Ethiopia: Regional Strategy & Partnership Development Officer

Major Duties and Key Responsibilities:

Under the overall guidance of the Executive Director of ENTRO, the Regional Strategy and Partnership Development Officer, plays a critical role in the affairs of ENTRO.

• Supports the Executive Director in shaping the strategic direction of ENTRO and nurtures relationships that enable implementing the set strategic direction;

• produces policy briefs;

• manages stakeholders’ engagement, resource mobilization as well as coordinates internal efforts in strategy development and implementation; assists the Executive Director in all matters that relate to relationships with Governance (ENSAPT, ENCOM) and provides leadership to and acts as a focal person in such exercise;

• ensures publication and dissemination of Strategic Plan document, timely completion of strategy mid-term reviews and brining in all relevant stakeholders;

• undertakes environmental scanning and closely monitors political diplomatic dynamics in the sub-region and the broader Nile Basin countries; creates required relationships with individual or institutions leaders ;

• attends workshops, conferences, bilateral meetings; supports and manages the interface of ENTRO with its Governance in organization and facilitation of regular and extra ordinary meetings of ENCOM and ENSAPT, takes records, minutes of Governance meetings;

• nurtures relationships with multilateral and bilateral parties, institutions of the Eastern Nile and NBI member countries, civil societies, communities in the sub basin countries and beyond to establish productive and strategic relationships;

• identifies potential partners (multilateral and bilateral nature) who can fund ENTRO projects;

• participates in the development of projects for funding by the substantive functional units of ENTRO;

• participates and provides leadership (in the absence of the Executive Director, as the case may be) in negotiations with development partners;

• studies and identifies resource mobilization mechanisms within the Eastern Nile countries and advises on how to tap into such sources;

• identifies and develops grant documents for small bilateral grants to address specific issues that do not fall within a specific substantive functional unit of ENTRO;

• presents, defends and secures grants for such specific projects/issues;

• manages the grant when secured and produces relevant reports as required by the agreement.

Qualifications and Competencies:

Education:A minimum of a Masters level degree in management, business administration, public policy/administration, economics, development studies, international relations, or related areas.

Experience and competencies:Minimum 12 years of professional level experience for Master’s degree holders or minimum of 6 years of relevant experience for PhD holders.

Competencies; Proven record of experience in strategic thinking and planning in multi sectoral and multi stakeholder environments; forward-looking and proactive approach in playing a catalytic role in mobilizing interdisciplinary teams towards appreciating multiple future scenarios and developing response to such scenarios; track record of working in sensitive environments involving international, regional, or inter-state actors; knowledge and understanding of the development environment as well as working procedures and psychology of multilateral and bilateral development agencies; ability to operate in a multi-cultural environment; demonstrated experience and ability developing creative resource mobilization initiatives, negotiation and mobilizing resources for development projects and grant support across stakeholders or development partners. Experience of working in a river basin organization or in the water sector and working in multilateral development organizations are desired. Ability to transmit ideas and information in a clear, accurate and effective manner.

Terms of Employment:Initially for 1 year, with 6 months probation period, renewable for additional years subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funds. The workstation is ENTRO in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, although work might necessitate field trips within and outside the Eastern Nile countries.

Application Procedures: Applicants are strongly advised to revert to the NBI website (www.nilebasin.org) for further details on the vacancy announcements before applying for the post. Deadline for application is 28 days after the publication date. Interested applicants are invited to send a cover letter indicating position and full CV to: ENTRO - Eastern Nile Technical Regional Office, Attention: The Executive Director - Email: entrovacancy@nilebasin.org copied to entro@nilebasin.org and kourgessa@nilebasin.org.

NB. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. Only short listed applicants will be contacted. Qualified women are encouraged to apply. For all vacancy positions knowledge of the sub-basin languages (Amharic or Arabic) in addition to English language is advantageous.