Senior Project Officer - II - Irrigation

Vacancy Announcement

BACKGROUND

The Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) was established by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) to identify systemic bottlenecks, conduct studies and provide recommendations, provide implementation support, manage projects, and create linkages and coordination among activities and agricultural development programs. The Institute is a strategy and delivery-oriented government institute created to help accelerate the growth and transformation of the country’s agriculture sector. The ATI envisions that, to be the leading centre of innovative solutions to catalyze and contribute to the transformation of the Ethiopian Agriculture by 2030 where smallholder farmers are commercialized with greater incomes, inclusiveness, resilience, and sustainability.

ATI provides a unique 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 teams with the tools, training, and mentorships necessary to achieve their career goals.

The programmatic focus of the Institute responds to a core set of needs identified by the Ministry of Agriculture and other sectors along commodity value chains. Across the programs, the ATI engages public, private, and non-governmental stakeholders to support strategic planning, manage and strengthen implementation capacity and test innovative models. Currently, ATI is tasked to coordinate the revised Agriculture and Rural Development policy agendas of the sector and such sectoral-level delegation requires high-level expertise in the policy areas and skillsets in coordination and networking with multiple stakeholders.

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 Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) has designed a program called “Agriculture-focused Dignified Employment for Youth in Ethiopia” (ADEY) to address challenges of youth unemployment and increase their participation in the labor market, particularly in the agriculture sector. ATI has mainstreamed youth employment, gender equality, climate-smart, and nutrition-sensitive agriculture in all its programs and projects with the primary objectives of increased access to sustainable and inclusive job opportunities for youth, inclusivity, and the sustainable use of natural resources while building resilience capacities to shocks at all levels.

ATI, among others, currently works with more than 3 million smallholder farmers (540,300 are women and youth) engaged in the Agricultural Commercialization Clusters (ACC) and digital agriculture programs designed to improve smallholder farmers’ production and productivity while supporting other actors along the value chain. Taking ATI’s reputable experience, ADEY program is designed to create inclusive and dignified work opportunities in ACC regions and Somali for over 600 thousand youth. The program will focus on several streams such as agriculture and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to strengthen access to agricultural input and output markets and finance; improve the competitiveness of youth-owned MSMEs through capacity-building activities; enhance the skills and mindsets of young women and men through technical and business skill development and create an enabling environment for work opportunities through policy interventions. Similar to ACC, ADEY will operate along the commodity value chain, largely using ACC infrastructures and complementing the different ACC outcomes in general and outcome four (engagement of women and youth including those with disabilities) in particular.

The Irrigation officer will be responsible planning and implementation of ADEY irrigation activities including new technologies such as well-drilling, manual and engine pump manufacturing, maintenance services and providing training to youth enterprises to promote employment in agriculture. He/she will be responsible for organizing/establishing new and /or strengthening existing MSMEs with greatest emphasis on young women.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Identify, plan, and implement irrigation activities in different crops for agribusiness development and youth employment.
• Organize/strengthen MSMEs in irrigation activities for agribusiness development including market-oriented and cost-effective irrigation techniques for crop production, service provision activities such as well drilling, pump manufacturing, maintenance and repair, etc.
• Identify and promote young women-friendly irrigation technologies for agribusiness development and women economic empowerment.
• Provide capacity building training to youth enterprises and local partners.
• Conduct demand assessment and link youth beneficiaries with private service providers.
• Create platforms for collaboration and learning exchanges with local partners including offices of agriculture, labour and skills, women affairs, cooperative promotion, and others.
• Facilitate learning and exchanges on best practices of manual well drilling, manufacturing and maintenance of irrigation equipment.
• Support youth enterprises in the development of business plan, technical specifications and bill of quantity for irrigation equipment.
• Initiate and follow up on procurement of materials required for implementation of the program activities.
• Evaluate agribusiness development impact of different irrigation technologies and best practices for scaling up.
• Collaborate with regional partners to promote best practices of irrigation including
• production techniques, and maintenance of equipment and other service provisions.
• Collect data and produce reports on progress of the program activities and impacts.

Required Qualification, Competencies and Experience:

• MSC in agricultural engineering, irrigation engineering, water resource engineering, agriculture extension, or another related field of study.
• A minimum of 8 of relevant experience for MSc.
• Familiar with policy and regulatory frameworks of irrigation, drainage, and water resource management in Ethiopia.
• Experiences with agribusiness, SME development and employment creation in irrigation sub-sector.
• Deep understanding of Ethiopia’s agricultural system, with a broad perspective on how the entire system operates and how public, private, NGO and informal actors operate in the system.
• Practical experience in designing and implementing irrigation technologies including well drilling, water saving, and different service provision models.
• Demonstrated ability in the preparation of specification, bill of quantity, and procurement for irrigation technologies.
• Strong collaboration and facilitation skills with the ability to build relationships with people and organizations with diverse culture.
• Excellent teamwork and communication skills.
• Adaptive and problem-solving skills with ability to think strategically and prioritize program activities under dynamic conditions.
• Strong set of personal values including integrity, honesty, and desire to be of service.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with extensive experience with government institutions, development partners, private sector, and actors.
• Willingness to undertake frequent field visits.
• Strong communication skills (writing, speaking, composing, presenting, etc).Computer analytical and presentation skills.
• Proficiency in English and Amharic, and knowledge of the regional language is an advantage

Safeguarding risk level:

• The role holder will have frequent or intensive contact with program participants as he/she will be responsible for implementing and monitoring program activities.

Employment: One year with the possibility of extension

Duty Station: Oromia (Based at Addis Ababa)

Required Number: One

Application Deadline: August 16/2025