1. Background

Pastoralists represent between 33 and 65 percent of the population in the Horn of Africa (HoA). Overreliance on rainfed agricultural activities makes them particularly vulnerable to climate shocks, including droughts, and they are one of the poorest communities in the region. Pastoralists tend to keep large herds as protection for anticipated drought shocks. Yet when drought hits, the animals either die, lose value, or are sold at rock-bottom prices to fund immediate needs. Emergency response can be subject to leakages or arrive too late after the animals have perished. Furthermore, pastoralists are currently at the bottom of the livestock value chains and are not providing livestock in the required quality and quantity to livestock processors/exporters.

In this context, the World Bank Group (WBG) is supporting De-Risking, Inclusion, and Value Enhancement of pastoral economies in the Horn of Africa Project (DRIVE), a regional International Development Association (IDA) project implemented in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. The Project will support the climate adaptation of pastoralists and help them extract greater value addition from their livestock. It will protect them against drought with enhanced access to financial services, strengthen their inclusion in the livestock value chain, and facilitate the regional livestock trade.

The Project Development Objectives (PDO) are to enhance pastoralists’ access to financial services for drought risk mitigation, including them in the value chains, and facilitate the livestock trade in the Horn of Africa.

Zep-Re (PTA Reinsurance Company) is contracted by Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia to implement component one of Horn of Africa De-Risking, Inclusion and Value Enhancement of Pastoral Economies (DRIVE) project and intends to hire an individual consultant- Country Operations Officer– Ethiopia officer to the Project.

2.   Roles and Responsibilities

Specific tasks include:

• Coordinate and work closely with Ethiopia Country Relationship Manager (CRM), relevant Regional Government Bureaus and implementation partners, service providers, private sector, and financial institutions, including banks, insurance companies, and Pastoralists’ Primary Cooperatives and cooperative
• Play an active role in supporting partners to implement their work plan and report back to CRM in due time with appropriate action plans on corrective measures.
• Assist in organizing capacity-building and financial awareness activities for
• Work with partners in providing the required documents for the DRIVE Leadership team, Finance, and Admin
• Collect data and information for the Project team for the planning, and designing of products & procedures, situation analysis, stakeholder mapping, etc.
• Develop a stakeholder engagement plan and facilitate the execution of the engagement plan to enable policy development and legislation to support the development and growth of the DRIVE project.

• Facilitate onboarding of the pastoralists through continuous follow-through and support to the aggregators and financial institutions in delivering the financial awareness and distribution of the financial package. This will involve traveling to the areas where the pastoralists are located for this swift
• Ensure that the reports on pastoralists registered the insurance policies sold, and the savings accounts opened are reconciled, limiting delays on payments and accurate monitoring of the accumulated
• Collect grievances from the customers through a toll-free number and perform all customer care-related
• Collaborate with implementing partners, Project Implementation Unit and World Bank DRIVE team to ensure the eligibility criteria are adhered to during the onboarding of pastoral groups.
• Work closely with the project implementation unit to ensure the work schedules are harmonized and represent ZEP-RE in the project technical working committee ensuring monthly reporting on country engagements as per project governance structure to include indicators achieved, regulatory and operational issues by areas covered.
• Assist the CRM with the overall financial management of the project and expenditures and ensure that internal controls are operationalized.
• Ensure all financial transactions are accurately approved and adequately supported according to the Financial Management Manual and for project purposes by relevant finance directives.
• Ensure that financial support documents are completed and
• Manage and monitor advances with concerned implementing departments for timely clearing and reporting of the expenditures; and
• Performs other tasks that may be assigned by the CRM

3.   Selection Criteria

Candidates should meet the following qualifications.

• A University degree in Public Administration, Economics, Finance, Development Studies, or any Business-related
• Five years of experience working in the development sector, including two years of experience working in a governance program, is highly desirable.
• Working with community and local actors is highly
• Good understanding of transparency and governance issues in Ethiopia
• Experience in working with and knowledge of both government and civil society in
• A good understanding of microinsurance and the application of digital solutions in the agriculture sector will be an added advantage.
• Strong client engagement skills, strategic planning, and partnership
• Excellent analytical and communication skills, sound judgment, resourcefulness, ability to take the initiative, capacity to self-manage, and ability to create a team-based, participatory work
• Written and spoken fluency in the Somali, Afan Oromo, Amharic, and English languages is highly important, and the knowledge of any additional languages spoken in Ethiopia is an advantage.

4.   Duration of Service

The total duration of the assignment will be a maximum of 24 months from the start date of the assignment and may be extended for the duration of implementation of the DRIVE Project, based on the annual work evaluation and subject to the satisfactory performance of the Officer. The Officer will be provided with office space and office equipment required to discharge their duties.

5.   Duty Station

The Officer shall be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with frequent travel to regions with pastoralist areas of the Country. The Officer will report to the Country Relationship Manager and will closely coordinate with the ZEP- RE senior leadership and provide regular updates. Similarly, the Officer will collaborate with the World Bank HoA DRIVE team.

6. Zep-Re (PTA Reinsurance Company) now invites eligible Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in providing these services. Interested consultants must provide the following (i) Curriculum Vitae (CV) with 3 reference persons; (ii) copies of certificates of academic qualifications; and (iii) cover letter indicating that they are qualified to perform the services.
7. Submission Requirements: The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraphs 3.14 and 3.21 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers: Procurement in Investment Financing Goods, Works, Non-Consulting and Consulting Services dated July 2016 and revised in November 2017 August 2018 and September 2023 (“Procurement Regulations”) setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest and a Consultant will be selected according to the Individual Consultant selection method set out in the “Procurement Regulations.” 

8. Mode of submission of Applications and deadline:

Expressions of interest and CV must be submitted to the below email address on or before March 17, 2025, at 17:00 hours (East Africa Time) and marked clearly as Application for COUNTRY OPERATIONS OFFICER– ETHIOPIA, REFERENCE NO. KE-ZEP-RE-398493-CS-INDV, on the subject line.