Project Facilitation Officer – Host Enterprise (Addis Ababa/Adama/Jimma/Harar/Dire Dawa)

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

Follow our journey on LinkedIn

 

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 a  Project Facilitation Officer – Host Enterprise to be responsible for identifying, mobilizing, assessing, onboarding, and supporting public institutions, private enterprises, civil society organizations, and other employers participating as internship host organizations under the iWork Programme. 

The position leads enterprise engagement activities, facilitates partnerships with employers, strengthens organizational readiness to host interns, supports Human Resource Management (HRM) improvement, promotes safeguarding and inclusive workplace practices, coordinates internship placement processes, and monitors internship quality throughout implementation. 

The officer works closely with workforce development teams to ensure effective matching of trained youth with host organizations and contributes to strengthening the internship ecosystem by building sustainable partnerships with employers. 

This position contributes directly to Pillar Two of the iWork Programme by enabling enterprises to become opportunity providers for financially disadvantaged young women and other vulnerable youth. 

 

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Mapping and Partnership Development 

• Identify, map, assess, and maintain a comprehensive database of potential host enterprises, public institutions, civil society organizations, and private sector employers with the capacity and commitment to provide quality internship opportunities.  

• Conduct organizational assessments to evaluate host institutions’ operational capacity, human resource systems, workplace readiness, safeguarding practices, occupational safety, accessibility, and commitment to gender equality and disability inclusion.  

• Establish, strengthen, and sustain strategic partnerships with employers, industry associations, chambers of commerce, government institutions, and other labour market actors to expand internship and employment opportunities.  

• Lead employer outreach, engagement, and sensitization initiatives to promote the objectives, benefits, and value proposition of the iWork Programme and encourage employer participation.  

• Facilitate negotiations with host institutions on internship opportunities, placement quotas, supervision arrangements, learning objectives, and mutual expectations.  

• Coordinate the development, review, and signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), internship agreements, and partnership documents in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.  

• Maintain regular communication with partner organizations to strengthen collaboration, address emerging issues, and promote long-term institutional engagement.  

• Identify new sectors, industries, and emerging employment opportunities that can diversify internship placements for young women and disadvantaged groups.  

• Promote employer ownership and institutionalization of internship programs by supporting host organizations to integrate internship management into their organizational systems and workforce development strategies.

 

Host Enterprise Capacity Development 

• Conduct comprehensive organizational capacity assessments to identify strengths, gaps, and technical support needs related to internship management, Human Resource Management (HRM), safeguarding, and inclusive workplace practices.  

• Develop and implement tailored capacity development plans for host organizations based on assessment findings and project priorities.  

• Facilitate orientation and onboarding sessions for host organizations to ensure a common understanding of programme objectives, internship standards, roles, responsibilities, safeguarding requirements, and reporting procedures.  

• Design, organize, and facilitate capacity-building workshops and coaching sessions for host institutions on: 

• Effective Internship Planning and Management  

• Coaching, Mentorship and Performance Feedback  

• Inclusive Human Resource Management Practices  

• Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI)  

• Disability Inclusion and Reasonable Accommodation  

• Safeguarding and Child & Youth Protection  

• Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)  

• Workplace Ethics, Professional Conduct, and Code of Behaviour  

• Performance Management and Talent Development 

• Provide continuous technical assistance to host organizations to strengthen their systems, policies, and practices for effectively hosting interns.  

• Support host organizations in establishing structured mentorship, supervision, learning, and performance review mechanisms for interns.  

• Promote safe, accessible, respectful, and inclusive workplaces that uphold safeguarding standards and protect interns from discrimination, harassment, exploitation, and abuse.  

• Encourage host institutions to adopt sustainable internship models and improve their organizational culture to become long-term opportunity providers for young people.  

 

Internship Facilitation 

• Coordinate the matching of trained youth with appropriate host organizations based on competency profiles, career aspirations, labour market demand, and employer requirements.  

• Facilitate internship placement processes, ensuring transparent, fair, and gender-responsive matching procedures.  

• Support the onboarding and induction of interns and workplace supervisors by clarifying internship objectives, expected learning outcomes, workplace policies, and safeguarding protocols.  

• Coordinate the preparation and approval of individual internship learning plans, work plans, supervision schedules, and performance objectives.  

• Maintain close communication with interns and host organizations throughout the internship period to ensure quality learning experiences and timely problem-solving.  

• Conduct regular follow-up visits to monitor intern performance, learning progress, workplace conditions, attendance, and adherence to internship agreements.  

• Provide coaching and technical support to workplace supervisors and mentors to strengthen mentorship quality and improve intern learning outcomes.  

• Identify, document, and resolve internship-related challenges, including workplace conflicts, safeguarding concerns, absenteeism, performance issues, and placement adjustments.  

• Coordinate corrective actions and, where necessary, facilitate reassignment of interns to alternative host organizations.  

