Research Triangle Institute (RTI) has over 30 years’ 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.

Position Summary

RTI is recruiting a Senior Value Chain and Markets Coordinator for an anticipated, upcoming project in Ethiopia, Poverty Reduced Sustainably in an Environment of Resilient and Vibrant Economy (PReSERVE).

PReSERVE an integrated activity to improve food security of vulnerable households in targeted Protective Safety Net Programmes (PSNP) communities in the Amhara Region and contribute to a sustained reduction in rural poverty. The Senior Value Chain and Markets Coordinator will provide overall technical direction for the livelihood deepening activities that are part of RTI’s scope of work, ensuring the implementation of a market facilitation approach. The position will be based in Bahir Dar with travel to Project Woredas in the Amhara region.

Essential Duties

• Manage RTI technical personnel and subcontractors in the implementation of livelihood deepening activities within a large, complex resilience for food security activity (RFSA) activity.
• Infuse market facilitation approaches in livelihood deepening activities and support other project teams to collaborate with, leverage and strengthen market-based interventions and approaches.
• Lead the design, implementation and adaptation of livelihood deepening activities, ensuring timely project implementation and technical quality, effective monitoring, and coordination.
• Provide technical oversight and serve as a subject matter expert in one of the three technical areas: financial access, crop value chains, or livestock value chains.
• Develop relationships with Government of Ethiopia (GOE) and private agribusiness counterparts.
• Contribute to grants management, monitoring and evaluation, learning, work plan development, communications and report writing in consultation and collaboration with the Grants Manager and Chief of Party
• Collaborate with staff and partners across all priority areas to ensure cross-fertilization of ideas and coordination of activities.
• Support Monitoring, evaluation and learning activities
• Other responsibilities as agreed upon by the COP

Minimum Required Education & Experience

• Master’s degree and 9 years of experience or Bachelor’s Degree and 12 years’ experience in one of the three technical programming areas: access to finance, crop value chains, or livestock value chains. Master’s degree in a related area is strongly preferred.
• Minimum 8 years’ experience in agricultural development in Ethiopia.
• Experience with Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P), market systems, or facilitation approach required.
• Demonstrated success implementing private sector-led agricultural development programs, preferably including experience in thin markets such as PSNP target woredas.
• Demonstrated success integrating youth, women and/or other vulnerable groups.
• In-depth knowledge of the agribusiness sector in Ethiopia.
• Knowledge of agricultural policy environment in Ethiopia required; Experience collaborating with GOE preferred.
• Practical Knowledge on RFSA Project implementation areas.
• Demonstrated ability to innovate interventions to benefit PSNP target groups.
• Experience managing teams (greater than four staff) preferred.
• Experience with USAID or other donor-funded projects preferred, particularly synergistic programs.
• Reputation for professional excellence (as evidenced by references and achievements).
• Strong written communication and effective cross-cultural interpersonal skills.
• Language Ability: Oral and written fluency in Amharic and English required.