Project Coordinator (Dolo Ado)

Job Description

Who we are

SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia is an International Non-governmental organization and a member of SOS Children’s Villages International Federation. We started our humanitarian work in Ethiopia with the opening of our first Village in Mekelle, Northern part of Ethiopia in 1974. Since then, we have expanded our programs to different regions where there are significant needs for intervention and where we believe we can work in partnership with all relevant actors to bring sustainable positive outcomes for children’s and young people. 

Today, we have grown significantly to meet the persistent challenges that confront Ethiopian children who have lost parental care and those that are at risk of losing their parental care. Working in close collaboration with international donors, local government and community-based organizations across eight program locations; we aspire that every child grows up with love, respect and security.

 

Want to know more about life at SOS?

Explore our Employee Value Proposition Here

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Our Commitment to Safeguarding  

At SOS Children’s Villages, safeguarding isn’t just a policy, it’s a foundational value embedded in everything we do. We are unwavering in our commitment to protecting the children, young people, adults, and communities we serve, as well as our workforce and resources.

We cultivate an environment of trust and accountability where every voice is heard and respected. All successful candidates will be expected to champion our holistic safeguarding principles, actively upholding our Child & Youth Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct, and regulations against sexual misconduct, fraud, and corruption.

By joining our team, you commit to integrating these vital standards into your work, ensuring the highest levels of safety, ethics, and integrity in every action and partnership.

Together, we create a world where everyone feels safe, respected, and protected

 

Join Our Mission:

We are looking for Project Coordinator who will be responsible to effectively coordinate the planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of the project He/she will be responsible in coordinating and implementing the project activities in the intervention area and the donor compliances and coordinating with all partners and stakeholders engaged in the project and collaborating with joint partners.

 

Key Responsibilities

Program development (system design/planning)

• Design proper strategies and approaches to effective implementation of the project initiatives including resource management and behavioural change communications.
• Prepare a detailed work plan for the implementation of – activities of the project.
• Continuously collect and share new updates and developments related to the project progress.

Project implementation

• Responsible for planning, coordinating, timely implementation, quality assurance, reporting, and achievement of project targets.
• Coordinate and provide technical oversight to implementing partners and project staff at field level.
• Facilitate regular Technical Committee and partner coordination meetings, document decisions, and follow up on agreed actions.
• Develop implementation strategies, project risk mitigation plans, and sustainability plans to ensure effective project delivery.
• Ensure efficient and accountable utilization of project resources and budget.
• Represent the organization in Child Protection Sub-Cluster, Protection Cluster, and other relevant humanitarian coordination forums.
• Establish and strengthen Child Protection coordination mechanisms, including Sub-Clusters and Case Management Technical Working Groups, at regional and district levels.
• Strengthening collaboration and coordination among government institutions, UN agencies, NGOs, community structures, and humanitarian actors to improve integrated child protection service delivery.
• Support government institutions in strengthening child protection systems and implementing national child protection policies, guidelines, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), referral pathways, and the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action.
• Promote integration of child protection within multi-sector humanitarian responses, particularly with health, nutrition, education, social protection, and GBV services.
• Produce and disseminate coordination products, including meeting minutes, action plans, situation reports, coordination updates, and lessons learned, to support evidence-based decision-making and accountability.
• Support emergency preparedness and response planning by strengthening child protection coordination mechanisms and inter-agency collaboration.
• Organize peer learning, coordination review meetings, and knowledge-sharing initiatives among government and humanitarian partners.
• Ensure meaningful participation of government agencies, faith-based organizations, grassroots community structures, children, caregivers, and affected communities in project implementation, coordination, accountability, and community engagement processes.
• Oversee community dialogue and awareness-raising initiatives addressing child protection, GBV prevention and response, MHPSS, positive parenting, and community-based protection mechanisms.

Monitoring, reporting, and coordination

• Conduct regular field monitoring and supportive supervision to ensure quality implementation and timely achievement of project targets.
• Prepare and submit timely, high-quality project reports, including donor reports, situation updates, success stories, and lessons learned.
• Coordinate with project staff, partners, and stakeholders to ensure effective information sharing and implementation.
• Represent the project in relevant coordination meetings, technical working groups, and humanitarian forums.
• Document and share good practices, innovations, and key learning to improve project performance

Stakeholder engagement and capacity building

• Engage with local community leaders, elders, religious figures, and government officials to build trust, secure their buy-in, and foster a collaborative environment for the project interventions.
• Organize and facilitate training sessions and workshops to build the capacity of the community and government actors  on areas of Back to School, Girls empowerment, GBV and MHPSS  and Behavioural Change Communication

Staff management

• Provides regular support and supervision to staff under direct line management. This includes the formulation of individual work plans (with agreed indicators of achievement) based on project work plans and/or job descriptions. It also includes regularly scheduled supervision and performance management meetings.
• Ensures performance goals of human resources in the department are discussed, documented and aligned to the overall requirements and results of the program.
• Ensure effective performance management is in place through continuous communication, planning, monitoring and objective performance evaluation to elevate employee performance and overall results
• Ensure that staff have the skills to meet current and emerging needs by creating learning maps and training activities appropriate for the team.
• Conduct regular Bi-weekly and monthly meeting with field staff and share the minute to the national office and PD
• Responsible for gathering zonal level security information from zonal security office and keep on updating the field staff

Documentation and reporting

• Document lessons learned and good practices and success stories and share with relevant departments and partners
• Facilitates and supports regular project implementation and performance review sessions and learning events.
• Closely work with MEAL coordinator to provide inputs required from partners and oversee the quality of deliverables.
• Support the field officers in documenting the project best practices
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual reports and submit to the national emergency response coordinator, Identified government offices and PD
• Ensure adherence to SOS CV policies such as the Code of Conduct, Child Safeguarding Standards and others as well as the minimum standards of humanitarian relief (ICRC Code of Conduct, Sphere, HAP).

