Lowland Area Program Coordinator at Research Triangle Institute (RTI)

Research Triangle Institute (RTI)

Position: Lowland Area Program Coordinator

Job Time: Full-Time

Job Type: Contract

Place of Work: Addis Ababa, Addis Abeba - Ethiopia

Posted date: 3 weeks ago

Deadline: Submition date is over

Job Description

Research Triangle Institute (RTI) has over 30 years of experience assisting governments, communities, and the private sector. As a not-for-profit, independent research institute based in North Carolina, USA, RTI has roughly 5,000 employees with global experience implementing international development projects. RTI's Sustainable Growth & Resilience (SG&R) technical unit within the International Development Group brings together RTI experts and capabilities across food security, agriculture, energy, environment, water, governance, and economic opportunity. SG&R will leverage RTI's experience designing and delivering multisectoral programming and technical solutions to respond to climate change, build resilience, and promote economic growth around the world.

SG&R’s Global Food Security and Agriculture portfolio is working to strengthen agricultural markets, engage youth and women as critical leaders of the on- and off-farm workforce, and tackle the dual burden of malnutrition around the globe. RTI’s work is helping foster stronger food systems, reduce malnutrition in all its forms, build resilience, and engage the next generation of food security leaders. RTI is currently partnering on nearly 30 projects in East Africa, including activities focused on private sector-driven agricultural growth in Rwanda and market systems development in Kenya.

The purpose of the USAID/Ethiopia Feed the Future Transforming Agriculture Activity is to increase access to healthy diets, particularly for women and children, by improving competitiveness, inclusiveness, and resilience of the Ethiopian food and agriculture system. Transforming Agriculture will also increase incomes gained from agriculture by as much as 40 percent over the next five years. To achieve its goals the activity must collaborate intensively with other USAID-funded projects working in the food and agriculture sector.

Responsibilities

Position Description

RTI is seeking a Lowland Area Program Coordinator for Transforming Agriculture. The Lowland Area Program Coordinator will be based in Addis with frequent travel to the regions and responsible for overseeing lowland regional field offices (Semera, Jijiga, Dire Dawa), backstopping the senior area program coordinator, and ensuring the technical coordination between the Addis Ababa-based team, and regional field teams. This position will report to the Senior Area Program Coordinator.

Your primary responsibilities will include but not be limited to:

• Serve as the strategic point of contact for all project activities in assigned lowland regions. Provide technical and/or operational guidance to the lowlands office teams and serve as a subject matter expert.
• Ensure timely project implementation and technical reliability. Monitor project and grantee activities and alignment of deliverable results with the work plans.
• Coordinate and support key project events and/or field visits occurring in assigned areas.
• Build relationships with relevant private sector counterparts, agribusinesses, farmer organizations, and associations in the lowland areas.
• Lead and coordinate design of program approach to strategic initiatives such as the Partnership for Lowlands Resilience Activity (PLRA).
• Ensure effective and timely liaison between stakeholders including government agencies (such as RBoA/BOF), USAID Implementing Partners, NGOs, and other Development Partners.
• Prepare a monthly summary report on detailed management and implementation plans, deliverable tracking, partnership activities, and general staff performance and welfare.
• Backstop the Senior Area Program Coordinator during his absence.
• Additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• Master's degree and 6 years of experience or bachelor's Degree and 8 years of experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience working on donor-funded programming, experience in agriculture programming, economic growth, value chain, or related fields.
• Proven experience working in Lowland areas.
• Experience and demonstrated capacity to build and sustain partnerships to achieve development results.
• Knowledgeable and experienced with international development contracting policies and procedures, specifically USAID. Experience working with grantees preferred.
• Demonstrated skills in building, mobilizing, and leading multidisciplinary teams.
• Proven ability to work under pressure, and with multiple concurrent demands.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to travel and work throughout Ethiopia-especially lowland areas in difficult terrain/conditions at times.    
• Verbal and written fluency in English is required. In Lowland areas, language fluency is strongly preferred.