Programme Manager (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning / MEAL) at the Embassy of Ireland, Ethiopia

Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Closing Date: May 28, 2026

Job Description

Our mission is to promote and protect abroad the values, interests and economic well-being of Ireland and its people.

The Embassy of Ireland, Addis Ababa is seeking a highly motivated, creative, enthusiastic, and proactive individual with excellent communication and interpersonal skills to fill a full-time position as Programme Support Manager.

The Embassy wishes to contract the services of a full-time Programme Support Manager to support the management, oversight, and implementation of our development assistance programme. Specifically, the successful candidate will lead on the monitoring, evaluation, accountability, learning (MEAL) framework of the Embassy. We are seeking a highly motivated, innovative and experienced manager with excellent knowledge of international development issues, substantive experience at a senior management level. The role will include strategy development. Ideally, the successful candidate will have experience in MEAL frameworks and knowledge management.

Overview of Role

The Programme Support Manager will report to the Deputy Head of Mission/Head of Cooperation and will have particular responsibility for supporting to management of our development assistance programme, private sector development programmes, small grant funding, humanitarian engagement, mainstreaming Ireland’s international development policy priority areas (including gender and climate) and, monitoring, evaluation and learning. The role includes responsibility for supporting the assessment of programme partners’ proposals and monitoring of agreed programme outcomes using a whole of embassy approach. A critical understanding of the determinants of good governance, gender equality and human rights and their application and relevance to the political and governance context in Africa is essential.

Overview of Role

• Support the implementation of Ireland’s foreign policy and development strategies, including The Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World and Ireland’s international development policy A Better World;
• Work with the management and Programme team to implement the Embassy’s development cooperation strategy and support the design and implementation of a new mission strategy;
• Participate in the management team of the Embassy and contribute to the overall planning and work of the Mission, including by providing policy advice, briefings and recommendations to senior management;
• Work with programme officers and other staff as appropriate and effectively contribute to overall strategic planning, annual business planning and reporting as well as staff performance and development;
• Work with the embassy team to ensure a coherent and joined up approach to our overall mission business plan and strategy;
• Other duties as detailed in the job description and as required.

Essential requirements:

• Candidates must have a post-graduate qualification in Development Studies/Programme Management or related field;
• Candidates must have a minimum of seven years relevant experience working in a programme management/support experience in relevant settings with at least five years experience at middle management level with commensurate responsibility within a development and/or humanitarian organisation in an international and/or regional setting;
• The candidate must be fluent in English;
• Demonstrable experience in developing and managing MEAL systems that permit ongoing monitoring of progress and enable cross-team learning;
• Demonstrable knowledge (using work based examples) of the political economy and the socio-cultural environment in Addis Ababa;
• The candidate must provide evidence of their knowledge of the determinants of good governance, gender equality and human rights and their application and relevance to the political and governance context in the Horn of Africa;
• The candidate must demonstrate using examples of working in some of our priority areas (private sector development, climate resilience, gender and governance);
• The candidate should provide examples of being solutions-oriented, and committed to delivering results and taking responsibility for quality outcomes;
• Demonstrable knowledge of leading strategic planning and monitoring/evaluation/learning initiatives resulting in well-defined and achievable work plans, strategies and analysis;
• Demonstrable experience (through examples) of financial analysis and budget management at a management level;
• The candidate must demonstrate using work based examples of providing excellent interpersonal & communications skills, being persuasive, working in a team but also dealing effectively with people in external organisations;
• Have the ability and willingness to travel frequently, often to remote areas;
• Proficient with MS Office Suite including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint; additional IT applications would be beneficial (e.g. working with datasets).

The successful candidate must have a legal entitlement to live and work in Ethiopia prior to recruitment.

Desirable requirements:

• Specific qualifications in MEAL and knowledge management;
• Familiarity with the key principles and practice of effective aid delivery.

Terms and conditions of employment:

Start date: Immediate upon successful clearance of security checks

Location: Embassy of Ireland, Addis Ababa

Contract duration: The successful candidate will be hired on a 2 year contract with a probation period of 60 working days

Working hours: Monday to Thursday, with standard office hours from 8:00am – 5:00pm, Friday from 8:00am – 2:00pm with total working hours not exceeding 48 hours per week as per local labour law

Annual Leave Entitlement

Annual leave allowance is 20 working days per year

Gross Salary: Base Point of salary scale for grade 1, €2681.13 per month paid in local currency. Salaries are paid direct to a bank account, therefore, the successful candidate must have a bank account

Eligibility

Candidates must have a permanent, legal right to reside and work in Ethiopia and will be subject to employment and taxation law in Ethiopia.

How to Apply:

Closing date: Thursday 28 May 2026 @ 17:00 hrs

Depending on response rates, the deadline may be extended. Please note that only short listed applicants will be contacted.

NOTE: Submissions without completed application forms will not be accepted

Selection Process:

• Depending on the number of applications received, a short-listing of candidates to be called for a competency-based technical assessment and interview may be undertaken based on the Essential/Key Requirements above;
• It is planned that a technical assessment will be held in early June;
• It is planned that interviews will be held mid-June;
• A second interview may be included in the recruitment process; and
• A panel may be set up depending on the calibre of candidates;

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

All personal information received will be kept in line with GDPR guidelines.

Security Clearance for Local Staff

Police security clearance will be sought in respect of individuals who come under consideration for appointment. Enquiries may also be made with the police force of any country in which the applicant under consideration for appointment resided. If unsuccessful this information will be destroyed. If the applicant subsequently comes under consideration for another position, they will be required to supply this information again.

Please note that canvassing will disqualify applicants.

The Embassy of Ireland is committed to a policy of Equal Opportunity.