The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) wants to hire employees in the following vacant positions the details of which are mentioned bellow.

About the Ethiopian Red Cross Society

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) was established in 1935 and is one of the oldest and largest humanitarian organizations in Ethiopia. ERCS provides services to communities affected by natural and manmade disasters through the provision of emergency responses, ambulance and first aid, family reunification, essential drugs, water and sanitation, and other humanitarian services. ERCS also runs disaster risk reduction programs with the aim of creating resilience households and communities. Currently the ERCS has a structure consisting of 12 Regional Offices, 34 Zonal Branches and 131  District/Woreda Branches, 599 Woreda Red Cross Committee  and 5871 Kebele Red Cross  committees.

ERCS also runs disaster risk reduction programs relating to food security, climate change adaptation, livelihood diversification, and institutional capacity building interventions, with the aim of creating resilience households and communities. ERCS works in partnership with the Ethiopian Government, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), partnering National Societies, members, volunteers and the communities we serve.

Purpose

The Senior Youth and Social Cohesion Officer at the Red Cross Society Headquarters, will play a crucial role in implementing youth and social cohesion-focused initiatives/activities described in the ERCS/DRC project titled “Social Inclusion and Cohesion – promotion of peaceful coexistence”. The Project, funded by the European Union,  has an overall aim to strengthen social cohesion by promoting youth participation in their community and strengthen peaceful co-existence at the community level in communities affected by displacement. 

The Project seeks to promote more cohesive communities through the promotion of increased inclusion and respect for diversity through the promotion of community dialogue to promote non-violence and peaceful co-existence at the individual, family, and community level. The project has a specific focus on youth and other vulnerable groups particularly affected by conflict and displacement. ERCS seeks to work with youth, through a youth-to youth approach, to be positive agents of change in the community for the promotion of such values. ERCS seeks to foster the self-awareness, self-reflection, and personal transformation of youth and sees this as the key to inspiring a change of mind-sets, attitudes and behaviours and engaging them in efforts that have a positive impact on the community. 

ERCS aims to reduce the risk and extent of harm to populations by bringing communities together and enhancing the capacity of individuals, and communities to manage tension and disagreements, find common ground, support each other, strengthen communal resilience, and secure their safety and dignity in four main target regions: Amhara (North Wollo & South Wollo zones), Tigray (Northwest Tigray & Eastern Tigray zones), Afar (zone 1 & zone 5), and Benishangul Gumuz (Assosa woreda and Bambasi woreda).

The staff will be responsible for engaging and empowering young people to actively participate in activities that promote social cohesion in the community, personal development, and fostering a sense of social responsibility through clubs in and out of school. The position will also be overall responsible for activities to promote social cohesion at the zonal level including the establishment of community centres, promotion of social cohesion activities in community centres and through outreach, implementation of program on negotiation and conflict management and Community outreach programme on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).  Your expertise in youth engagement, promotion of social cohesion, conflict management and community dialogue and leadership will contribute to the overall mission of the Red Cross Society in providing assistance and support to vulnerable communities.

All Project activities are to be carried out through the established ERCS structures and will be guided by the Fundamental principles, values, and policies of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

The Senior Youth officer in the HQ is responsible to manage operation of the project at HQ level and ensure effective implementation project activities in accordance with the ERCS and DRC standards and requirements as per the project agreement, and the EU grant requirements including collaborating with ERCS staff and volunteers who have a stake in implementing project activities in the target ERCS Branches.

Extensive travel to project sites is required.

Key responsibilities 

Main tasks 

Project implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting

• Planning and designing the implementation of project activities in the target ERCS Branches as per the Project description and specific needs of vulnerable communities affected by displacement in respective regions.

• Support branch level staff to organize and facilitate training and workshop for different target groups related to life-skills, social entrepreneurship, conflict management and mediation etc. 

• Support branch level staff to set-up Red Cross clubs in and out of schools. 

• Overall responsible for monitoring the progress and result of youth and social cohesion related activities under the supervision of the overall coordinator for the Social Cohesion project. 

• Coordinate with MHPSS and Social Cohesion officer in the roll out of MHPSS activities and the inclusion of youth and other vulnerable groups in these activities. 

