Vacancy Announcement
ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION INSTITUTE
Position Director: Agribusiness and Private Sector
Term of Employment: One year with a possibility of extension
Duty Station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Required Number One
Application Deadline: August 7/2025
Job Description
BACKGROUND:
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.
Our 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 teamwork 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.
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Agribusiness, Investment Promotion, Market and Private Sector development is responsible for coordinating the implementation of agribusiness and market related interventions, private sector and investment promotion in the ACC project. S/he will be responsible for leading the planning, designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating of all activities connected to entrepreneur development, promote private sector investment and marketing activities of the program as well as providing advice and consultation on all business skill and marketing management activities throughout all ACCII and HDP program. The job holder will report directly to the ACC senior Director. The Director manages program and project team well, collaborates with other teams and makes evidence-based decisions.
The Director works with key stakeholders in addressing prioritized systemic constraints Agribusiness, Investment Promotion, Market and Private Sector development and commodity value chains including federal level institutions, regional bureaus, cooperatives, farmer unions, commercial crop farmers, traders, wholesalers, investors, agri-businesses, and others and develop linkages to farmers to improve market transactions, decrease market dysfunctions, and to increase small holder farmer income. The AIPMP Director will report to the ACC Senior Director of the Federal office.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Ensure Effective Program and Project Management:
- Leading the facilitation, coordination, and management of value chain forums/multi stakeholder meetings; market linkage forums/ business to business/B2B meetings; and contract market agreements to meet the agri-business needs.
- Identify main actors (smallholder and commercial producer agro-pastoralists, private and cooperative aggregators, processing plants, buyer institutions) and service providers (government offices, NGOs, financial institutions, etc) as main attendants for prospected platforms across VC of the prioritized commodities.
- Align strategies and programs with ATI priorities to deliver increased results to effectively impact the agricultural sector.
- Ensure effective operational planning of interventions and activities, budgeting, reporting, monitoring, evaluation, and learning.
- Facilitate, coordinate, and manage periodic VCA, B2B and marketing meetings/forums.
- Ensure execution of contract farming and contract market linkages between cluster farmers and agroindustry and agro-processing, and exporters
- Support market structure and/or facilities investment works for timely completion.
Work closely with implementing partners and build their capacity in value chains and market systems development related interventions. - Facilitate inclusive and sustainable linkages between agricultural input businessmen, input suppliers, and value chain actors, driving systemic change to ensure the scalability and long-term viability of agricultural input supply systems in the region.
- Propose and implement innovative market-based solutions and business models for economic engagement for SHF, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, fostering self-reliance and contributing to sustainable development.
- Establish and strengthen networks between MSEs and major input suppliers by promoting market linkages and cultivating long-term, sustainable business relationships to support enterprise growth and income generation.
- Lead business development service, strengthen linkage between financial institutions and agri MSMEs and advancement of financial managements of the MSMEs.
Stakeholder engagement
- Strongly support private sector engagement and investment promotion along the commodity value chain.
- Provide technical support on the development and revision of tools applicable for FPCs/ACC marketing.
- Support the establishment and strengthening of a Value Chain platform which involves value chain actors.
- Promote an integrated and inclusive model of the value chain (in collaboration with crop, horticulture, livestock and other project teams).
- Support for the establishment and operationalization of guidelines for VC and market linkage guidance, private sector investment, and SHF-market sector linkage.
- Foster backward and forward market linkages between value chain actors and strengthen private sector involvement in the value chain.
- Provide content direction and input to other members of the ACC and other project teams.
- Support effective cross-sector and public-private stakeholders’ coordination and problem-solving issues in all input and credit administration, production and marketing components of VCs of the prioritized commodities in the region.
Conduct assessments, developing, and leading the implementation of solutions to solve technical and operational challenges
- Introduce new technologies and participatory planning of agribusiness and marketing activities.
- Identify concrete commercial opportunities & conduct market analysis for priority commodity value chain
- Collaborate with the Federal & regional relevant teams to map and develop market linkages.
- Evaluate investment needs to upgrade production and processing, accessing output finance, improving marketing practices, upgrading aggregation and agro processing.
Conduct assessment of agribusiness & market limiting factors across the value chain and propose mitigation measures. - Lead the Identification of potential risks that could affect the overall performance of the project and develop mitigation measures for resolutions.
Conduct capacity building activities and follow up support to ensure the creation of human capital capable of executing the HDP Project activities at the region:
- Conduct awareness creation on contract farming and contract marketing for key implements.
- Facilitate and provide ToT training for stakeholders (concepts, principles, analyses, guidance, upgrading and financing) and on agri-businesses (commercialization, effective aggregation, value addition, quality assurance/effective product management and output placement) to effectively execute the ACCII.