• Collaborate with employers to identify employment opportunities for successful interns and support their transition into wage employment, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship, or other livelihood pathways. 

 

Employer Engagement 

• Develop and implement employer engagement strategies to strengthen collaboration with the private sector, public institutions, and civil society organizations.  

• Organize employer forums, networking events, consultation meetings, and experience-sharing platforms to promote partnerships and improve internship quality.  

• Facilitate regular dialogue between employers, training institutions, government agencies, and project stakeholders to strengthen labour market linkages.  

• Collect, analyze, and regularly update labour market information, skills demand, emerging employment trends, and sector-specific workforce needs to inform project implementation.  

• Promote active employer participation in programme planning, internship design, curriculum improvement, and youth employability initiatives.  

• Strengthening relationships with business associations, industry networks, and relevant government institutions to expand internship and employment opportunities.  

• Recognize and showcase exemplary host organizations through documentation, learning events, and public recognition initiatives to encourage continued participation and promote best practices.  

• Represent the project in employer coordination platforms, sector meetings, and relevant external forums to strengthen strategic partnerships. 

 

Monitoring and Quality Assurance 

• Develop and implement mechanisms for monitoring the quality, effectiveness, and compliance of internship placements across all host organizations.  

• Conduct regular field monitoring visits to host institutions to assess internship implementation, mentorship quality, workplace safety, safeguarding compliance, and intern satisfaction.  

• Monitor the implementation of agreed internship work plans, learning objectives, supervision arrangements, and performance review processes.  

• Collect, analyze, and document feedback from interns, supervisors, employers, and other stakeholders to inform continuous programme improvement.  

• Identify implementation challenges, operational risks, and safeguarding concerns, and recommend timely corrective actions.  

• Support internship quality assessments, employer performance reviews, and periodic programme evaluations.  

• Contribute to graduate follow-up and tracer studies to assess employment outcomes, career progression, and programme impact.  

• Ensure timely collection, verification, and reporting of internship performance data in accordance with project monitoring and reporting requirements.  
• Prepare accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual technical reports highlighting achievements, challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations. 

Learning and Documentation 

• Capture, document, and disseminate best practices, innovative approaches, and successful models of employer engagement and internship implementation.  

• Develop high-quality case studies, success stories, human-interest stories, and employer testimonials demonstrating programme impact.  

• Document lessons learned, operational challenges, and recommendations to inform adaptive management and continuous programme improvement.  

• Support the development of technical briefs, knowledge products, guidance materials, and learning resources.  

• Facilitate cross-learning events among project teams, host organizations, and stakeholders to promote experience sharing and continuous improvement.  

• Maintain organized records, partnership documentation, internship databases, and other project information management systems.  

• Contribute to donor reporting, programme reviews, audits, and organizational knowledge management initiatives. 

 

Gender Equality, Disability and Inclusion 

• Promote equitable access to internship opportunities by ensuring transparent, inclusive, and non-discriminatory recruitment, selection, and placement processes.  

• Support host organizations in creating disability-inclusive workplaces through accessibility improvements, reasonable accommodation, and inclusive workplace policies.  

• Promote gender-responsive workplace practices that encourage the meaningful participation and retention of young women and other marginalized groups.  

• Ensure safeguarding standards, survivor-centered approaches, and child and youth protection policies are effectively integrated into all employer engagement and internship activities.  

• Monitor compliance with Gender Equality, Disability, Inclusion, and Safeguarding (GEDIS) standards across host organizations and recommend corrective actions where necessary.  

• Monitor and report sex, age, and disability-disaggregated data to assess programme inclusiveness and inform evidence-based decision-making.  

• Build the capacity of employers and workplace supervisors on diversity, equity, inclusion, prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (PSEAH), and safeguarding principles.  

• Promote a workplace culture that values diversity, respect, equal opportunity, and zero tolerance for discrimination, harassment, exploitation, or abuse. 

 

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: Management, Business Administration, Human Resource Management, Economics, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Industrial Relations or related field 

Experience 

• 2-4 years hands-on experience in employer partnership, host organization engagement and capacity building 
  • Internship Programs  
  • Employer Engagement  
  • Private Sector Development  
  • HR Management  
  • Workforce Development  
  • Youth Employment Programme 

Desired Assets (Nice-to-Have): 

• Master’s degree in the same related disciplines. 

Role Specific Competencies : 

• • Facilitation 
    • Microsoft Office  
      • Networking  
      • Report Writing 
    • Internship Management  
    • Labour Market Systems  
    • Employer Engagement  
    • Public-Private Partnerships  
    • Disability Inclusion  
    • Safeguarding  
    • Gender Equality  
    • Project Management  
    • Excellent Communication  
    • Negotiation 

SOS Lead and Core Competencies 

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.
• Results Orientation: look for solutions and focus on desired results.

 

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.