INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

For Food Security and Livelihood Program Manager

Country Office: Ethiopia

Work Base: Waghimra

Availability: As Soon As Possible

Salary Scale: EMS09

Salary and other benefits: Gross salary ETB 42,600-55,839

Insurance - (Life, Group Personal Accident, and Medical Insurances are covered upon the organization policies).

Seniority Allowance – paid to depend on the years of service.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply for this position.    

Action Against Hunger-USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network, which provides humanitarian relief in over 40 countries worldwide in the sectors of nutrition, health, water, sanitation and hygiene, and food security and livelihood. Action Against Hunger-USA, an independent NGO, currently manages operations in 8 countries: Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Haiti, and Somalia. Action Against Hunger-USA has over $50 million in programs and approximately 1,700 staff based in the various country offices, Head Quarter in New York City, and Operational Centre in Nairobi. Additional growth is anticipated.

Action Against Hunger has been operational in Ethiopia since 1984 responding to both chronic and acute needs through a multi-sectoral strategy where Nutrition, Health, Food Security and Livelihoods, WASH, MHPSS, Gender, and Protection, are integrated to have a meaningful impact on people’s resilience. We operate in 5 different regions with a portfolio of USD20 million of emergency and resilience-building programs, research, and innovation. Our country team has over 600 national staff working out of 17 field offices across Ethiopia. Our main donors in Ethiopia are BHA/USAID, BPRM, ECHO, Europaid, UNHCR, UNICEF, SIDA, GFFO, EHF, WFP, and others

Action Against Hunger secured a fund from European Union through ICCO cooperation Ethiopia to implement an innovative project entitled “Terracing, Agroforestry and Farm Optimization in Waghimra – TAF Project’’ for a period of two years. This two-year innovation project builds on the activities of the previous EU funded RESET programs and complements them by supporting interventions at a higher systemic level in order to address the structural underlying causes of vulnerability. The primary goal of this project is to improve sustainable livelihoods and strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities in Waghimra through the promotion of innovative Terracing, Agroforestry, and Farm Optimization. The proposed project is expected to move resilience out of the ‘’business as usual’’ approach through influence existing systems. New and appropriate methodologies, approaches, technologies, and practices will be adopted 

and introduced in partnership with Bahir Dar University, public and private stakeholders, which empower women and youth, including addressing the underlying social, cultural, and economic causes of inequality in their respective societies. 

Summary of position 

The Program Manager will lead and manage a two year European Union-funded innovation project in the Waghimra zone. The program manager will have leadership responsibility for the overall management of the RESET plus Innovation award, which will primarily be implemented with Bahir Dar University and local partners. He/she will provide strategic and operational leadership to overall technical and programmatic quality in intervention, compliance with donor rules and regulations, and the timely submission of all deliverables, including detailed implementation plan, monitoring plan, and report. He/she is also responsible for budget management, reporting, and management of the team implementing the project. 

The Food Security and Livelihood program manager role’s purpose, engagement, and delivery are:

Purpose 

The Food Security and Livelihood Program Manager will lead and implement the EU funded RESET Plus Innovation project. Provide technical and programmatic guidance in the design, planning, and effective implementation of the project including budget, project monitoring, and evaluation. 

Engagement 

The Food Security and Livelihood Program Manager will collaborate closely with other departments in the base and capital teams.

Externally, s/he build relationships with other organizations, local government officials, and community leaders in the program implementation area.

Delivery   

The Food Security and Livelihood Program Manager will organize project execution consistent with program objectives engaging counterparts and building a reputation for quality design and reliable delivery in line with donor rules, regulations, and standards. 

