Innovation Grant Facility Advisor - Horti-LIFE Green Growth (contingent upon funding approval)

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Context and purpose of the job

The Horti-LIFE GREEN GROWTH Description of the Action (DoA) promotes the integration of Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) solutions into Ethiopia’s horticultural value chains. Supported by the EU Delegation and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ethiopia, it aligns with Specific Objective 2 of the EU Action Document for Green Business Development in sustainable Agro-food systems. Building on lessons from the Dutch-funded Horti-LIFE project, where PURE was not included, the DoA responds to growing demand driven by rising fuel costs, limited fertiliser access, soil degradation, and post-harvest losses. The project aims to enhance smallholder productivity and resilience through PURE solutions such as solar irrigation, biodigesters, solar cold storage, and solar dryers. These technologies improve soil health, water efficiency, year-round production, and reduce post-harvest losses amid climate variability. Given Ethiopia’s security volatility, the project will apply adaptive management to ensure conflict-sensitive and equitable implementation across four target regions. Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) will be embedded to ensure women, youth, and marginalised groups access technologies, training, finance, and markets.

The project also strengthens local private sector capacity to supply PURE solutions, leveraging Horti-LIFE III platforms including Farmer Field Schools, (A)-TVETs, and MSME networks. The Horti-LIFE Green Growth project is implemented in Sidama, South Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia and Southwest Ethiopia.

In the Ethiopian context, promoting PURE result chains at both demand and supply side requires financial mechanisms that align with the country's unique socio-economic conditions, agricultural practices, and energy access challenges. Ethiopia has a large rural population, limited access to modern energy, and a strong reliance on agriculture, making tailored financial solutions critical for promotion of PURE technologies. The Horti-LIFE Green Growth project promotes 2 financial instruments:

1. Market Activation and Support Facility (MASF)
2. Innovation Grant Facility (IGF)

The role of the advisor is to set up and manage the two instruments.

The Market Activation and Support Facility (MASF)

Performance-Based Payments – A results-linked rebate paid per unit sold, emphasising quality with every sale. Additionally, part of the rebate will include reducing system costs for farmers through direct company-to-farmer discounts. To avoid market distortion, this will be carefully designed. This will be complemented by activities related to demonstrations showcasing cost-benefit analyses (CBAs) to highlight value and encourage investments into these PURE solutions.

Pre-Financed Catalytic Grants – Strategic funding to strengthen company operations and business models. This can support service delivery expansion, inventory buildup, or logistical subsidies for reaching underserved areas, laying the groundwork for long-term market sustainability.

Innovation Grant Facility (IGF)

The Innovation Grant Facility is a funding mechanism designed to catalyse the development, piloting, and adoption of high-potential, early-stage innovation on Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) solutions across Ethiopia’s agri-food systems. This component targets (i) New or less-established companies exploring or testing PURE innovations; and (ii) Established companies seeking to pilot new business models, technologies, or service delivery approaches. Examples include solar pump maintenance services, solar drying pilots, or Pay As You Go business models, bio-slurry-based organic fertiliser solutions, cooling and cold storage infrastructure.

S/he works under the supervision of the Horti-LIFE Green Growth Project Manager in Ethiopia.

Position Overview:

• The Innovation Grant Facility Advisor is a senior-level role that plays a pivotal role in rolling out the various financial instruments. All aspects in developing the instruments, implementing the instruments and its monitoring are part of the responsibilities of the advisor. 
• This role will focus on identifying new PURE business opportunities, secure a pipeline of well positioned companies and make the companies ready to tap into the financial instruments.
• A result based financing fund is established for well-established PURE companies to assist them in the further expansion of their business. ensuring the deployment of innovative, scalable, and cost-effective PURE technologies, supporting market expansion, financing mechanisms, and capacity-building efforts for project partners at different levels.
• The advisor provides, strategic direction to the implementation of financial instruments in the PURE part of the Horti-LIFE Green Growth project.

Key Responsibilities

Design & Operationalisation of the IGF

• Lead the full setup, operational design, and implementation of the Innovation Grant Facility, ensuring alignment with the project’s PURE objectives and Ethiopia’s horticulture context.
• Develop eligibility criteria, scoring frameworks, selection processes, disbursement protocols, milestones, and reporting templates for grantees.
• Ensure the IGF fosters innovation on early‑stage PURE solutions across solar irrigation, biodigesters/bio‑slurry products, solar cold storage, and dryers

Technical & Business Capacity Support to Grantees

• Provide (or coordinate) technical assistance to grantees on product refinement, pilot design, last‑mile distribution, service models, and customer acquisition.
• Strengthen business skills in financial management, cost structure optimization, pricing strategies, and after‑sales systems, ensuring grantees meet the results‑based requirements.