- Facilitate and provide special training on export marketing for export commodities.
Strengthen business relations capacity of FPCs with potential buyers. - Identify systemic and operational issues affecting the market linkage, private sector and value chain implementation and provide systematic intervention support.
- Provide technical support to FPAC and agro pastoralists for the preparation of their business plans and facilitation of linkages with potential buyers.
Documentation of efficient methodologies & tools, and development of a network of partners and service providers
- Compile experiences of each meeting and agreement events to main stakeholders as lesson learnt.
- Make the learnings publicly available through different communication outlets.
Develop an interactive website/App for Agribusiness for knowledge and best practices sharing. - Develop network with partner and service providers for project efficacy and efficiency.
Responsible for compiling and submitting data and reports to ensure alignment on project implementation and identify potential risks that could affect the overall performance of the project:
- Ensure alignment on the plan, effective coordination of relevant stakeholders to address critical issues along the value chain and monitor progresses on agreed actions.
- Compile and submit high standard aggregated biweekly, quarterly, annual and on demand performance reports to regional team ACC SD.
- The job holder is responsible also for additional interventions assigned by his/her immediate supervisor.
Required qualifications, competencies, skills, training, and experience:
Education:
- PhD Degree or Masters in relevant field of studies in Agribusiness, Agricultural Marketing, Agricultural economics, Development Economics, Business Management, cooperative marketing, and other relevant fields
Experience:
- 6 years for PhD or minimum 12 years for master’s and relevant work experience out of which 6 years is in leadership and managerial position directly related to agricultural marketing and promotion, private sector engagement, or related fields out of which five years at leadership position.
- Good experience in facilitating stakeholder forums, business, and market linkages, working with sectoral associations, investment promotion, and strengthening of MSEs and private sector.
- Experience in providing business development service support and mentoring of Agri-SMEs
Behavioral competencies required:
- Result /outcome oriented – Focus on agribusiness enhancement, investment promotion, private sector engagement, VCA development and marketing tasks.
- Teamwork – Believes in a teamwork and synergize the different teams in the directorate & beyond.
- Passion for rural development – Have a great passion working with SHF, IDPs/Refugees and host community development.
- Strategic thinking – Align with the stakeholders’ visions.
- Networking – Creating a network in his /her functions with all actors in the value chain.
Communication Skill – Excellent conversant with all value chain actors, stakeholders, good oral and written communication skills, with highly collaborative working style. - Problem-solving skill – Good analytical, problem solving and reporting skills.
Change Management and adaptability – good understanding of stakeholders’ vision; Ability to scan domestic and international market systems. - Decision making – Ability to identify key problems and taking timely decision; Good analytical skill and taking calculated risks; Ability and willingness to take responsibilities (in terms of overlapping assignments that may happen occasionally).
- Confidentiality – The principle of keeping secure and secret from others information given by organization.
- Personal values – Strong integrity, honesty, and desire to serve.
Technical competencies required:
- Agribusiness experience and skill – Adopt and implement best experiences on product aggregation, value addition, marketing, etc.
- Private sector enhancement: best experience in engaging and linking national and international private sectors along the value chain of agricultural commodities.
- Planning, implementing, and monitoring – Planning, implementation, and monitoring of HDP and ACC project tasks.
- Stakeholders’ Management – Knowledge and understanding of various regional-level and
- federal-level institutions; extensive experience in facilitating dialogue with relevant public and private stakeholders; Outstanding inter-personal and stakeholder management skills; ability to communicate consistently, clearly, and effectively to influence a range of stakeholders in a cross-cultural environment; Good experience of working in regional, and civil society or private sectors; Good in identification, analysis, planning and management skill of stakeholders.
- Knowledge and experience on Value Chain Management – Market-led value chain development and value chain principles, analysis, guidance, management and upgrading chains.
- Knowledge and skill on agricultural marketing – Excellent experience in contract farming, market linkage, value addition and business development skill especially in agricultural sector.
- Professional skill – Ability to work with minimal supervision; demonstrated track record of organization, multi-tasking, and time management skills; and ability to work within multi-cultural environment.
- Resource Management – Ability to identify all necessary resources; Manage resources efficiently.
Other Requirements (LANGUAGES, LICENSING OR CERTIFICATIONS)
- Competent in utilizing essential computer applications.
- Proficiency in oral and written English and Amharic languages.
Having a recognition certificate in Agribusiness and market development leadership and project management is an added advantage
HOW TO APPLY
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
We invite all candidates meeting the required qualifications to submit (i) a cover letter and (ii) a CV (maximum 5 pages) to: https://apply.ati.gov.et. It is mandatory to mention the position title under the subject line of your cover letter.
Please DO NOT submit scans of certificates with your application.
Women are highly encouraged to apply
NB. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
