Senior Assistant to the Minister - Food System

Duty Station(s):                     Addis Ababa, Secondment to MoA 

Required Number:               One

Application Deadline:          August 6,2026

BACKGROUND:

The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI), formerly known as the Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA), is a strategy and delivery-oriented government institute created to help accelerate the growth and transformation of Ethiopia’s agriculture sector, which is a key contributor to the country’s GDP, exports, Systems and capacities of the workforces. The ATI’s focuses on improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, pastoralists, internally displaced people (IDPs), recovering people affected by conflict and other across the country for improved income, inclusiveness, resilience, and sustainability. 

The ATI works to transform the agriculture and rural development in Ethiopia by conducting analytical studies in the policy and programmatic areas, piloting innovative agricultural technologies and systems , creating jobs to youth and women along the value chain providing technical implementation support, linking actors along the value-chains and attracting foreign direct investment who can work with cluster farmers, implementing problem based, inclusive and sustainable innovative projects and programs and building capacities of diverse players along the transformation continuum.   The Institute joins forces with various stakeholders, like MoA and other affiliate Institutions of the Ministry, policymakers, researchers, farmers, and development partners, to support the implementation of agricultural development programs and initiatives. In addition, the ATI collaborates with national and international partners to facilitate knowledge exchange, learning opportunities and resources mobilization. . The Institute plays a crucial role primarily in supporting agricultural policy and strategies development to drive transformation of agriculture and rural development; facilitate knowledge exchange, generating and disseminating information to support evidence-based policy formulation and decision-making and pilot innovative projects to be scaled nationwide.

Our Culture

ATI brings together highly competent specialists to address some of the toughest challenges in agriculture and rural development and make transformation a practical reality. We work with clear insight and foresight analysis, measurable goals, making use of the unique strengths of our staff. We have an exceptional team of highly competent employees with a proven track record of success in managing complex activities and achieving transformational results.  Our culture is one where talented, dedicated, and adaptable individuals are committed to doing their best and exhibit great teamwork to achieve excellent results. 

At ATI, we provide an exceptional platform for people who want to achieve their highest potential and make a meaningful contribution to agricultural and rural transformation leading to structural changes of the sector.  We expand our thinking, strengthen our capabilities, and redefine our roles to cover new settings to the extent possible fitting to national, continental and global dynamics. We offer rewarding work in a young, fast-paced growing organization with passionate, committed, motivated colleagues and excellent career development and training.  We recognize our most valuable assets are our staff and are committed to providing our employees with the tools, training, and mentorships necessary to achieve their career goals.

The ATI is committed to fostering a safe, respectful, inclusive, and equitable environment for its employees, farmers, partners, and all stakeholders. We maintain zero tolerance for any form of abuse, exploitation, harassment, discrimination, bullying, retaliation, or other harmful conduct. The Institute is dedicated to promoting equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion by ensuring fair and respectful treatment regardless of gender, age, disability, ethnicity, religion, or other protected characteristics. We expect all employees, consultants, and partners to uphold ATI's Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct, and related ethical standards in all interactions with colleagues, farmers, communities, and stakeholders. Successful candidates will be required to demonstrate commitment to these principles and to contribute to a workplace and service environment that protects the dignity, rights, safety, and well-being of all individuals.

There are many reasons to join us, but if you are seeking a dynamic and meaningful career whin a community of talented professionals with diverse expertise-collaborating to create real impact-ATI is the right place for you. 

Position Summary 

The Senior Assistant to the Minister - Food System is responsible to perform administrative, managing office operations, and office support activities in a fast-moving environment. The Executive Assistant is a key member of the team who provides a wide and varied range of administrative and organizational support to the Ministers Office in particular and to other members of the team in general. Efficiency, attention to detail, flexibility, and good judgment are critical to this role to ensure smooth operations of the team, scheduling appointments, planning meetings, and performing various administrative tasks. Possess excellent organizational, communication, and time-management skills and are proficient in office software and equipment

Outcome 1:  Administrative and organizational support to the Minister (32%)  

• Plan, coordinate and ensure the Minister’s schedule is followed and respected. Provide "gatekeeper" and "gateway" role, creating win-win situations for direct access to the Executives’ time and office.

• Undertake a broad variety of administrative and secretarial tasks for the Minister, including managing an extremely active calendar of appointments   

• Proactively support the Minister in delegating assignments and requests to other teams within the Office and across the MoA.

• Handle other high-priority ad hoc requests from the Minister, and use good judgement to deal appropriately with urgent requests when Senior Director is absent or engaged.

• Demonstrate effectiveness meeting deadlines in a role requiring continual attention to detail in composing.

• Make travel arrangements and logistics for Minister for meetings/workshop including booking flights, accommodations, and transportation for senior executives, ensuring smooth and hassle-free travel experiences.

• Act as first point of contact for the office for both visitors and telephone enquiries, internal and external seeking to connect with the Minister.

• Acting as liaison for team with internal employees, team & external partners, stakeholders, in order to organize meetings with Senior Management Team Members, Executives /Leaders within the operation and carry out efficient scheduling answering questions, and routing requests appropriately.

• Use appropriate judgement to determine relevant course of action, including referral to other appropriate MoA staff.

• Have responsible for good interpersonal communication skills in order to establish trust with the Minister or other Senior Leaders work for.

• Actively follow up to ensure responses are provided and deadlines are met.

