As an International Christian Humanitarian Development organization, World Vision Ethiopia (WVE) is trusted to deliver integrated programs with target communities through its 51 Area programs (APs) located in seven regional states of the country. WVE envisions a thriving organization where our strong leadership at all levels results in improved delivery of results for children.

Purpose of the position:

The Deputy Chief of Party (DCoP) is responsible for the management of the anticipated USAID-funded Early Childhood Education (ECE) project in Ethiopia. The project aims to strengthen Ethiopia's ECDE systems by administering systems strengthening interventions, which promote high quality and responsive programming at the federal, regional, woreda, kebele, and community levels. The DCoP will be responsible for supporting the Chief of Party (COP) on planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting. S/he will also be responsible to liaise with counterparts and partners at the technical level, provide technically-sound input on the quality and feasibility of new approaches, train staff on key concepts and improve their technical competencies, and manage an effective learning process to adjust as needed.

Major Responsibilities:

Ensure Operational Effectiveness

• Provide strategic and operational oversight to the ECDE project, ensuring mechanisms and tools are in place for effective/accountable implementation of program (end on time, on target, and within budget) and compliance to donor requirements and regulations, including with sub-grant partners
• Develop a culture of excellence with regards to the planning and implementation of the program, including periodic and targeted reviews of challenges to ensure completion and optimum expenditure rates
• Ensure effective support mechanisms are in place to enable the program to identify, include, and benefit the target beneficiaries
• Facilitate the preparation of lessons learned and disseminate to all relevant stakeholders.
• Make continuous analysis of rapidly changing external context, ensuring that lessons of sound practices are well documented and disseminated
• Regularly visit project sites to monitor and ensure quality and timely completion of all activities as per objectives, to meet agreed upon results
• Foster a culture of trust and mutual respect with the aim of empowering staff to take on more responsibility

Foster Operational and Programmatic Planning and Implementation

• Develop and implement effective systems for strategic and adaptive management, ensuring operational plans are in place and the program are able to make necessary adjustments to plans and budgets during implementation, in the interest of continuous improvement
• Ensure the program plans include clear strategies to strengthen the sustainability of outcomes and ensure progress towards sustainability is measured and reported
• Ensure program implementation is informed by technical standards and operational viability to meet program goals
• Cultivate an atmosphere of trust for the creation and delivery of high quality, effective, and accountable programming
• Foster Internal and External Engagement
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with government authorities, UN agencies, peer NGOs, Local NGOs, USAID and World Vision stakeholders
• Promote information-sharing mechanism and internal stakeholder engagement to encourage cross-functional coordination amongst all functions and field operations and actively address issues that affect project success

Ensure Systems are in Place to Promote Audit Compliance and Good Stewardship

• Ensure all organizational policies, procedures, and compliance regulations are in place, understood, and followed
• Ensure awareness of donor and Support Office requirements, including the timely preparation and submission of quality narrative and financial reports
• Ensure that Partnership and Field Office financial policies and guidelines are adhered to by all operations staff.
• Coordinate and monitor financial and budget execution for maximum operational efficiency and timely financial reporting and accountability
• Work closely with the Finance and support program teams to develop, manage, and monitor project budgets, ensuring value for money and that project expenditure is within agreed budgets
• Champion the implementation of audit recommendations
• Spearhead risk planning and ensure control measures are in place and in use
• Lead the identification and resolution of challenges which impact audit compliance and/or contribute to risk
• Cultivate an atmosphere of good stewardship, accountable ministry, and diligent compliance with internal and donor-imposed processes

People Management and Capacity Building

• Must promote high team morale, especially within highly stressful fragile contexts and environments
• Ensure quality staff are attracted, retained, and developed to effectively work
• Ensure there are clear and deliberate retention plans specific to individual staff members and succession plans in place
• Effectively line manage and coach the Team Managers, ensuring a shared vision, teamwork, effective communication, and active engagement in decision making and management approaches, as well as ensuring staff care measures are in place and followed
• Promote people management systems
• Champion performance management mechanisms, ensuring full participation and quality results to promote staff engagement and a culture of excellence
• Cultivate an atmosphere of staff empowerment and motivation leading to active participation in program initiatives, lead by example, and actively engage with all staff

Ensure Safe and Secure Working Environment

• Ensure security and risk mitigation measures are in place and in use
• Ensure adherence to Core Security Requirements
• Ensure that staff have the necessary tools to complete the tasks as assigned to them, including, but not limited to, communications tools such as telephones, and internet access
• Lead the timely implementation of security recommendations
• Promote a culture of security awareness and risk reduction amongst staff

Job Requirements

• Master’s degree in Education, Business Administration, Project Management, demographics, public policy, international development, economics, or related fields
• 7+ years of experience in progressive management experience
• Previous experience as DCOP or manager for other large-scale donor funded projects preferred
• Familiarity with USAID programs, their history and their development; mastery of USAID regulations governing such programs.
• Fluency in English is required
• Excellent communication skills
• Highly developed networking skills
• A high level of proficiency in English language writing is required
• Minimum of five (5) years professional experience in a senior Managing complex/ multi sectoral projects 
• 2-3 year experience in monitoring grants
• Three years of field-based experience
• Master’s degree in Education is an advance. 
• Understanding of the Ministry of Education national system
• Familiarity with ECDE principles and practices
• Familiarity with principles of UDL,GESI, and LtP are also preferred

Working Environment / Conditions:

• Work environment: Office-based with regular travel to field sites.
• Travel: The position requires ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 25 % of the time.  
• On call: 25%  

How to Apply

Interested applicants are required to Write Position Title on the subject line and attach Current CV with three references & fill employment application form which can be found here) and email before the closing date of this announcement to Recruitment_ethiopia@wvi.org.

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