The Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) was established by the Government of Ethiopia with assistance from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to identify and address systemic bottlenecks in Ethiopia’s agricultural development. The ATA does this through planning, analysis, implementation support, and reporting on the interventions outlined in the Agricultural Transformation Agenda. The Transformation Agenda is a set of prioritized interventions to accelerate the transformation envisioned as part of Ethiopia’s Growth and Transformation Plan II. The Transformation Agenda is overseen by the Agricultural Transformation Council chaired by the Prime Minister.

ATA has launched a Delivery Unit in the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources (MoANR) to directly support MoANR’s work on the Transformation Agenda. Delivery Units have played a critical role in accelerating execution of development initiatives in many countries, particularly in East and Southeast Asia, and today are also present in Ethiopia’s Prime Minister’s office and the Revenue and Customs Authority. The Delivery Unit will be jointly overseen by the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources and ATA senior management. The Delivery Unit team plays a highly visible and pivotal role in accelerating agricultural transformation and development in Ethiopia.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Transformation Agenda (TA) Advisor will work closely with the Delivery Unit team, the Ministry and the ATA to create opportunities for youth rural job creation within three key programs: irrigation and drainage (including irrigated horticulture development), agricultural mechanization, and watershed and agro-forestry. In addition, the TA Advisor will work to mainstream youth livelihoods across extension and rural finance systems, as well as to build mainstreaming capacity within the Ministry.

The TA Advisor must have strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, technical expertise and problem-solving experience, as well as initiative design, planning, implementation management and reporting experience. The TA Advisor will report directly to the MoANR State Minister for Food Security and Rural Job Opportunity Creation, and have a second, functional reporting line to the Delivery Unit Coordinator. This position provides an opportunity to be on the front lines of Ethiopia’s growth and transformation into a middle-income country. The successful candidate will have a strong desire to learn, innovate and drive rapid change to benefit Ethiopia’s farmers.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Coordinate effective annual planning, budgeting and target setting activities for Transformation Agenda projects

• Identify and analyze critical technical issues directly related to design and implementation of prioritized projects

• Proactively engage with other DU team members, the ATA and external partners to develop solutions and recommendations to address identified technical issues

• Engage with senior staff within the Ministry, the ATA and external partners to align on and implement project adjustments

• Contribute to ToRs, concept notes, studies, workshops, and training materials, directly related to prioritized projects

• Monitor progress reporting through key reporting systems and tools, engaging with relevant activity owners to ensure reporting is timely and accurate

• Identify and escalate challenges around implementation and reporting, as well as solutions and recommendations, to project leaders and the Delivery Unit Coordinator

• Provide capacity building on technical project execution to MoANR staff

• Provide other technical advisory and input needed for effective project implementation

• MA/MSc required in agriculture, rural development or related fields. PhD is preferable
• 10+ years of professional experience with MA/MSc, or 8+ years of professional experience with PhD, in rural job creation, livelihood development or rural development more generally
• Deep understanding of Ethiopia’s agricultural sector, with a broad perspective on how public, private and non-government organizations operate in the system
• Specific experience in planning, prioritizing, sequencing, managing, problem-solving and reporting on implementation of projects
• Self-starter with strong motivation, ownership and commitment to deliver results
• Promotes data-driven and evidence-based problem solving and decision making
• Strong team player with excellent relationship building and communication skills
• Desire to innovate and drive rapid change for Ethiopia’s farmers
• Strong set of personal values including integrity, honesty and desire to be of service

• Fluency in English and Amharic