National Advisor/ Project Manager

Field of activity

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (English: German Corporation for International Cooperation GmbH), often shortened to simply GIZ, is a German development agency that provides services in the field of international development cooperation and international education work. GIZ’s main commissioning party is Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Other commissioners include European Union institutions, the United Nations, the private sector, and governments of other countries.

The ETH-Soil project, commissioned by the German Biomass Research Centre) Deutsches Biomasserforschungszentrum, DBFZ) aims to test and optimize the concept of using agricultural residues for the regeneration of degraded tropical soils in the Oromia region on the basis of scientific preliminary work and to prepare it for replication with the project partners. In this context, the establishment, adaptation or expansion of qualification options for technical experts and academics as well as the construction of pyrolysis, composting and biogas plants serve to strengthen the independent technical capacity in the country. Thus, scientific evidence, competencies and initial infrastructures are to be developed that will enable an improvement of fertility and water retention capacity of degraded soils on a broad scale.

Furthermore, the development/optimization of pyrolysis digesters will address the lack of energy availability in rural areas, which contributes to the overuse of fallow land and deforestation (charcoal production) in the country. The envisaged cookers increase the efficiency of the utilization of biogenic fuels for heat and significantly reduce the fine dust pollution of people during cooking.

The knowledge and skills for the production, maintenance and repair of these cookers will be imparted to local metal-processing craftsmen and women as well as directly to households / small farmers (clay construction). The latter qualification measures are combined with training on how the waste product of the digesters, biochar, can be enriched by mixing it with compost and used to improve the soil. Rural households will thus be able to sustainably cover part of their organic fertilizer needs themselves.

Summaries of duties and Responsibility:

The incumbent of this point has the main responsibility of:

• Coordination of the project activities under the guidance of the DBFZ team lead
• Coordination of ETH-Soil project activities in Ethiopia.
• Liaising and coordinating activities with the regional government of Oromia and, if applicable, national ministries following the conclusion of agreements (Memorandum of Understanding).
• Representation of the DBFZ or the ETH-Soil project and networking with other actors in development cooperation.
• Preparing and accompanying the travels and activities of German scientists and experts if this is not ensured by project partners.
• Participation in the selection of persons for qualification measures of the project.
• Preparation of local procurement procedures, monitoring of schedules, delivery dates and quality of services and products.
• Triggering payments to project partners and contractors.
• Contractual reporting to the GIZ project director
• Travel to the project region in Oromia will be required

Monitoring and reporting on the project’s activities

• To carry out/be part of the field monitoring based on established monitoring system
• To undertake field level activities’ reporting based on the established reporting system
• To actively participate in a knowledge management culture with regards to local settings

Required No.: One (1)

Anticipated start date: as soon as possible

Professional competences

• Master’s degree or equivalent in a natural science or engineering discipline (with a focus on agriculture, biodiversity, soil improvement or intelligent biomass heating technologies or biogas production) or alternatively in a political, economic or social science discipline with a focus on rural development or bioeconomy.
• at least 10 years of professional experience in the implementation and/or coordination of international development cooperation projects in a responsible position, in Ethiopia, preferably in Oromia.
• Good knowledge of development policy principles and contexts as well as of instruments for planning and monitoring in development cooperation.
• Independent task planning, monitoring of risks to project implementation and prioritization of activities in line with agreed objectives and strategies.
• Good knowledge of financial management as well as import and export procedures.

Language skills

• Afaan Oromoo native speaker is required
• Amharic comparable to level B2
• English comparable to level B2/C1 spoken and written

Social skills

• Experience with intercultural stakeholder management in Ethiopia.
• Quality orientation and commitment to continuous improvement.
• At least 5 years of management experience
• Well developed relationship management and communication skills, especially with Ethiopian stakeholders at national and regional (Oromia) government levels
• Negotiation skills, assertiveness, and adaptability.
• Very good oral and written language skills towards very diverse target groups and stakeholders in the project context.
• Very good organizational skills.
• Experience an international/local NGO or cooperation body
• Previous GIZ experience is an asset.