PROGRAM MANAGER

Location	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (hybrid, 3 times a week in the Addis office)
Hours	40 hours a week
Report	Head of Programs, Africa
Start date	ASAP
Application deadline	3rd November, 2025

Job Description

About the Freedom Fund

At the Freedom Fund, we believe in the power of frontline leadership to end modern slavery. We are a collaborative fund that exists to get resources where they are most needed, into the hands of those working directly to dismantle systems of exploitation.

Since our founding in 2014, we’ve invested over $100 million into community-based organizations across Asia, Africa, and South America, supporting survivors, building movements, and creating lasting change. We know that human trafficking and forced labor are not abstract issues, they are deeply rooted in injustice, inequality, and systemic failure. As we look ahead to 2030, our new strategy focuses on doubling down on what works: investing in frontline partners, amplifying survivor leadership, influencing global systems, and shifting power and funding to communities. By the end of this strategic period, we aim to directly improve the lives of 2.5 million people currently in or at risk of slavery, strengthen anti-slavery movements across 11 countries in Africa, South America and Asia, and mobilize $350 million in support of our shared mission. We are committed to being a values-driven employer. Our organizational culture is warm, collaborative, and committed to continuous learning. We strive to be a place where people feel safe, valued, and able to do their best work in service of our vision: a world free of slavery.

In Ethiopia, we have two hotspots focusing on (i) safer migration and (ii) child domestic workers. The programs are currently funded through a mix of institutional donor, private foundation and unrestricted funds.

About the position

This is an exciting and demanding full-time role for an outstanding individual with experience in managing and implementing development and human rights programs. The successful candidate will oversee a portfolio of the Freedom Fund’s investments in Ethiopia. They will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and will report to the Head of Programs, based in Nairobi,

Kenya. The position’s main responsibilities are to ensure Freedom Fund partners design and deliver quality programs, measure their impact, support research and learning and manage a team of program officers based in Addis.

This position is contingent upon funding from the US DOS, and final approval by the donor.

Responsibilities

Program Strategy and Delivery

• Oversee Freedom Fund investments in the programs in Ethiopia.
• Analyse political, policy and sectoral developments in Ethiopia to support hotspot strategy development.
• Work with the Head of Programs to set and periodically review hotspot strategies.
• Ensure and enable quality delivery of the programs in Ethiopia.
• Draft internal and external reports using partners’ progress reports and data.
• Commission/manage technical experts and consultants as relevant and needed.
• Support and contribute to program initiatives that come up periodically at the Freedom Fund

Support and Manage Program Officers

• Manage Program Officers for the hotspots (2 Program Officers at the moment)
• Support the Program Officers to address and trouble shoot challenges as they arise.
• Support the Program Officers to manage relationships with relevant local partners.

Data and Reporting

• Monitor program performance against objectives, using agreed indicators and the M&E system.
• Provide research, M&E and other support as required and requested.

Grant management

• Review monthly management accounts for the program.
• Ensure payments to partners and service providers are made in a timely manner.
• Ensure appropriate grant management processes are followed by the Program Officers
• Act as a central point of contact with other Freedom Fund teams in relation to grant management processes that may require their involvement or input.
• Inform and draft responses to external or donor queries about the Freedom Fund grant management processes.
• Run periodic audits of grant management processes implementation
• Ensure hotspot compliance with the Freedom Fund’s grant management systems and donor rules (including US government compliance standards)

In-country representation

• Serve as the security focal point for the programs
• Nurture and maintain strong relationships with donors, supporting fundraising efforts and enhancing donor engagement.
• Support the Head of Programs in evolving the strategy of the hotspot, identifying opportunities to strengthen the work and liaise with in-country networks to promote learnings from the Freedom Fund’s work
• This role might be required to act as the legal representative of the Freedom Fund in Ethiopia, including representing the organization in networks, government engagements, and civil society forums, as well as serving as the authorized signatory for all official documents.

Background checks

As part of our commitment to the protection of children and vulnerable people in our work, any offer of employment with the Freedom Fund will be subject to satisfactory pre- employment checks to ensure we recruit only those who are suitable to work with children and vulnerable persons. These checks include Disclosure and Barring Service and/or International Criminal Records Checks, satisfactory references, proof of eligibility to work in the national location of this role and checks against the Office of Foreign Assets Control data list (OFAC) which highlights any connections to terrorism or trafficking.

At the Freedom Fund, we are conscious that some candidates may have criminal records resulting from their experience of trafficking and/or forced labour. Applications from individuals with a criminal record, or who have been formerly incarcerated are accepted. We welcome a confidential conversation on this as part of the pre-application chat noted above or at the point of an offer being made.

Any offer of employment or consultancy with The Freedom Fund will only be made following successful background checks conducted on the applicant. Such checks may be updated periodically during the period of employment or consultancy. Initial checks will only be undertaken at the point of a job offer being made, and always with the prior permission of the candidate.

Qualifications and experience

Essential

• At least five years of directly relevant experience
• Experience of line management
• Knowledge and experience working on child labour, and/or forced labour, human rights, anti-human trafficking or modern slavery initiatives; familiarity with child domestic work/ child protection highly desirable.
• Direct experience of working with marginalised communities
• Grant making experience to local civil society organisations
• Experience employing rigorous monitoring and evaluation techniques and clear understanding of possibilities and limits of measurement in development
• High proficiency with Microsoft Office tools (especially Word and Excel)
• Experience working with private and public donors, especially working with government grants from Europe, UK or the US.
• Experience preparing and managing budgets

Personal attributes

Essential

• Team player committed to the Freedom Fund’s values and passionate about human rights issues.
• Ability to build relationships with a wide range of individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Demonstrated commitment to fairness, care, and compassion.
• Ability to engage with survivors in a trauma-informed, respectful, and supportive manner.
• Capacity to manage and support staff with the same values-based approach, fostering trust and wellbeing.
• Ability to work independently, displaying strong initiative in solving day-to-day problems with limited direction.
• Sound English and Amharic communication skills and ability to present information in compelling ways.
• Willingness and ability to travel, sometimes to remote communities, as required.

Compensation

• $39,954 to $41,006 per annum, depending on experience
• 11% pension contributions
• 33 days holiday pro rata, inclusive of public holidays