Senior Climate Smart Agriculture Advisor (Home based Retainer) - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Overview

Provide strategic and technical support to mobilize climate finance, develop investment pipelines, and strengthen institutional capacity for agriculture-related climate priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify, screen, and prioritize climate-smart agriculture investment opportunities.
• Prepare and refine concept notes, project proposals, and investment packages.
• Coordinate bankable project proposal development.
• Prepare climate finance strategies and donor engagement plans.
• Strengthen the Ministry’s capacity in investment planning and proposal development.
• Provide strategic advice on implementing agriculture-related climate priorities.
• Design and deliver training, coaching, and mentoring for Ministry staff.
• Improve institutional systems for project development, coordination, and reporting.
• Develop tools, templates, and guidance notes.
• Advise on integration of climate-smart agriculture into policies and planning documents.
• Provide technical backstopping for priority interventions.
• Support collaboration among government ministries and private sector actors.
• Promote engagement with private sector actors and financial institutions.
• Update relevant teams on assignment progress and financing opportunities.
• Work closely with the NDC Partnership In-Country Facilitator for alignment and coordination.
• Undertake field missions, consultations, and reviews.
• Support preparation of briefs, presentations, and decision notes.

Required Experience

At least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in climate-smart agriculture, climate risk management, nature-based solutions (NbS), climate finance, agricultural investment planning, project preparation, fundraising, or closely related areas. Proven experience developing agricultural investment plans and project proposals contributing to national CSA strategies (including the NDC), and climate risk management. Good knowledge of climate-smart agriculture approaches, value chains, irrigation, soil and water management and participatory rangelands improvements and livestock related resilient development initiatives in developing-country contexts. Strong understanding of climate finance architecture and donor requirements, with practical experience engaging multilateral climate funds, development banks, bilateral partners, philanthropic organizations, or private investors.

Qualifications

Master’s degree or equivalent, preferably in Conservation Agriculture, Land and Water Resource Management, Irrigation water management, Agronomy, Livestock, Climate Change Agriculture, Project Planning, Public Policy, or another closely related field. Bachelor's degree in related discipline with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience (7 total) may be accepted instead of an advanced university degree.

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