A three-year cooperation project on the cotton and textile industry between the associations GESAMTMASCHE and ETGAMA in cooperation with the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture is expected to start in October 2023. For the project, GESAMTMASCHE, the Confederation of the German Knittwear Industry is looking for an experienced specialist to work as a project manager who will be primarily responsible for coordinating activities in the agricultural sector. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by sequa gGmbH as part of the PartnerAfrica. The project is expected to run for three years.
What is Partner Africa Ethiopia all about?
The focus is on the further development of the Ethiopian textile sector, starting with cotton production, by strengthening competitiveness and quality, in particular through measures for sustainable cotton and textile production and establishing business contacts with companies in Germany, Europe and internationally. This is intended to contribute to the long-term safeguarding and increase of jobs and incomes in Ethiopia and to increase the proportion of transparently and sustainably produced textile products.Thematically, the project follows on from a PartnerAfrica project with ETGAMA 2019-2023, which is also funded by BMZ. Within the framework of the partnership project, the following are to be achieved in particular:
- Significantly increased number of farmers and cooperatives growing cotton ready for organic certification;
- Strengthening and testing the cooperation of local actors along the value chain for high-quality (organic) cotton;
- Increasing the interest of European/international buyers in sourcing Ethiopian (organic) cotton products, including yarn, fabric textiles and finished products.
What are the main tasks of the project manager?
The specialist is to continuously support and accompany the implementation of the above-mentioned project activities, in particular concerning cotton farming and certification activities. The local project manager should be able to work closely with the local structures of the Ministry of Agriculture and ultimately ensure that these structures are ultimately able to continue the activities.
What experience should the project manager have?
- As a prerequisite, the local project manager should have extensive experience with ministerial structures in Ethiopia in order to be able to effectively and efficiently advance decision-making processes regarding the project.
- At least 5 years of experience with cotton farming and the textile sector in Ethiopia
- At least 5 years of consulting and training experience in Ethiopia
- Strong teamwork skills
- Fluent in English and Amharic, further languages spoken in Ethiopia welcome
The following framework conditions apply:
The position is designed as a full-time consultant position (100%). The specialist should be based in one of the selected pilot regions of the project (e.g. Arba Minch) or be on site regularly, e. g. by travelling regularly from Addis Abeba to the project regions.
Entry from 1 October 2023 is desirable. The project and thus the activities of project manager are expected to end on 31.12.2026.
Interested professionals are asked to submit their CV, including their usual daily rates, by 30 September 2023 to: Silvia Jungbauer, jungbauer@gesamtmasche.de.