Essential job duties 

• Prepare Detailed Implementation Plan for the execution of RESET Plus Innovation project in order to achieve the set objectives,
• Managing the day-to-day activities of the program working closely with Field Coordinator and Technical Advisors to ensure adherence to donor and ACF policies, missions, and regulations.
• Network with Kebele, Woreda, and Zone level government officials and any other relevant NGO operators to ensure smooth operation and cooperation on projects.
• Organize and facilitate capacity building training for beneficiaries in partnership with Bahir Dar University, partners at Woreda, and zone levels in consultation with Field Coordinator and Technical Advisors.
• Develop creative and innovative ways to implement the innovative project, if there are problems with the proposed plan and communicate the same to the Field Coordinator and Technical Advisors in a timely fashion.
• Ensure that efficient systems to support all aspects of the program are in place and support the effective use of program resources in compliance with Action Against Hunger policies.
• Ensure relevant development partners like local community members (children, youth, adult males and females), recognized leaders, and concerned woreda and zonal line offices participate in the project planning and execution process.
• Liaise with logistics to ensure procurement plans are implemented and tracked according to Action Against Hunger and donor regulations.
• Work and collaborate transparently and efficiently with all the support departments both at the base and capital levels especially for timely purchasing and distribution of the necessary agricultural inputs for project beneficiaries ( raising of PLs and follow up its progress)
• Create a productive working environment for staff and stakeholders to enable them to achieve the desired goals of the organization.
• Develop tools necessary to track project progress and communicate regularly to all program teams and other responsible bodies (TAs, FC, GRM, PD, etc.).
• Perform overall food security and livelihood situation assessments, actively engaged project baseline, and end-line study.
• Work with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning team to manage the project MEAL plan, with particular emphasis on accountability and transparency.
• Lead in-field learning events debriefs, etc., and ensure documentation and sharing of lessons learned.
• Ensure the prompt collection, analysis, and sharing of all project data, especially commodity/market monitoring.
• Participate at zonal and Woreda level meetings and workshops mainly related to this project and assigned by the field coordinator. Conduct regular site visits to monitor the implementation of activities and give guidance to staffs
• Develop a network of contacts at the base level (NGOs, Government, and Research Centre) to allow a smooth implementation of the project.
• Ensure timely tasks delivery with attention to the quality as per SOPs
• Collect, analyze, and disseminate project progress reports in a timely manner in consultation with partners, stakeholders, technical advisors, partner agencies, and other relevant sources of information.
• Ensure that monthly, quarterly, biannual, and annual internal and external reports are prepared in accordance with the agreed-upon formats with complete information required in line with requirements and set objectives and submit them to the appropriate parties on time.
• Plan and implement regular project monitoring and evaluation activities (periodical meetings, joint monitoring visits, annual assessments, etc.) among project staffs, partners, and stakeholders to provide up-to-date information, feedback on the status of project implementation.
• Monitor and evaluate expected outputs & program objectives using logical framework approaches.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Direct Management: Agronomist, Social Marketing and Business Development Expert, and Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Knowledge management Expert. 

Gender Equality Commitments  

• Foster an environment that supports the values of women and men, and equal access to information.
• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion. race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status. 

Value and respect all cultures. 

Fiscal Responsibility 

Budget follow-up (BFU) regularly and ensure the utilization of allocated budget in a timely manner to ensure accurate and effective use of funds in compliance with

Action Against Hunger and donor regulations.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread their work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working Conditions, Travel, and Environment

The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required.

Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high-security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases. 

Job Requirements

VIII. Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

• Masters/BA degree in Food Security and Livelihoods, Agriculture, Disaster Risk Management, Development Studies, and related field 
• Minimum of five years of experience (preferable in NGO work environment) in implementing innovative food security and livelihood projects.
• Proven record of accomplishment in a managerial position, good technical knowledge in innovative projects, good analytical skills.
• Good knowledge of techniques and agricultural production systems. 
• Previous development programming experience.
• Previous team management and activity planning experience.
• Capacity to write high-quality reports.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Computer knowledge; Excellent knowledge of English ( written and spoken); report writing skill and ability to respect deadlines; Willing to share information and communicate transparently; and capacity to develop and maintain team spirit; proven NGO related; and capacity to analyze humanitarian context. 
• Good knowledge of the intervention area/s and local economy.
• Proven track recording on FSL project management, project implementation, good technical skill on needs assessment, project formulation and monitoring, good knowledge in food security, and innovative agricultural activity. 

How to Apply

If you are interested, please send your application composed of none returnable CV, Covering Letter with “FSL Program Manager” written in the subject line, and three references, applicants to the following addresses: 

 Through www.ethiojobs.net ; OR   Directly In-Person to Action Against Hunger Addis Ababa office after Washington DC square to Mayor Muriel Bowser Street, Wollega – Gimbi, Gambella, Waghimra – Sekota, Harergue - Harar, Borena – Yabello and Somali Gode offices,   

NB: Only shortlisted applicants will be, communicated on and the selection process includes technical tests and an interview.