Coordination with Market Activation & Support Facility (MASF)

• Work closely with the team running the MASF to ensure synergy between performance‑based incentives and early‑stage innovation grants.
• Align IGF support with broader supply‑ and demand‑side market activation strategies (rebates, demos, farmer discounts, catalytic grants).

Technical Leadership in developing, implementing and monitoring PURE financial instruments

• Provide high-level technical advisory services on the deployment of financial instruments and their applications in supporting PURE solution providers, such as in solar-powered irrigation, cold storage, biodigesters/bioslurry and energy-efficient agro-processing.
• Lead business plan competitions, to identify PURE solutions which can be piloted under the Innovation Grant Facility.
• Work closely with technology providers, finance institutions, end users, and government agencies to ensure PURE solutions are technically feasible, financially viable, and scalable.
• Support the development of business models and financing mechanisms to scale PURE adoption among smallholder farmers and agribusinesses.

Market System Development for PURE:

• Facilitate partnerships/ linkages between technology providers, agribusinesses, financial institutions, and farmers to develop sustainable business models
• Work with financial institutions to co-design innovative financing mechanisms, such as pay-as-you-go (PAYG), lease-to-own models, and blended finance solutions to de-risk PURE investments.
• Develop strategies to integrate PURE into existing agricultural markets, ensuring inclusivity and benefits for women, youth, and marginalized groups.

Gender, Youth & Social Inclusion in Innovation

• Ensure IGF-supported innovations intentionally target women, youth, and marginalized groups in access, affordability, and business participation.
• Embed inclusive design principles in product features, financing mechanisms, and distribution strategies.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) for PURE Integration

• Develop and track KPIs related to innovation performance, adoption, productivity impact, income change, and job creation.
• Produce learning briefs, case studies, dashboards, and success stories from innovation pilots to inform adaptive management.
• Collaborate with the LEARNING team/MEL team to track progress, measure impact, and ensure alignment with project goals.
• Contribute to regular reporting and communication of project outcomes to donors and stakeholders.

• MSc degree in a relevant field, Business Management, Economics, or another relevant discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant working experience for master’s degree, or 8 years of relevant working experience for a bachelor’s degree. A 5 years’ experience managing, implementing, and/or supervising financial instruments, including result-based financing.
• Demonstrated experience in managing innovation grant facilities, preferably in the PURE market.
• Substantial hands-on experience on RBF for measuring projects and organisational results goals, good knowledge of business principles and marketing techniques, good public relation skills.
• Experience working with public sector organisations, NGOs, private sector, associations, and alliances. 
• Strong leadership skills and experience in partnership development and engaging with a wide range of stakeholders
• Good communication skills in English, both written and spoken, with excellent reporting facilitation and presentation skills.
• Has client and team-oriented attitude and perseveres in complex and challenging task environment.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Pro-active and solution driven.

Competencies:

• Conceptual thinking
• Coaching
• Focus on quality
• Result orientation
• Persuasiveness

Additional Information

Contract Type: National

This position is contingent upon funding approval.

Expected start date: February 2026

Duty Station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Contract Duration: One Year with the possibility of extension based on performance. 

How to Apply
If you believe that your credentials meet the outlined profile, we invite you to apply by uploading your CV and a letter of motivation before/on the 10th of January 2026. Please submit your application only via Smart Recruiters. All information will be kept in the strictest confidentiality. 
If we see that your experience and skills match the requirements of the position, we will contact you to advise on the next steps in the recruitment process.

Working at SNV  
SNV offers a challenging work environment, opportunities to lead and innovate, and a commitment to growing your skills in a fulfilling and diverse working environment. Our staff benefit form and contribute to, an internal and global network of experts.

At SNV, inclusivity is at the heart of our ethos. We celebrate the diversity of our workforce and uphold a policy of non-discrimination based on factors such as disability status, religion, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, and more.

Vetting
SNV carries out rigorous background and reference checks concerning possible safeguarding incidents for all candidates applying for both national and International determined positions. As SNV participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, all reference checks include a request to past employers to fill in a questionnaire regarding Misconduct (sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment), the “Statement of Conduct". This Statement of Conduct adopts the definitions used in the Scheme.  

SNV is an equal opportunities employer and female candidates are encouraged to apply.

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