UNDP Jobs - 52484- Chief Technical Specialist (ATA)

Chief Technical Specialist (ATA)

Location :

Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

02-Jan-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-4

Duration of Initial Contract :

One year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (the Agency or ATA) is an initiative of the Government of Ethiopia (GOE) that was established by federal regulation in January 2011. The primary aim of the Agency is to promote agricultural sector transformation by enhancing and supporting existing structures of government, private-sector and other non-governmental partners to address systemic bottlenecks in the system and deliver on a priority national agenda to achieve growth and food security.

The ATA focuses on a set of high-priority program areas. These program areas are sub-divided into Systems, Value Chains, and Cross Cutting Initiatives. Across these, the ATA engages public, private and non-governmental stakeholders to support strategic planning, manage and strengthen implementation capacity, and test innovative models. Its structure and function is focused on nimble, innovative and results-oriented support to a range of partners in the agricultural sector. It is financed by GOE and a range of development partners.

The ATA is led by a Chief Executive Officer and a high-caliber staff of senior leadership. Governance is provided by an inter-ministerial council, chaired by the Prime Minister. The Minister of Agriculture serves as the Deputy Chair with additional representation from other relevant federal ministries and regional governments. The ATA is headquartered in Addis Ababa with representative offices in four regions.

The Chief Technical Specialist (ATA) will play a critical role both in internal ATA leadership and external relations. The ideal candidate will have a passion for improving the lives of smallholder farmers and a deep knowledge of the Ethiopian agriculture sector. Likewise, s/he will have superlative leadership, management and communications skills, and an ability to translate big visions into practical, on-the-ground progress. The Chief Technical Specialist (ATA) will be an outstanding problem-solver and possess the ability to build trust with a broad range of stakeholders, including senior political leaders, donors, ATA staff, smallholder farmers and others.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions

The primary responsibility of the Chief Technical Specialist (ATA) is increasing the bandwidth of the CEO in such a way as to extend the CEO’s capabilities and impact. The responsibilities of the Chief Technical Specialist (ATA) span across strategic, policy-related, and operational issues, in addition to broader support to the CEO. Across all of these areas, the Chief Technical Specialist (ATA) is expected to provide strategic thought partnership, management and operational oversight, and coordination between internal and external actors.

This position will report to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Duties and responsibilities

Strategy responsibilities, focusing on achievement of the following results

Overall Organization Strategy:

Supports the CEO in setting organization strategy direction and shapes the organization’s long-term aspirations;
Provides thought partnership to the CEO on key strategic issues facing the organization;
Leads the overall organization direction, values, culture and management;
Periodically reviews the organization’s overall strategy to ensure the organization anticipates and responds to changing environmental conditions;
Establishes organizational structure and operating systems to ensure the achievement of strategic objectives;
Serves as a role model to the entire organization and empowers staff to translate ATA’s vision into results;
Protects and builds brand integrity.

Stakeholder Management:

Serve as liaison for the ATA with key Federal, Regional, Private Sector, Non-Profit and Bilateral and Multilateral partners;
Provides high-quality, results-focused stakeholder management and build a genuinely collaborative engagement with key Federal, Regional, Private Sector, Non-Profit and Bilateral and Multilateral partners;
Engages in active communication and relationship building with stakeholders through formal and informal one-on-one meetings, convening events, speaking engagement, etc.;
Supports and guides Program Director in mapping and assessing the interest and needs of core stakeholders in key Program areas;
Advise on the nature and level of ATA representation for official visits and organize visits of senior officials from outside organizations to the ATA.

Policy-related responsibilities, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Translates organization vision and strategy into organizational policies, directives and procedures;
Supports the development of effective governing and decision making systems within the organization;
Develop guidelines for use of organization assets (people, brand, information);
Communicates and builds commitment to organizational policies, directives, and procedures among key internal/external constituents;
Integrates organization policies, directives and procedures into coherent framework;
Ensures implementation of policies, directives and procedures;
Monitors effectiveness of policies, directives and procedures.

