Livelihood Program Manager

BACKGROUND: The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian international NGOs, provides relief, rehabilitation and development support to vulnerable people and communities over 30 countries. We began work in Ethiopia in 2000 in response to severe drought in Ethiopia’s Somali region and are currently providing assistance to Ethiopians and refugees in six regions in Ethiopia, implementing emergency and development programs in health, water and sanitation, economic recovery and development (ERD), women’s protection and empowerment, education, child protection, and multi-sectoral emergency response.

IRC is planning to undertake coordinated livelihood recovery and resilience building support for disaster affected households in Konso, Alle, Derashe woreda/zones of SNNPR. The main objective of the livelihoods’ project is to improve the capacities of drought/conflict affected HHs, small holders’ women communities and their institutions to respond to and to reduce disaster risks proactively and to adapt to long term trends of food insecurity. This will be achieved through increased crop/livestock production and efficiency of smallholder farmers communities through the promotion and use of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies and practices, diversification of livelihoods and disaster risk management.

The Livelihood manager is dedicated to the overall project management and implementation of programming crafted to provide beneficiaries with livelihood recovery for drought, conflict and COVID 19 pandemic households through promoting climate smart agriculture techniques, livelihoods diversification and disaster risk management.

Job Overview/Summary:

Responsibilities: –

Responsible for the overall program budget management

Key Areas of Accountability

• With support from the IRC Economic recovery development unit, the livelihood program manager shall: Represent the field office with partners, government officials, UN agencies, Donors, and other NGO staff at field base level as appropriate
• Represents IRC towards relevant partners

• Leads the implementation of livelihoods projects with internal staff, line offices, the donor and the community and project reporting
• Budget management: follow up and coordinate the project plan verses accomplishment
• The program requires technical knowledge and experience of resilience and livelihoods program

Accountability

• Reports to Hawassa Filed Office Coordinator
• Supervises Livelihood program officer(s)

Provide leadership in livelihoods recovery and resilience programming

• Follows that communities, government agencies (regional, zonal line offices) and civil society organizations are adequately involved in project activities
• Ensure that IRC is adequately represented in formal coordination activities including clusters, livelihood working group meetings informally recognized by partners including local NGOs, INGOs and UN
• Close engagement for the adequate inclusion and development of implementing partners towards the independent execution of program activities.
• Host and mange donor visits effectively to contribute for accurate planning, implementation, and reporting:
• Ensure partners are familiar with the requirements of a program hard-working on building community resilience.
• Provide regular support and technical advice to partners, communities, and staffs in relation to the implementation of livelihoods recovery at project site level
• Coordinate the establishment of effective work and supply plans or partners.
• Manage budget and follow partners are regularly supervised for good financial management.
• Ensure that an effective monitoring and evaluation system is in place to measure resilience.
• Take required action to ensure timely implementation of activities where it is vital.
• Supervise that all activities are critical to community needs and gender issues, promote the full and equal participation of women in all aspects and ensure that the Program is an opportunity for peace making, not community division.
• Lead coordination with support departments such as supply chain, HR, and finance.
• Provide strong narrative reporting and financial accounting in donor and internal reports
• Conduct ongoing monitoring and assessments and provide clear analysis of the context

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates the highest levels of integrity.

Equal Opportunities:

• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the IRC Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Overall:

• Working for the best of your ability and demonstrate high levels of dedication to IRC and our vision, mission, and values to ensure the objectives of your role and the country programs are met.
• Ensure the effective and efficient use of all IRC resources in order to keep costs low and ensure safety in the workplace.

Education and experience

•  BA/BSc or MA/MSc degree in Social Science fields, International Development, Agriculture, Economics, Disaster risk management or related relevant field of studies

• 4 years of proven experience with the first degree.
• At least 1 year of managerial experience.
• Substantive knowledge and experience of sustainable livelihoods and resilience programs management.
• Proven track record of effective management: planning, monitoring, budget oversight, logistics, leadership, particularly in unstable environment.
• Demonstrated experience of integrating gender, protection and diversity into emergency response programs.
• NGO experience is a plus.
• Proven leadership skills
• Project management experience
• Proposal and report writing skills
• Proficient spoken and written English.
• Effective communication internally and externally towards government and NGOs, donors, etc…
• Leadership capacity in management of field teams: Team building, ability to develop a common vision, maintain morale and acceptable behavior at base level. Capacity to support and develop staff. Previous experience in leading field teams’ distinct advantage.
• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with colleagues, IRC Members, and external partners
• Experience and interest in measuring resilience and relevant theory.
• Values diversity, acknowledges it as a source of driven strength