Job Description

Objectives

As part of its cooperation framework agreement with the Government of Ethiopia and the AGRA Ethiopia Country Program, AGRA seeks to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in effectively implementing the flagship Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP). AGRA is seeking to recruit an experienced and exceptional individual to the role of Senior Policy Advisor (SPA) to be seconded to the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock to provide policy and advisory to support the Ministry for an initial one year period renewable up to a maximum of three years based on performance.

The services include

• Serve as a senior technical expert on general agriculture issues, extension services, markets, trade, and agriculture policy reform issues to the State Minister.
• Provide strategic, policy, technical, and managerial support, and mentor junior professionals.
• Prepare briefing notes high level talking points to the minister and prepare the Minister for high level meetings
• Advise the Minister and other officials of the Ministry regarding agriculture policy, extension, and research development, strategic planning, technical direction, activity design, budgeting, and managing for results.
• Provide expert analysis and concise information regarding trade, investment, and agriculture sector development policies.
• Actively support the formulation of general agriculture issues, agro-education/extension services, trade, and agriculture policy related polices and projects that support accelerated and sustainable growth of the Ethiopian economy.
• Establish, maintain and manage sensitive high level relationships with Federal and Regional government entities, multilateral and bilateral development partners

The Position:

Reporting to the State Minister of the Mistry of Agriculture and Livestock and the Vice President for Country Support and Delivery of AGRA or a designee, the SPA will be responsible for supporting the Ministry in providing policy advisory and technical support to the State Minister of Agriculture. The position will be based at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

The SPA is expected to better understand and monitor the policy environment at both the federal and regional level to identify opportunities and constraints for the development of an enabling environment for agricultural transformation.

The SPA will arrange for the collection, analysis and dissemination of relevant general agriculture issues, services, markets, trade, and agriculture policy reform information to the State Minister for Agriculture, partners, clients, and others.

The Senior Agriculture Policy Advisor (SPA) plays a lead role in providing strategic, policy, and technical advice on general agriculture issues, including agricultural markets and commercialization, extension services, trade, and agriculture policy reform activities.

The SPA will liaise with other technical units in the Ministry, Development Partners, NGOs and private sector, and other government institutions. S/he will also represent the Minister in meetings and forums deemed important to general agriculture issues and agriculture policy reform.

Major functions:

• Serve as a senior technical expert on general agriculture issues, extension services, markets, trade, and agriculture policy reform issues to the State Minister.
• Provide strategic, policy, technical, and managerial support, and mentor junior professionals.
• Prepare briefing notes high level talking points to the minister and prepare the Minister for high level meetings
• Advise The Minister and other officials of the Ministry regarding agriculture policy, extension, and research development, strategic planning, technical direction, activity design, budgeting, and managing for results.
• Provide expert analysis and concise information regarding trade, investment, and agriculture sector development policies.
• Actively support the formulation of general agriculture issues, agro-education/extension services, trade, and agriculture policy related polices and projects that support accelerated and sustainable growth of the Ethiopian economy.
• Establish, maintain and manage sensitive high level relationships with Federal and Regional government entities, multilateral and bilateral development partners

Key Qualifications and Experience required:

• At least a Masters degree in agricultural economics, International Development, or a closely related field.
• A minimum of ten years of relevant and practical professional work experience at a senior level designing, managing and evaluating agribusiness, trade, extension services, agriculture education, and agriculture policy reform activities in developing countries is required.
• A strong emphasis is placed on agri-business development, value-chains, extension services, policy reform, and/or trade experience in south Asia. Experience working in a post-conflict or conflict environment is required. Experience in policy analysis is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a range of professional counter-parts at all levels, including high level officials and technical staff, business executives, civil society leaders, and international organizations and other donors.
• The candidate must demonstrate cross cultural sensitivity, as he/she will be called upon to interact with high level officials from a range of cultural backgrounds, including senior political representatives.
• Demonstrated leadership in a team environment and ability to work in a collegial and persuasive fashion is required. Proven record of effective, team-based working relationships, from staff to policy-making levels, with a wide range of individuals and organizations, including technical experts and contractors, public and private sector partners, and international organizations is required.
• Strong interpersonal skills and superior written and oral communication skills in English are essential. The ability to meet tight deadlines with concise documents and verbal interpretation is required.
• Deep understanding of the Ethiopian agricultural sector and stakeholders
• Knowledge of Amharic language highly desirable

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