Director, Youth Development, Volunteers, and Members

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 15 Regional Offices, Zonal Branches and District/Woreda Branches, Woreda Red Cross Committee and 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.

Work Unit: Volunteers, Members and Youth development sector

Reports to: DSG, Youth Development, Volunteers, and Members sector

Salary: 99,691.00 birr

Job Summary

The Director of Volunteers, Members, and Youth Development is responsible for leading the operational management, coordination, and implementation of ERCS strategies for volunteerism, membership engagement, and youth empowerment. The Director ensures that department programs are effectively planned, executed, monitored, and aligned with the Society’s strategic goals, while directly supporting the Deputy Secretary General for VMY(DSG) in advancing organizational priorities.

Key performance area

• Translate ERCS’s strategic vision on volunteerism, membership, and youth development into actionable departmental plans.
  • Lead the department in developing annual and multi-year work plans, ensuring integration into ERCS’s overall program and operational plan.
  • Provide technical guidance to regional and zonal branches to ensure consistency and alignment in volunteer, member, and youth initiatives.
  • Manage volunteer recruitment, orientation, deployment, and retention systems.
  • Coordinate volunteer capacity-building programs, including training, coaching, and mentoring.
  • Develop recognition mechanisms to motivate and sustain volunteer engagement.
  • Strengthen community-based volunteer structures and support branch-level volunteer networks.
  • Implement membership growth campaigns and ensure smooth membership registration processes.
  • Design and oversee member engagement activities that foster loyalty, participation, and service.
  • Coordinate the delivery of member benefits and services in collaboration with relevant ERCS departments.
  • Collect and analyze membership data for informed decision-making.
  • Implement youth leadership and empowerment programs in line with ERCS and IFRC strategies.
  • Coordinate the establishment and strengthening of Red Cross/Red Crescent youth clubs in schools, universities, and communities.
  • Facilitate youth participation in humanitarian innovation, advocacy, and service delivery initiatives.
  • Support mentorship and leadership pipelines for young volunteers and members.
  • Collaborate with government agencies, NGOs, schools, universities, and youth organizations to advance volunteerism and youth initiatives.
  • Support the DSG in representing ERCS in national and international forums on volunteerism, membership, and youth development.
  • Build partnerships that enhance visibility and program impact at national and branch levels.
  • Develop and oversee MEL systems for volunteerism, membership, and youth programs.
  • Collect, analyze, and report on program results to measure progress and impact.
  • Ensure learning and best practices are documented and shared across ERCS branches
  • Support the DSG in identifying and pursuing funding opportunities for department programs., Manage the departmental budget, ensuring efficient use of resources and accountability.
  • Cultivate relationships with donors, private sector actors, and community supporters.
  • Lead and supervise staff within the department, ensuring clarity of roles and performance.
  • Build staff capacity through training, mentoring, and continuous professional development.
  • Promote a collaborative, inclusive, and accountable work culture.

Qualification Requirements:

• Second/first degree in Management, International Development, Public Administration, Regional and Local development, Development studies, Business Administration, Leadership, Organizational development, Political Science and International relations
• and 10/12 years’ relevant work experience, of which 5/7 years in a managerial position(s).