Safeguarding (child, young people, adult and asset) and gender equality

• Ensure gender and disability mainstreaming within the overall project implementation and during the project and program cycle management. Insert the government say
• Ensure that safeguarding and child protection mainstreaming are integrated into all Emergency response frameworks through measurable output and outcome indicators.
• Ensure that safeguarding measures are in place within area his/her responsibility and that staff, associates and other key stakeholders are aware of safeguarding principles and measures.
• Ensure and support the process of mainstreaming and integrating safeguarding in all Emergency response program frameworks through measurable output and outcome indicators;
• Lead /Support the process of piloting and scaling up local-level beneficiary complaints’ mechanisms concerning co-workers ‘conduct, with an emphasis on the safeguarding policies and measures to prevent sexual exploitation of women and children;
• Responsible for reporting any safeguarding suspicion, concern, allegation, or incident immediately, following the safeguarding reporting procedures. Safeguarding reports should be made to the safeguarding team at the program level and/or to the respective line manager; and
• Responsible for ensuring behaviours and all relationships are based on safeguarding and in line with the Code of Conduct and adhering to it in every situation.
• Conduct themselves per the Code of Conduct, Safeguarding and Local/Country Policies and Procedures;
• Be vigilant about any possible form of abuse/harm, neglect, harassment, or exploitation against, children, youth and adults in personal and professional lives;
• Report any Incident Management Team or concern within 24 hours to the Incident Management Team, focal person or concerned party through the defined channels for reporting the allegation

Our Ideal Candidate?

Let’s find out if we’re a match. The next step in our process depends on how your background closely align with the below criteria’s.

 

Essential Requirements (Must-Have):

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Disaster Management or Development Studies, Social Sciences, International Relations

Experience

• At least 5-6 years of experience in humanitarian aid and/or development work in multi-cluster INGOs
• Demonstrated experience in coordinating with humanitarian partners, including NGOs, UN agencies, and government stakeholders as coordinator.
• Proven ability to manage project budgets and oversee financial reporting in compliance with donor regulations.
• Knowledge of needs assessments, project cycle management, and emergency preparedness

Desired Assets (Nice-to-Have): 

• Education: Masters in Disaster Management or Development Studies, Social Sciences, International Relations or equivalent working experience
• Familiarity with grants management and donor compliance requirements (e.g., USAID, ECHO, UNHCR).
• Solid understanding of humanitarian principles and standards (e.g., Sphere Standards, Core Humanitarian Standard).
• Prior experience in developing contingency plans and rapid response strategies.
• Experience and advanced in data analysis tools such Excel, Power Bi
• Proficient with Somali language

 

SOS general, Lead and Core Competencies

General Competency 

• Understanding the organization and commitment to its vision and mission: able to clearly communicate SOS Children’s Villages Who We Are (Vision, Mission & Values), “Living our Values” policies and strategies in all areas.
• Core Humanitarian Practices : Good understanding of humanitarian issues, with experience of/or ability to work directly with local NGOs or communities.
• Humanitarian Response Knowledge: Knowledge of Ethiopia in terms of its political, economic and social trends plus a good understanding of the key development and humanitarian issues in the region.
• Mainstreaming: Demonstrated experience of integrated gender and diversity into humanitarian response programmes.
• Project Management :Demonstrated ability to effectively develop project plans and budgets and ensure timely delivery of results.
• Analytical Skill Proven analytical skills and ability to think strategically, implement and excellent organizational and problem-solving skills.
• People development: driven to improve others; proven track record in coaching & mentoring staff, giving feedback, and identifying development opportunities for co-workers.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communications skills and the ability to relate to people from all backgrounds.
• Cultural Difference: Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
• Leadership: competent to work with significant levels of autonomy and as a team player and the ability to take the initiative and proven ability to work creatively, innovatively and effectively to make decisions with limited direct supervision.
• Collaboration: Ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people in a multi-cultural environment.
• Stakeholder Management: Ability to effectively influence and liaise with key stakeholders on behalf of and in line with organizational beliefs.
• Flexibility: Demonstrated ability at being flexible and adapt to changing situations.
• Work Under pressure: ability to remain calm while dealing with conflicting priorities and working under pressure.
• Safety and Security: Operating safely and securely in a humanitarian response, proven experience in risk management and implementing security policy/protocols.

Lead Competency 

• Role Model: Act as a role model for the organization, living our values and inspiring and learning from others
• Collaboration: Remove barriers to participation, share decision making and build partnerships
• Empowerment: Promote inclusion and equitable sharing of power
• Strategic Thinking: Live the values and mission, setting realistic goals and translating them into actionable plans.

Core Competency

• Kindness: Act with empathy towards everyone he/she works with.
• Continuous Learning: Make an effort to learn, understand and grow as a person, admitting your own mistakes.
• Inclusiveness: In any actions show respect and care for others.
• Initiative: speak up when things are not right, do not hesitate to act, and adapt to change when necessary.

How to Apply

 Does This Sound Like You?

To apply, please submit your updated resume via: >> SOS Children’s Villages Application portal (ICIMS).

We actively champion diversity and inclusion and strongly encourage women to step forward and apply. As part of our unwavering commitment to holistic safeguarding protecting children, youth, adults, and assets our selection process emphasizes value alignment and includes thorough background checks for all potential hires.

SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia is an equal opportunity employer, providing fair consideration to all applicant regardless of race, colour, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or class.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.