Key skills and expertise

Bringing over 15 years of experience in food security, livelihoods, and market systems, the expert possesses key skills in agriculture, food security, cash and voucher systems, and market system development. Responsibilities have included leading multi-disciplinary teams and managing complex projects on both global and local scales. Career highlights include designing the USAID-funded GROW and RIPA projects and managing the DFSA-funded Ifaa program. Previously held roles have involved strategic planning, technical guidance, and capacity building, ensuring program quality and delivering impactful results across diverse regions.

Project experience and donor exposure

Worked across diverse projects involving collaboration with international donors such as The World Bank, USAID, EU, and Irish Aid. The expert has provided technical assistance and managed development cooperation projects spanning thematic areas like food security, livelihoods, and market systems. This experience includes implementing large-scale initiatives such as the USAID-funded GROW and RIPA projects and the DFSA-funded Ifaa program, focusing on resilience building and economic growth. These projects have been executed in regional and national contexts across locations including Ethiopia, Syria, South Sudan, and Uganda.

Sectors and geographic focus

With a background in key sectors such as food security, humanitarian aid, agriculture, and disaster reduction, the expert has held roles like technical advisor, program manager, and regional coordinator. Responsibilities have included leading initiatives that integrate cross-cutting themes like gender, climate change, and social cohesion into program designs. The work spans both fragile and stable contexts, covering regional and country-specific projects in the Middle East, Africa, and beyond. This experience demonstrates interdisciplinary knowledge in areas like market systems and livelihoods, enhancing the ability to manage and implement projects effectively across varied environments.

The expert has extensive geographic experience, having worked in over 30 countries, including Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, South Sudan, Syria, Uganda, and Yemen. With a deep understanding of the Middle East, particularly Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, and Yemen, the expert has developed strategies addressing regional development issues. This experience includes long-term assignments and recurring involvement in diverse cultural and governance contexts.

Languages and education

With fluency in English, Amharic, Oromo, and Tigrinya, the expert's language skills have been utilized extensively in professional settings, including in-country work across multiple regions and collaboration within multilingual teams. These linguistic capabilities enhance communication and effectiveness in diverse cultural and professional environments. The expert holds an MBA from Sikkim Manipal University of Science & Technology in India, specializing in Business Administration, and a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Agricultural Engineering from Alemaya University of Agriculture in Ethiopia. These educational qualifications provide a strong foundation in both business management and agricultural engineering.