About the Organization
The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI), formerly the Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA), is a government institute focused on accelerating the growth and transformation of Ethiopia’s agriculture sector. Agriculture is a vital driver of Ethiopia’s economy, contributing significantly to GDP, employment, and exports. ATI’s mission is to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers by fostering inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agricultural practices.
ATI achieves its goals through policy and analytical studies, technical implementation support, capacity building, and coordination of multi-stakeholder platforms. The Institute also designs and leads innovative pilot interventions that promote scalable and impactful solutions.
ATI collaborates with policymakers, researchers, farmers, and development partners, both nationally and internationally, to facilitate knowledge exchange and evidence-based decision-making. By joining ATI, employees contribute directly to national agricultural transformation while accessing opportunities for professional growth and leadership development.
The Institute values teamwork, adaptability, and innovation, offering a fast-paced and rewarding environment where talented individuals can make a meaningful impact on Ethiopia’s agriculture sector.
Job Description
The Senior Project Officer II – Crop Value Chain, FPACs will provide technical and analytical support to strengthen agricultural value chains, focusing on grain and horticultural crops. The officer will promote inclusive and sustainable practices by supporting Farmers Production and Agribusiness Companies (FPACs) and farmer production clusters (FPCs).
This role involves planning, implementing, monitoring, and coordinating production, processing, and commercialization activities. The position is critical for enhancing productivity, fostering market linkages, and supporting smallholder farmers’ transition from production clusters to formal agribusiness entities.
Key Responsibilities
1. FPC/FPAC Project Management:
- Support establishment and strengthening of FPCs and FPACs to implement full production packages, increasing production and productivity.
- Facilitate demonstrations of new technologies and improved agronomic practices for farmers.
- Collect, analyze, and interpret data to guide adoption and diffusion of technologies.
- Provide technical and management support to FPACs/FPCs at regional, zonal, and woreda levels.
- Monitor provision of support including production, aggregation, post-harvest handling, processing, and value addition.
- Conduct operational planning, budgeting, reporting, monitoring, evaluation, and learning for interventions across priority crop value chains.
- Facilitate needs-based input supply according to full-package recommendations.
- Support improvements in mechanization, crop protection, soil fertility, and post-harvest management.
- Collaborate to address FPAC legal and operational issues, enabling their progression into fully functioning companies.
- Promote Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) and participatory planning for production and marketing activities.
- Identify systemic and operational issues affecting value chains from regional to cluster levels.
- Support digital extension advisory services and implementation of the full package by smallholder farmers.
- Lead regular assessments of FPCs to support their registration and transition into FPACs.
- Contribute to regional planning, crop package revisions, and productivity enhancement activities.
- Ensure gender, CSA, and nutrition-sensitive practices are mainstreamed across projects.
- Support daily management of stakeholders and program implementation in collaboration with the Regional ACC Director.
- Facilitate experience-sharing sessions for producer organizations, value chain actors, and partners.
- Develop technical training manuals, FPAC governance models, and demonstration guidelines.
2. Linkage, Coordination, and Stakeholder Management:
- Organize alignment meetings, field visits, workshops, field days, and cluster evaluations.
- Support establishment of value chain platforms for integrated and inclusive engagement of actors.
- Foster market linkages between producers, buyers, and private sector actors.
- Collaborate with regional and central teams to provide targeted support to FPACs/FPCs.
- Support cross-sector and public-private coordination and problem-solving.
3. Capacity Building and Technical Support:
- Facilitate Training of Trainers (ToT) for regional, zonal, and woreda experts on FPC/FPAC governance, full crop packages, crop protection, and new technologies.
- Build capacity of stakeholders in priority crop value chains.
- Provide technical backstopping and guidance to field coordinators, development agents, and farmers.
- Conduct capacity gap assessments and deliver targeted training.
- Monitor and evaluate FPAC/FPC interventions across production, aggregation, and marketing.
- Ensure effective alignment of FPAC plans and coordination among stakeholders to address critical value chain challenges.
4. Communication and Reporting:
- Prepare and submit high-quality performance reports weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually.
- Collect, compile, and communicate data from stakeholders to support decision-making and project management.
- Ensure timely internal communication, transparency, and cooperation within and outside the team.
- Coordinate with Regional Bureaus of Agriculture and partners to strengthen FPACs and FPCs.
- Support monitoring, evaluation, and learning processes to maximize impact on smallholder farmers.
Educational Qualification
- Master’s degree in Plant Science, Crop Science, Agronomy, Plant Breeding, Seed Technology, Crop Value Chain Development, Plant Protection, or other relevant fields.
Work Experience
- Minimum of 8 years of professional experience in agricultural value chain development.
- Experience in senior program management in government, non-government, or private sector.
- Practical experience in crop production, post-harvest management, processing/value addition, and linking farmer groups to markets.
Required Skills and Competencies
- Results-oriented with strong prioritization and sequencing skills.
- Collaborative, facilitative leadership style, and team building expertise.
- Energetic, passionate, and committed to transforming agricultural commercialization.
- Problem-solving ability and adaptability in challenging environments.
- High integrity, honesty, and service-oriented mindset.
- Networking and relationship-building across program actors.
- Excellent planning, implementation, and monitoring skills for crop commercialization programs.
- Strong knowledge of value chain principles, market-led development, and upgrading chains.
- Understanding of Ethiopia’s agricultural system and operations of public, private, and informal actors.
- Agribusiness development and management experience.
- Proficiency in project management cycles, monitoring and evaluation, and learning systems.
- Good data management, analysis, and reporting skills.
Job Location
Hawassa, Central Office and Durame, Central Ethiopia (Applicants must clearly indicate the preferred duty station).
Employment Type and Salary
- Full-time position
- One-year contract with possibility of extension based on performance
- Competitive salary and benefits aligned with government and ATI standards
Professional Growth and Career Development
- Opportunity to lead regional crop value chain and commercialization initiatives.
- Exposure to advanced agronomic practices, value addition, and market-oriented solutions.
- Access to mentorship, training, and professional networking at regional and national levels.
- Platform to develop leadership, project management, and technical expertise in agricultural development.
Impact of the Role
- Contributes directly to increasing crop production, productivity, and commercialization.
- Strengthens capacity of farmer groups, FPACs, and regional stakeholders.
- Promotes inclusive and sustainable practices benefiting women, youth, and marginalized groups.
- Supports Ethiopia’s national agricultural transformation and rural economic growth.
Diversity and Inclusion
Women and candidates from underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. ATI fosters a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.
How to Apply
- Submit a cover letter and CV (maximum 5 pages) via https://apply.ati.gov.et.
- Clearly indicate the position title and preferred duty station in the subject line.
- Do not submit scanned certificates or attachments.
- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.