The Regional Coordinator is a key member of the Technical Support Unit (TSU) and will be responsible for providing technical assistance and coordination support to key actors in the EFSN at the regional level. The Regional Coordinator will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the EFSN’s 24 Game-changing solutions across the regions, ensuring alignment with the overall national transformation strategy.

The Regional Coordinator will work closely with the TSU members, the EFSN Secretariat, and regional/local stakeholders to facilitate effective planning, coordination, and delivery of the EFSN interventions. They will be responsible for guiding the technical work of the regional EFSN Working Groups, providing regular updates on progress, challenges, and support needed to the TSU and Secretariat.

The Regional Coordinator is expected to strengthen the program’s focus and approach by linking the EFSN with the specific regional priorities and contexts. They are expected to work with key regional stakeholders to ensure that the EFSN is accepted and increasingly institutionalized within the regional food systems ecosystem.

The successful applicant is expected to be driven and dynamic, have a problem-solving mindset, and have excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills. This role presents a unique opportunity to engage with key players in the regional food and nutrition ecosystem, working closely with both national and local-level stakeholders.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinate the activities and efforts of the regional EFSN Working Groups, including facilitating meetings, documenting discussions, and tracking progress.
• Work with regional EFSN Working Group members to undertake detailed diagnostics that inform regional-level policy formulation and implementation strategies for the game-changing solutions.
• Provide regular updates on the status of EFSN implementation in the assigned region(s) to the TSU and EFSN Secretariat.
• Support local-level action by the regional EFSN Working Groups, ensuring alignment with the overall EFSN transformation strategy and regional priorities.
• Identify key regional-level bottlenecks or challenges that may affect the implementation of the game-changing solutions and work with the TSU members to develop strategies to address them.
• Document and disseminate best practices and lessons learned from the regional EFSN Working Groups to inform broader food systems transformation efforts.
• Collaborate with other TSU members to support the Secretariat in preparing presentations, meeting minutes, and other materials for the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee and regional stakeholder engagements.
• Engage with a wide range of regional food systems stakeholders, including government agencies, private sector, civil society, and development partners, to facilitate coordination and alignment.
• Represent the regional EFSN Working Groups in high-visibility activities, task forces, and working groups related to food systems transformation.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the TSU Principal Coordinator and EFSN Secretariat to support the overall success of the EFSN transformation.

Required Qualification, Competencies and Experience

• MSC in Rural development, public policy, development studies, nutrition, agriculture, or other relevant fields;
• A minimum of 8 years of experience in designing and implementing food security, agricultural, or rural development programs at the Federal level with close working experience at regional level;
• Demonstrated expertise in coordinating multi-stakeholder initiatives and working closely with government agencies, private sector, civil society organizations, and development partners to drive systemic change
• Strong understanding of the regional socio-economic and food systems context, including the unique challenges and opportunities faced by regions.
• Proven track record of fostering collaboration, alignment, and collective action among diverse regional stakeholders to achieve shared goals
• Demonstrated national and/or international experience in multi-sectoral coordination, inter-disciplinary and multi-cultural leadership, and communication, as well as deeper knowledge of the Ethiopian economy;
• A strong research and operational leadership experience;
• Adequate experience in translating complex technical material and research findings into tools that support evidence-based decision-making;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, at least in Amharic and English, to interact with various individuals, including elected and government officials, development partners, the public, and key stakeholders.