Position: Senior Project Officer II: Market Linkage and Promotion 

Term of Employment:  One year with a possibility of extension

Duty Station(s):  Oromia (Based at Addis Ababa), Amhara (Based at Bahir Dar), Tigray (Based at Mekelle), and Hawassa

Required Number: Oromia (1), Bahir Dar (1), Mekelle (1), Hawassa Coordination Office (1)

Application Deadline: September 26,2024

 Please Note: ‘’PLEASE MENTION THE SPECIFIC DUTY STATION/LOCATION THAT YOU ARE APPLYING FOR, BUT IF YOU DON’T MENTION THE SPECIFIC LOCATION YOUR APPLICATION WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED”

The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI), formerly known as the Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA), is a strategy and delivery-oriented government institute created to help accelerate the growth and transformation of Ethiopia’s agriculture sector, which is a key contributor to the country’s GDP, exports, and workforce. The ATI’s work is centred on improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers (SHFs) across the country for improved income, inclusiveness, resilience, and sustainability.

The ATI works to transform the agriculture sector in Ethiopia by conducting policy and analytical studies, providing technical implementation support and capacity building, coordinating.  Platforms to better integrate partners and projects and designing and directly leading several innovative/pilot interventions.

The Institute joins forces with various stakeholders, including policymakers, researchers, farmers, and development partners, to support the implementation of agricultural development programs and initiatives. In addition, the ATI collaborates with national and international partners to facilitate knowledge exchange and learning opportunities. The Institute plays a crucial role in generating and disseminating information to support evidence-based decision-making in Ethiopia’s agricultural sector.

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.

The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) has designed a program called “Agriculture-focused Dignified Employment for Youth in Ethiopia” (ADEY) to address challenges of youth unemployment and increase their participation in the labor market, particularly in the agriculture sector. ATI has mainstreamed youth employment, gender equality, climate-smart, and nutrition-sensitive agriculture in all its programs and projects with the primary objectives of increased access to sustainable and inclusive job opportunities for youth, inclusivity, and the sustainable use of natural resources while building resilience capacities to shocks at all levels.

ATI, among others, currently works with more than 3 million smallholder farmers (540,300 are women and youth) engaged in the Agricultural Commercialization Clusters (ACC) and digital agriculture programs designed to improve smallholder farmers’ production and productivity while supporting other actors along the value chain. Taking ATI’s reputable experience, ADEY program is designed to create inclusive and dignified work opportunities in ACC regions and Somali for over 600 thousand youth. The program will focus on several streams such as agriculture and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to strengthen access to agricultural input and output markets and finance; improve the competitiveness of youth-owned MSMEs through capacity-building activities; enhance the skills and mindsets of young women and men through technical and business skill development and create an enabling environment for work opportunities through policy interventions. Similar to ACC, ADEY will operate along the commodity value chain, largely using ACC infrastructures and complement the different ACC outcomes in general and outcome four (engagement of women and youth including those with disabilities) in particular.

The regional Market Linkage and Promotion SPO II is responsible for entrepreneurship and marketing interventions of ADEY program in the region. He/ She will be responsible for planning, designing, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of all activities connected to entrepreneur development and marketing activities of the project as well as providing advice and consultation on all business and marketing management activities throughout all of ADEY program in the region. The position holder will directly report to Regional Program Manager (ADEY) and with Matrix reporting to Head Office Market Linkage and Promotion Senior Technical Expert of the ADEY program. He/she will closely work with ADEY and other ACC teams at federal and regional levels, and with regional implementing partners.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Facilitate and support innovative young men and women agri-entrepreneurs in development of business plans, financial analysis of startups and growing enterprises, value proposition of new products and services, and market linkages and promotion.

• Develop annual workplan and budget for market linkage and promotion interventions based on project document, and in consultation with other ADEY team members.

• Work to establish and strengthen agricultural value chain platforms, and business to business services for prioritized crop and livestock commodities in the region.

• Facilitate and build linkage between key market actors including producers, aggregators, agro-processors and exporters.

• Work with federal team in mapping of opportunities for youth start-up creation and facilitate supports for marketing plan and entrepreneurship development.

• Work with producer and agro-processor enterprises in the region to implement and enhance contract farming and/or out-grower schemes.

• Ensure that youth enterprises are supported through appropriate business advisory services and market linkage facilitation.

• Organize and facilitate regional industry targeted workshops and networking to foster innovation and technology transfer in product and service marketing.

• Identify market and business skill gaps of targeted youth enterprises across value chains in collaboration with regional partners.

• Organize and facilitate demand-driven training for youth enterprises and partner staffs on agribusiness and marketing skills.

• Collaborate and work with regional partners to facilitate access to resources such as working space, loan and facilities for youth enterprises.

• Ensure proper regular data collection using standard tools developed by the program and ensure compliance with the Donor data quality requirements.

• Conduct assessment surveys on agribusiness and marketing areas to provide evidence-based supports for youth enterprise development.

• Prepare  progress updates and performance reports periodically (monthly, quarterly, and annually) and share with the regional program manager.

• Implement other activities as required by supervisors.

Job Requirement

competencies, skills, training, and experience:

• Minimum of master’s degree in marketing, agricultural economics, development economics, agribusiness, business administration, commerce, or other related fields.

• Minimum 8 years of experience directly related to agricultural marketing and promoting. Previous experience working with MSMEs and private agribusiness companies is advantageous.

• Good know how and skills in marketing management, especially product value proposition, promotion, market information, linkage and networks.

• Human and organizational (enterprise) capacity development skills.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving environment with quality deliverables.

• Self-driven and ability to work with multidisciplinary team.

• Strong motivation and commitment to create dignified jobs for youths in the agriculture sector.

• Problem-solving and decision-making ability.

• Strong communication skills (writing, speaking, composing, presenting, etc).

• Fluency in written and spoken English.

• Willingness to undertake frequent field visits.

Required Skills

• Time management

• Teamwork

• Communication

• Market research

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 application email.  Please DO NOT submit scans of certificates with your application.

Women are highly encouraged to apply.

NB. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.