• Support completing expense forms of Minister and follow through on the settlement

• Support senior executives in decision-making through sharing ideas.

• Manage phone calls٫ schedule appointments and organize calendars for Leadership.

• Organize, support and facilitate the Senior Leadership Meeting, arrange logistics, and other

• Excellent teamwork and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.

• Review and organize regular correspondence٫ like invitations and informative material.

• Maintain the Minister’s stakeholder and other contact information.

• Responsible to conduct clerical duties within our institute.

• Composing and preparing correspondences that are sometimes confidential; making judgments about priorities and rescheduling where necessary.

• Research, monitor, prioritize, and swiftly follow up on all incoming issues and correspondences addressed to the Minister.

• Facilitate unexpected payments for miscellaneous issues by the request of the Minister.

• Other duties as assigned by the Minister and supports other Senior Leadership across MoA.

Outcome 2:    Plane, Coordinate and Manage meetings, workshop and conferences and performing various administrative tasks (32%)

• Prepare annual budget for assigned area; monitor expenditures against budget; prepare purchase requisitions and requests payment requests as necessary.

• Plan and set a schedule for the meeting on-site as well as off-site, workshop, or conference with the consultation of The Minister and other Leaders presentations including finance and procurement activities

• Prepare budget breakdown for the events (meeting, workshop, and conference)

• Reserve meeting rooms, setting up event documents, equipment, and coordinating hotel accommodation undertakings.

• Make travel arrangements including booking flights, accommodations, and transportation for the event participants, ensuring smooth and hassle-free travel experiences.

• Prepare agendas; compiling documents for travel-related meetings; and completing expense reports.

• Collect, compile, prepare different reports (Bi-weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Bi-annual and Annual) from all teams and report for the Office of the Minister on time based on the recurrent calendars.

• Print, scan, e-mail, and distribute hard copies of documents.

• Initiate payment and other requests vie the institution software  (ERP)  .

• Request budget realignments, budget Supplements, if needed.

• Organize office events and team building.

• Taking important notes, as well as keeping the meeting on task.

• Tracking  the reporting period from teams and report as important.

• Proofreading and editing drafts of letters, reports, and other work for the executive team.

• Arrange for team check-ins and briefing documents; quality control and pull together team requests and advice.

• Request Stationary, and other fast moving supplies from store to maintain readily usable stock.

• Work closely and effectively with all teams within the office to keep them well informed of and prepared for upcoming commitments and responsibilities, following up appropriately.

• Remind time to meets the reporting time deadlines.

• Make smooth team work and helps team to go based on plans.

• Monitoring expenditure and follow the budget utilization for the purpose of budget utilization.

• Uses system to organize and keep track of information in the hard copy and soft copy, Identify problems and applies appropriate frameworks and support with teams in the ad-hoc requests.

Outcome 3:     Ensure Effective Communicational work, send and receive telephone and Fax communication, Develop and Maintain Filing System (20%)

• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders: Interact professionally and effectively with internal team members, external clients, and partners, ensuring a positive and professional image of the organization.

• Receives all incoming telephone calls, receives/sends fax messages, and forward messages/documents to concerned staff on time.

• Excellent teamwork and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.

• Design filing systems; define procedures for record retention; ensure protection, security and effective transfer of files and records.

• Maintain an organized system of tracking, monitoring, and prioritizing tasks and projects across multiple teams.

• Assist the MoA Leadership administrative and office support activities such as preparing/writing letters, memorandums; compiling presentations filing and faxing to the appropriate agencies

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion.

• Handle, organize and manage different documents for signature, stamp, and other facilitation through working with teams.

• Handle, organize, and file all incoming and outgoing letters that come from all organizations.

• Strong decision-making and critical-thinking skills, with the ability to analyse information and make sound judgments.

• Meet visitors and provide general support to them

• Maintain stationery supplies and manage the office area including seating, internet connectivity, printers and other equipment.

• Excellent organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks effectively and meet deadlines.

• Responsible to create, gather data and maintain a filing system for both paper and electronic documents this involves the use of Microsoft Office Suite.

• File, organize and maintain records, manage office supplies, and coordinating office equipment maintenance and repairs.

• Draft and/or type, word process, format, edit, revise, and print a variety of documents and forms including reports, correspondence, memoranda, agenda items and reports, agreements, , and other specialized and technical materials from rough drafts, dictation, modified standard formats, and brief verbal instructions.

• Work together with other MoA Teams (Teamwork) to create procedures that help achieve those goals.

• Organize tasks by level of urgency, taking calls and communicating via email.

Outcome 4:     Provide general support to visitors, and greeting clients and keeping the office area tidy (16%)

• Receives and assists visitors of the office courteously, answers query and provides information while being as prudent as possible

• Ensure an attractive, pleasant and neat office area is maintained at all times.

• Responsible for greeting office visitors and creating a great first impression.

• Regularly organize information to relevant stakeholders.

• Provide an organized information to the stakeholders for the relevant questions on time that are asked based on stakeholder interests, link with them our partners with concerned people (external stakeholders, all Senior Director, etc).

• Oversee tasks if needed to the cleaning/coffee attendants  team.

• Oversee and delegating tasks to the admin team.

• Identify issues/problems and reports along with suggestions and/or other courses of action.

• Support teams for the unit work flow of ERP to meet for the deadline.

• Operate a variety of office equipment including a copier, scanner and binding/laminating machine,

• Other duties as assigned