• Ensure effective and timely project activity implementation by the implementing branches in accordance with the plan of action and log frame for the Project

• Monitor, guide, give feedback etc. as per the project description and support branches in implementations

• Ensure implementing branches are working to foster a safe and inclusive environment for community member and particularly youth to actively participate in humanitarian activities.

• Promote youth leadership and encourage young people to take on active roles within the organization.

• Producing periodical reports and after events, dialogues and submit timely reports to the project coordinator based on agreed requirements.

• Monitoring of the progress of project activities and financial settlement by working closely with the branch finance personnels, accountants to maintain proper financial standards as per the ERCS/DRC financial SOPs and EU grant requirements

• Advise, monitor and give feedback on the branches level outreach activities which are aimed to promote social cohesion.  

• Contribute for training manuals and guidelines based on need. 

• Develop and implement a monitoring and evaluation plan in coordination with the overall project team, to ensure timely and regular monitoring of the project. 

• Monitor developments regarding peace and social cohesion, Gender Based Violence (GBV) to ensure that ERCS responds as appropriate and takes the new advances into programme designing and planning

• Contribute for preparation of both narrative and financial reports of the project

• Engage in all the activities of ERCS’s at AoB related to the project attended to increase social cohesiveness of the youth 

• Perform/ carry out any other duties as may be required by ERCS 

Capacity development and technical support

• Supporting branch staff and volunteers to deliver quality and timely services through on the job trainings and by facilitating workshops in coordination with the relevant colleagues and stakeholders

• Participation in coordination meeting of all relevant stakeholders and ERCS staff at HQ level to ensure ownership and sustainability. 

• Conduct supportive supervision to staff and volunteers delivering project activities and provide technical support as needed

Advocacy and Representation 

• Support advocacy and negotiation activities with relevant authorities and partners promoting peace and social cohesion at national level 

• Attend relevant meetings that promote partnership and collaboration among relevant project stakeholders at the HQ level in the area of youth’s social cohesion 

Work Unit:  Disaster Risk Management./  

Reports to: Project Coordinator Social Cohesion and Protection Project

Terms of employment:  Contract for one year.  

Place of Work:  Addis Ababa   

Salary: Negotiable  

Job Requirements

Personal qualifications

Education 

• BA/MA Degree in youth development, social work, conflict management, community development, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and related Social Science fields. 

Experience and Knowledge

• Experience in a similar position preferably in a humanitarian organization or NGO 8 years’ experience for BA and 6 years for MA).

• Proven experience in program development, and project management related to thematic areas such as social cohesion, community dialogue and youth engagement

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and motivate young people.

• Demonstrated leadership abilities and the capacity to work effectively in a team.

• Knowledge of current social cohesion and youth-related issues and challenges.  

• Proficiency in using technology and social media platforms for community and youth engagement.

• Experience working in the area of displacement (e.g. with internally displaced people, host communities, refugees and returnees) is an advantage

• Experience in project management /implementation

• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills for building synergies and collaboration with partners, beneficiaries, and donor agencies

• Ability to develop, monitor, report, and evaluate activities

• Previous experience working with social cohesion, youth or community organizations is an advantage

• Experience in supervision and mentoring

• Self-supporting in computers (Windows, spreadsheets, PowerPoint)

• Ability to effectively work remotely if necessary (via email, online)

Languages

• Fluency in English-spoken and written

• Fluency in Amharic – spoken and written

• Knowledge of other local languages relevant for the specific project sites could be an advantage. 

Core Competencies

• Strong project management skills

• Experience in the EU funded projects management is an asset

• Strongly committed to the Red Cross/Red Crescent's fundamental principles, values, and policies

• Highly motivated and proactive in supporting people in need

• Able to successfully cooperate with local authorities, local partners, and communities

• Able, willing, and committed to work with people with different backgrounds and experiences, including displaced populations in a vulnerable situation

• Able to guide staff, volunteers, and the affected population in a respectful manner

• Sensitive to the feelings expressed and behaviours displayed by the volunteers and affected population

• Mature, flexible, and able to work under pressure 

• Willing to work in the field conditions, to travel extensively to project locations 

• Ability to assume various roles and assignments as directed by the immediate supervisor within the scope of the ERCS mandate

How to Apply

We invite candidates meeting the required qualifications to fill out online employment application form  With the indicated link CLICK HERE before the closing date of this announcement on Feb 9, 2024.

Qualified Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please note that we ONLY consider those who filled online application form