Deputy Programme Manager – Technical Lead -(contingent to doner Funding) – Re- Advertisement

SNV is a global development partner, deeply rooted in the countries where we operate. We are driven by a vision of a better world: a world where across every society all people live with dignity and have equitable opportunities to thrive sustainably. To make this vision a reality, we need transformations in vital agri-food, energy, and water systems. SNV contributes by strengthening capacities and catalyzing partnerships in these sectors. We help strengthen institutions and effective governance, reduce gender inequalities and barriers to social inclusion, and enable adaptation and mitigation to the climate and biodiversity crises.

Building on 60 years of experience, we support our partners with our technical and process expertise and methodological rigor. We do this in more than 20 countries in Africa and Asia with a team of approximately 1,600 colleagues. By being adaptable and tailoring our approaches to these different contexts, we can contribute to impact at scale, resulting in more equitable lives for all.

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For more information on our operations in Ethiopia and SNV generally, visit our website: www.snv.org.

Project background

SNV Ethiopia is recruiting an experienced Deputy Program Manager-Technical Lead for an anticipated flagship program. The program aims to secure 800,000 dignified and fulfilling job opportunities for rural young women. The program will embrace a market system approach in high-potential value chains (horticulture, poultry, dairy, and complementary value chains), grounded in seven regional clusters. It will deliberately integrate Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) transformative approaches and safeguarding mechanisms across all program interventions, empowering young women to secure jobs through initiatives on market and socio-economic barriers and on location-specific gendered root causes.

SNV will implement the program jointly with five other Ethiopian/international NGOs, who will deliver their work in specific clusters. Together, these clusters will integrate technical expertise, and they will support the program’s ecosystem to achieve longer-term systems change for youth employment in agriculture.

Role of the Deputy Program Manager—Technical Lead  

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who wants to apply their background in market systems development, youth upskilling and employment, gender transformation, agribusiness, inclusive finance, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and private sector development. We are looking for a strong professional with considerable experience in the above-mentioned technical areas and high coordination and management skills to lead a group of technical experts in designing and implementing effectively a large, complex program.

In this role, you will be expected to provide technical leadership in designing sound strategies for the different components of the program, ensure the quality of implementation and project impact, build the capacity of the consortium partners, and capture lessons to inform decision-making and planning.

Strategic and technical leadership: 

• Lead and coordinate the design, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the different components of the project, including market systems development of the selected crop and livestock value chains, inclusive finance, youth upskilling and employment, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and agribusiness.
• Leads the value chain/market system studies; development of implementation and sustainability strategies; design of technical manuals and guidelines; and identification and engagement of private sector actors.
• Coordinates the technical team to develop a holistic strategy for capacity building of consortium partners and other local implementing partners.
• Ensures GESI integration across all components at all levels.
• Provide technical guidance for the advisors for effective coordination, synergy, and sharing of experiences

• Identifies and designs policy and ecosystem-level interventions

• Coordinate and quality control the development and review of annual work plans, budgets, and progress reporting for all components, ensuring synergies between different workstreams across the programme as well as coherence with the work plans of implementing partners

• Establish partnerships with different stakeholders to collaborate, leverage, and share lessons to enhance impact and quality

• Develop mitigation plans to reduce risks and take timely, corrective actions to remedy any deviation from the work plans.

Reporting, M&E, knowledge development, and quality assurance

• Leads the preparation of periodic technical  reports for donors and other stakeholders
• Ensures the quality of the different technical reports and papers
• Oversee periodic (quarterly and annual) project reflection processes to ensure adaptation to delivery approaches in line with project outcomes
• Conduct regular monitoring of the implementation of the interventions at various levels and provide feedback
• Follow up with the technical team and partners on the actions taken based on the feedback provided
• In collaboration with the MEAL coordinator, develop knowledge management strategies for the projects
• Support team-wide efforts to make learning (including across geographies and value chains) a core part of the program management process so that key learning questions are answered.

• Contribute to internal and external knowledge sharing by documenting project insights, attending workshops/conferences, and applying lessons learned.
• Contribute to the development of timely, accurate, consistent, and informed reports for the donor and SNV

Team management

• Provide team leadership and line management to seven technical advisors (Financial Inclusion Advisor, Agri-Input Supply System Advisor, Climate Change and Resilience Advisor, Skills System Advisor, Agri-Business Development Services Advisor, Agri-Business Advisor Livestock, and Agri-Business Advisor Crop), including effective performance management and ensuring the provision of support as required to ensure a highly engaged team.

 Stakeholder relationship management:

• Develop and maintain an effective network and relationships with key public and private stakeholders for project delivery, especially in relation to outcomes
• Present results and represent the project as required in national, regional, and international forums.

Educational Qualifications and Work Experience

• Master’s degree related to agriculture, agribusiness,  economics, business management,  rural development, and other related fields and at least 15 years of work experience in these fields in development
• More than 8 years of experience leading and managing multidisciplinary teams with a high level of leadership, interpersonal, technical, and analytical experience as a team leader.
• Experience in technically leading transformative programming using a systems change lens and positive impact on youth employment, the agri-food sector, and/or gender equality and social inclusion.
• Proven leadership in the design, management, implementation, and M&E of programmes with large budget, with skills in strategic planning and thinking
• Experience in technical leadership in a consortium set-up is desirable.
• Experience managing complex activities involving coordination with multiple programme partner institutions

Additional Skills:

• Proven experience in market system development, agribusiness, climate change and adaptation, gender equality and social inclusion, youth employment, business development, and upskilling.
• Deep knowledge of evidence-based practices related to gender and social inclusion.
• Familiar with both national and regional agricultural sector policies as well as national-level strategies related to agriculture, youth employment, and market development.
• Understanding of public-private partnerships, private sector development, and working with farmer organizations.
• Ability to generate timely, accurate, consistent, and high-quality reports
• Proven ability to collaborate successfully with government officials, international donors, and private sector stakeholders
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective relationships and partnerships with key stakeholders
• Female candidates are encouraged to apply.
• Flexible and able to adapt to a multicultural environment and complex situations.
• Fluency in English is required.

Contract Type: National, Full-time

This position will be based on donor funding and approval confirmation.

Expected start date:  August 2025

Duty Station:  Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Contract Duration: Two years 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 June 29th, 2025. Please submit your application only via: Smart Recruiters. All information will be kept in the strictest confidentiality.

Applicants who applied to the previous posting do not need to reapply, as their applications will be considered in the current process

If your experience and skills match the position’s requirements, 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 from 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 nationally and internationally determined positions. As SNV participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, all reference checks include a request to past employers to fill out 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.