work of Policy LINK’s finance and procurement teams in Ethiopia. Ensuring systems are in place for proper administrative management in compliance with DAI and USAID policies and procedures. 

• Coordinating and leveraging specialized technical expertise from Policy LINK and DAI.

S/he will continually reinforce Policy LINK’s agreed-upon core purpose and principles, and ensure all decision-making is rooted in those purpose and principles. S/he will contribute to foster a learning environment in which personal and team growth is supported, with a shared understanding that the “team” always comes before the “individual.” 

Duties and Responsibilities

The Ethiopia Country Lead will be responsible for the following anticipated tasks, though others may be added as appropriate:

Technical Program Leadership and Management

• Maintain continuous and productive interface with USAID Mission and rother implementing partners to advance program objectives.

• Manage overall design, delivery, and accomplishment of program deliverables in Ethiopia in accordance with Policy LINK and USAID guidelines. Provide facilitative leadership and support to partners to improve coordination, collaborative governance, collective impact, and better achievement of technical objectives. 

• Provide overall leadership to the Policy LINK Ethiopia team, including staff located in regional offices, if any. This will include oversight and support to the Policy LINK Ethiopia team by providing supervision, technical advice and executive decision making to ensure they effectively implement activities. In addition, the Country Lead will be sensitive to staff needs for development, motivation and implement actions to enhance broader team motivation and cohesion.

• Contribute to program efforts to facilitate and implement activities that are inclusive, gender sensitive, and responsive to local context in target regions. 

• Coordinate regular internal team meetings and debriefs to set targets, reviewprogress, leverage lessons, and ensure successful implementation of program activities.

• Ensure overall proper documentation, and the consistent production of high quality communication outputs

• Monitoring, and reporting of the status and performance program implementation in Ethiopia, including setting targets, monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and learning, including providing regular updates and submission of program reports internally or to USAID and partners as appropriate.

• Ensure effective management of consultants and service providers to produce high quality deliverables. 

• As part of Policy LINK senior management, the buy-in lead will consult regularly with and be responsive to Policy LINK’s other senior managers, ensuring that the Ethiopia team is an integral part of the Policy LINK’s global team.

Administrative Program Management

• Ensure that accurate budget updates from the Policy LINK office in Ethiopia are communicated to the global management team, including technical implementation and general administrative expenses. 

• Serve as the primary local bank signatory for payments originating in Ethiopia up to the threshold specified in Policy LINK’s Project Schedule of Authorities.

• Provide a thorough review of documentation prepared by staff performing finance and procurement tasks, ensuring that necessary systems are put in place and actions are taken to procure, and pay local vendors contracted to provide technical and operational goods and services. Actions should be compliant with Policy LINK, USAID, and local requirements. 

• Ensure local staff and teams are adequately supported to execute program activities and have access to appropriate opportunities for mentoring and coordination with the Policy LINK core team located in Bethesda, Maryland, Kenya, and worldwide. 

The Country Lead will ensure that local staff understand and embody Policy LINK principles, 

management, and standard operating procedures, and that they are put in place for effective implementation and management of Policy LINK program in Ethiopia.

Performance Criteria

Policy LINK C4FS is a performance-based project, highly dependent on individual and team core competencies. Each staff member will participate in an annual evaluation process and receive feedback.

Reporting

The Ethiopia Country Lead will report to the Policy LINK Regional Director.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The Ethiopia Country Lead will directly supervise the Technical Programs Director, MEL Systems Lead, Communications Manager, and Finance and Operations Director. 

Award Name: USAID/Feed the Future Policy LINK (Champions for Food Security 

(C4FS) in Ethiopia)

Status: Long Term Technical Assistance (Full-time Employee) 

Supervision: Regional Director 

Period of Performance: On/around May 1, 2024 – June 29, 2026

Job Requirements

Qualifications:

• Minimum of a Master’s degree or equivalent experience in development or relevant field, including economics, agricultural economics, public policy, business management, or similar relevant area;

• At least twelve (12) years of progressive/ leadership experience in program management, the agricultural policy process, stakeholder engagement, capacity strengthening of individuals and institutions, and organizational development; 

• International experience, especially in Africa, is recommended; knowledge of African and/or Ethiopian policy context will be an added advantage

• A good understanding of donor-funded compliance requirements, with prior experience reviewing and approving procurement actions and financial transactions;

• Strong leadership, program management, and coordination skills with ability to mentor and build strong cross-functional and cross-organization teams; and to design and rollout program activities;

• Demonstrated ability to provide facilitative leadership, engage senior organization leadership, and build strong partnership with diverse partners;

• Strong strategic thinking and organizational skills with ability to work in a complex, rapidly changing environment and respond to changing donor and partner demands;

• Experience in organizing and facilitating multi stakeholder planning and learning events and conferences;

• Good communication in English and report writing skills;

• Good computing capabilities with working knowledge of MS Word and Excel; and

• Deep familiarity with Ethiopia, and willingness to travel throughout the country.

How to Apply

Please submit applications electronically online using THIS LINK

Applications will be accepted on rolling basis till: 26th March,2024

Only candidates who are shortlisted for interviews will be contacted. No email inquiries please