Director-Research and Extension

Term of Employment:  Fixed term

Duty Station(s):              Addis Ababa

Required Number:        One

Salary & Benefits:          Competitive

Application Deadline:    February 08, 2016

 

BACKGROUND:

The Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) has been established by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) to identify and address systemic bottlenecks to Ethiopia’s agricultural development. The Agency does this through problem-solving, implementation support, and capacity building of stakeholders involved in implementation of interventions that address the systemic bottlenecks. The Agency reports to a Transformation Council chaired by the Prime Minister and whose co-chair is the Minister of Agriculture. 

The programmatic focus of the Agency responds to a core set of needs identified by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Transformation Council. Within the Agency, issues are divided into three different groups:  Production and Productivity which includes Inputs and Crop Protection, Livestock, Research and Extension, Mechanization and Rural Finance; Agribusiness and Markets including Market Support Services, Commercial Farming, Agro-processing & Market Development, and Cooperatives Development; and Environmentally Sustainable and Inclusive Agricultural Growth including Natural Resource Management, Sustainable Land Management, Gender Equality and Nutrition, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management, and Planning and MLE. Across the programs, the ATA engages public, private and non-governmental stakeholders to support strategic planning, manage and strengthen implementation capacity and test innovative models.

 Our Culture

We have an exceptional team of employees with a proven track record of success in managing complex activities and achieving transformational results.  Our culture is one where talented individuals are committed to doing their best and work together to achieve excellent results. 

At ATA, 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, motivated colleagues and excellent career development and training.  We recognize our most valuable assets are our people and are committed to providing our employees with the tools and training necessary to achieve their career goals. 

 

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director, research & Extension will have a primary responsibility of developing, aligning, coordinating and supporting implementation of a portfolio of integrated initiatives to improve research and extension services for small-holder farmers. The Director will seek to strengthen the research system through the strengthening of the collaboration and capabilities of federal and regional research institutions. The Director will also work with research institutions in Ethiopia and abroad to ensure that high quality and relevant research is easily and quickly adapted to meet the needs of smallholder farmers of Ethiopia. The Director will likewise seek to enhance frontline farmer productivity by supporting efforts: that closely align extension services with farmer needs; integrate extension services with cooperatives, research and market forces; and strengthen regional planning as a driver for coordinated interventions at Kebele-level, among other efforts.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Work with research institutions (international, National, public and private) to remove systemic bottlenecks that hinder the adoption of relevant technologies by Ethiopia’s smallholder farmers


• Conceive, launch and support a portfolio of integrated initiatives designed to better meet the needs of farmers through improvements to the agricultural extension and research systems of Ethiopia


• Build capacity, as necessary, of key government, private and informal actors in Ethiopia’s extension and research systems in order to meet the country’s long term agricultural development objectives


• Serve as the leader of the Agricultural Extension and Research Program team, responsible for the overall direction and management of the Program


• Engage stakeholders across the agricultural system (government, business, civil society, universities, cooperatives, farmers organizations, farmers, donors, etc.) to identify and prioritize actions to improve the agricultural extension system and to improve the capacity and coordination among research institutions in Ethiopia


• Work with stakeholders to design and then implement high-priority interventions to improve agricultural extension. Seek to better align extension services with market forces and other critical agricultural players, including cooperatives and research institutions


• Work with research institutions to ensure developed technologies are pertinent to and adopted by smallholder farmers.


• Support stakeholders to mobilize needed financial, human or organizational resources for project execution


• Manage the performance of the interventions designed to strengthen the agricultural extension and research system; setting key performance indicators, milestones and targets; engaging stakeholders to creatively solve problems and overcome obstacles in order to achieve desired results.


• Critically assess capacity gaps hindering effective implementation of interventions designed to strengthen the agricultural extension and research systems and developing approaches for improving capabilities as required


• Use ATA’s agricultural extension and research initiatives as a platform for project-based learning for all stakeholders


• Integrate agricultural extension and research initiatives with other ATA programs to achieve synergies and outcomes that impact the broader agricultural system.

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, or Master’s / PhD in Agriculture Science or other relevant subjects


• 10-15 years in a senior program leadership role in government, international agency or private sector


• Deep understanding of Ethiopia’s agricultural system, with a broad perspective on how the entire system operates and how public, private and informal actors operate within the system


• Understanding of the extension and research institutions in Ethiopia and obstacles that hinder the adoption of new technologies by smallholder farmers


• Strong knowledge of agricultural extension and research systems in other countries, particularly in Asia


• Practical experience in implementing solutions at the local level


• Experience in prioritizing and sequencing both programmatic and operation activities


• Experience in creating public-private partnerships in the sector preferred


• Demonstrable track record of success with program design, performance management, learning systems and monitoring & evaluation


• Fluency in English and Amharic is essential.  Fluency in at least one additional Ethiopian language is a plus.

Closing date: Feb 08, 2016