Ethiopia Senior Policy & Partnerships Specialist

About One Acre Fund

One Acre Fund works to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. In Ethiopia, we engage farmers in agroforestry and community-based seed multiplication to increase farmers' incomes and improving farming systems. Engaging with local actors at every step but bringing ideas from outside, we are making rural farming more market-friendly and environmentally sustainable. Our Ethiopian partner farmers have planted more than 30 million trees, produced over 1500 MT of improved teff seed and improved the futures of hundreds of thousands of their neighbors. In Ethiopia alone, our permanent team numbers over 150 with nearly 1000 rural seasonal staff supporting them. Our Ethiopia headquarters are in Addis Ababa and we have a large program office Bahir Dar, plus several smaller field offices.

To learn more about our work, take a look at our Why Work Here blog for more information.

About the Role

The (National) Partnerships Associate will be an essential part of our team in one of One Acre Fund's fastest growing country programs. The Ethiopia program is poised to serve over 100,000 farmers in 2021, grow 10 million trees and launch the seed multiplication program. In 2025, we plan to serve over 500,000 farmers and grow 35 million trees.

We are seeking someone to work across a variety of government and other partners in Addis Ababa to develop a network, evidence base and strategy that helps One Acre Fund reach its program goals, including multiplication of the highest quality seed in the world and improvement of the tree seedling market ecosystem. You will report to the country director.

Responsibilities

• Develop One Acre Fund's network of contacts and partners at the national level, represent us and build champions for our work and ideas.
• Identify national policy, advocacy and partnership opportunities to advance One Acre Fund's programs and mission.
• Research policies and write evidence-based policy briefs to advance One Acre Fund System Change program goals.
• Secure commercial registration and business licensing on behalf of the organization.
• Monitor and communicate changes in regulations, policies and reporting requirements that affect our work, and ensure we comply with the national laws of Ethiopia.
• Stay fluent in our evolving programs and contribute to strategic and operational decision-making.

Career Growth and Development

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You’ll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. We hold career reviews every six months, and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

Qualifications

Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, you will have:

• 5+ years of experience in dynamic creative organization(s).
• Good knowledge of government systems, protocol and policy in Ethiopia and a track record of achieving results within the system are required.
• Lead projects and proactively find solutions to any challenges that arise.
• Strategic verbal and written communication skills are required.
• Identify problems, brainstorm and analyze potential answers and implement the best solutions.
• Prior experience working with rural development programs.
• Experience building support and negotiating with government stakeholders on behalf of their employer to further organizational goals.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
• Language: English and Amharic required.

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Addis Ababa with occasional travel to Bahir Dar and rural areas

Benefits

Health insurance, paid time off 

Eligibility

This role is open to Ethiopian citizens, permanent residents, and origin cardholders.

Application Deadline

28 February 2023

One Acre Fund never asks candidates to pay any money or pay for tests at any stage of the interview process. Official One Acre Fund emails will always arrive from an @oneacrefund.org address. Please report any suspicious communication here (globalhotline@oneacrefund.org), but do not send applications or application materials to this email address.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and anti-racism are deeply connected to our organization’s mission and purpose. One Acre Fund aspires to build a culture where all staff feel consistently valued, represented, and connected – so that our team can thrive as professionals, and achieve exceptional impact for the farmers we serve.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.