ARCS Project Manager

Role Purpose

The ARCS Project Manager is responsible for the strategic, technical, and operational leadership of the Agriculture Resilience through Climate Services (ARCS) Project in Wag‑Hemra Zone. The position ensures that the project is implemented efficiently, in full compliance with HELVETAS and donor (Development Fund – DF) requirements, and that climate services effectively support smallholder farmers to enhance climate resilience.

The Project Manager oversees the ARCS team, provides hands‑on supervision, ensures quality delivery across all result areas, and strengthens coordination with government structures, civil society, research institutions, and private‑sector partners at zonal and regional levels. S/he contributes to institutional learning, knowledge management, climate‑service system strengthening, and policy dialogue.

Main Tasks

Project Leadership & Management

• Ensure efficient and effective management of all ARCS staff, financial, administrative, human resources, and partnership portfolios, in line with HELVETAS policies and CSO directives.
• Guarantee the economic, efficient, and compliant utilization of all project resources, ensuring full adherence to the ARCS grant agreement with DF.
• Oversee project cycle management annual planning, implementation, monitoring, adaptive management, and reporting.
• Provide regular operational and financial updates to the Program Director; ensure timely budget reviews and realignment requests.
• Ensure that all activities are aligned with the ARCS Project Document, DF requirements, HELVETAS WFC strategy, and climate‑service standards.

Technical Oversight & Implementation

• Steer and coach the project team to deliver climate information services, agro‑climatic extension, and resilience-building interventions with high quality.
• Ensure effective monitoring using established indicators and timeframes; strengthen data quality and adaptive management.
• Coordinate with woreda, zonal, and regional stakeholders (MET, MoA, DRM, extension systems, cooperatives, CBOs) to ensure harmonized implementation.
• Facilitate learning partnerships with government, civil society, research institutions, and private-sector climate service actors.
• Guide the development and dissemination of climate information products, agro-advisories, good practices, and digital content.

Coordination, Networking & Learning

• Represent HELVETAS in zonal and regional working groups, climate‑service platforms, and policy dialogues.
• Promote multisectoral coordination and ensure strong collaboration with MET, MoA, extension and early-warning systems.
• Enable staff to produce knowledge products, best practices, and learning briefs contributing to organizational learning.
• Strengthen public‑private‑community partnerships related to climate services, digital advisory systems, and resilience building.

Line Management and Administrative Responsibilities

• Manage, supervise, and mentor the Sekota‑based ARCS team and ensure a conducive working environment.
• Facilitate backstopping missions, joint supervision visits, and DF donor reviews.
• Ensure compliant and efficient use of financial, material, and human resources; uphold gender and social equity principles.
• Enforce strict zero‑tolerance for corruption and safeguard ethical standards.
• Prepare timely bi‑annual and annual reports in collaboration with MEAL staff, ensuring quality, accuracy, and evidence‑based reporting.
• Ensure inclusive beneficiary participation regardless of gender, disability, ethnicity, political affiliation, or social status.
• Engage partners including government, community institutions, civil society, and private sectors in all components of project implementation.
• Promote and contribute to resilience knowledge sharing, climate‑service learning systems, and policy engagement at zonal and regional levels.

Qualification and Experience

• MSc in Rural Development, NRM, Agricultural Extension, Climate Science, Management, or related field.
• 7–10 years of relevant professional experience, including minimum 3 years managing climate-services, agro‑meteorology, or climate-resilient agriculture projects.
• Certification or formal training in Agro‑Climate Advisory Systems and Project Cycle Management.
• Demonstrated experience implementing adaptive practices with smallholder farmers in rainfed systems.
• Strong knowledge of climate–agriculture linkages, CIS value chains, extension systems, and climate-resilience frameworks.
• Experience coordinating multi‑stakeholder platforms, government systems, and technical partners.
• Proven experience in facilitating training, workshops, and knowledge‑sharing events.
• Excellent digital literacy: MS Teams, SharePoint, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, information security, and other ICT tools.

Key Competencies

• Strong interpersonal, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrated leadership and team management skills.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to align operational execution with vision.
• Excellent coordination and organizational abilities.
• Demonstrated commitment to gender and social inclusion, including youth and PWD engagement.
• Fluency in English and Amharic; knowledge of local languages is an asset.

Required Skills

• Strong decision‑making and problem‑solving capacity.
• Excellent communication, representation, networking, and team‑building skills.
• Ability to deliver results under pressure and ensure timely implementation.