Operational responsibilities, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Operations Management:

Supports the CEO in developing and refining programmatic strategies, approaches, implementation plans, key performance indicators, etc.;
Manages operations of the organization in ways consistent with strategic goals and performance targets;
Monitors operational process against performance targets and organizes counter-measures when required;
Manages infrastructure required to support operating units;
Manages resources (including people and capital) across all lines of the organization;
Resolves issues of conflict between organization units and staff functions.

Process Management:

Ensures that core organization units are in place and working effectively;
Integrates organization-wide processes;
Ensures effective management processes (i.e. decision making and conflict resolution) are in place at all levels;
Ensures quality tools and methods are used in managing the organization.

People Management:

Ensures the right leadership team is in place, with complimentary skills represented;
Develops and monitors succession-planning process for top leadership positions;
Ensures all critical executive positions are adequately staffed;
Leads and develops senior management team through selection, coaching, support, and team management to ensure a high performance team;
Ensures replacement personnel are suitably trained and developed.

Information Management:

Transmits top-level decisions throughout organization;
Serves as internal spokesperson for organization messages;
Serve as a thought leader to help the creation and delivery of strategies and programs that enhance the effectiveness of the ATA, and where appropriate help ATA seek external peer review and counsel on its approach;
Contribute to the development of an institutionalized knowledge base for the ATA.

Performance Management:

Supports the CEO in developing organization wide performance management system;
Ensures that Senior Management effectively translates organization vision, strategy, and performance targets into organization unit plans and performance targets;
Provides leadership and performance management support in the execution of strategies and plans.

Broad support to the CEO, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Assists the CEO in carrying out key leadership functions in policy development, strategy, priority and goal setting, and operational oversight over programs and support teams;
Drives a portfolio of speci?c activities for the ATA, including overseeing the incubation of new program areas and serving as the focal person for high priority and high-profile government led projects such as the Agriculture Growth Program (AGP);
Undertake the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the function of the Office of the CEO, providing leadership for strategy, communication, knowledge management, and budget development;
Monitor, on behalf of the CEO, all Program Teams. Monitor and review ATA Programs and advise the CEO on all matters related to administrative and program developments and implementation;
Act by delegation for the CEO as necessary.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Advocates and promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Holds an extensive network of relationships with key Federal, Regional, Private Sector, Non-Profit, and Bilateral and Multilateral partners;
Experience prioritizing and sequencing both programmatic and operational activities;
Demonstrated track record of success with program design, performance management, learning systems and monitoring and evaluation;
Ability to thrive and lead teams in a fast-moving, start-up environment, with an emphasis on high-performance, teamwork, accountability and results;
Highly facilitative and collaborative leadership style;
Excellent adaptive problem-solver in a challenging environment;
Excellent analytical, leadership, and data gathering skills;
Strong set of personal values including integrity, honesty and desire to be of service;
Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Amharic are essential. Fluency in at least one additional Ethiopian language is a plus;
Demonstrated ability to provide intellectual leadership over a broad range of agricultural development issues in Africa, including key development commitments and initiatives;
Holds a broad perspective on how the entire agricultural system operates including the actual and potential role ATA plays;
Sound knowledge of the Ministry of Agriculture policies and procedures, including administrative and program management procedures and operations;
Understands how the public, private and informal actors operate within the agriculture system;
Practical experience in piloting and scaling up relevant solutions that connect local level production with larger markets;
Proven ability to produce reports, analyses and papers on technical issues.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree or equivalent preferably in social sciences, management, business/public administration or related fields;PhD is desirable.

Experience:

At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience at in agriculture and/or related development sector with progressive management responsibilities at national and international level experience in high-level dialogue on policy development with senior representatives of government and development partners is required;
Managerial experience, including with human and financial resources, budget and programme planning and analysis is required;
Experience in streamlining and reorganizing organizational processes is required;
Experience with development issues in Africa is required;
Experience in the use of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based aid management platforms and systems.

Language:

Fluency in English;
Knowledge of a second UN official language is desirable.