Regional Hub Officer

Empathy for Life Integrated Development Association (ELiDA) is a women-led, non-governmental civil society organization established in 2008 and licensed by the Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO), Certificate No. 1143. ELiDA envisions a society where women and girls are socially responsible, empowered, and actively engaged in leadership and decision-making processes across all sectors of society.

ELiDA implements integrated programs in Peacebuilding, Humanitarian Response, Education, Livelihoods, and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention and Response across Ethiopia, focusing on conflict-affected, disaster-affected, and vulnerable communities. Through its interventions, ELiDA promotes resilience, gender equality, social cohesion, and sustainable development.

In partnership with UN Women, ELiDA is launching a national initiative under entitled “Enhanced and meaningful women’s participation in peace and security and strengthened community-based peacebuilding efforts.” To ensure effective sub-national execution, grassroots mobilization, and localized management of the project, ELiDA is seeking to recruit a highly qualified, experienced, and dynamic professional for the position of Regional Hub Officer.

Job Purpose

The Regional Hub Officer will be responsible for the direct field-level implementation, coordination, and day-to-day oversight of project activities within the assigned regional hub, specifically focusing on the Harari and Somali regions. Based in Harar, the officer will lead the localized mobilization of customary women-led peace structures, local women’s and youth organizations, coordinate regional consultation mechanisms, manage local youth and women’s initiatives, and facilitate sub-national networking and advocacy local engagements.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Regional Project Coordination and Field Implementation

• Lead the field-level execution of all project activities in the Harari and Somali regions, ensuring they are completed within scope, schedule, and allocated resource thresholds.
• Organize and co-facilitate localized training events and workshops for local target groups.
• Actively engage, mobilize, and strengthen traditional, informal, and customary women’s organizations and networks and community platforms within the regions.
• Conduct localized consultation forums to gather structural inputs from regional women peacebuilders and grassroots CSOs.

2. Local Women and Youth Engagement

• Facilitate regional training sessions for youth and women, e.g. community-based Peace Ambassadors, mediators, etc.
• Provide close technical guidance, continuous mentorship, and operational tracking to regional youth-led small-scale peace initiatives funded under the project’s micro-granting scheme.
• Oversee field-level activities executed by women youth groups and local multipliers to bridge intergenerational communication gaps with customary elder-led structures.

3. Sub-National Networking and Advocacy

• Mobilize regional women’s rights organizations, grassroots networks, and youth structures to form robust sub-national collaboration platforms and peace forums.
• Support regional networks in drafting joint position papers and unified advocacy strategies addressing localized barriers to women’s inclusion.
• Facilitate sub-national advocacy actions, including localized media campaigns and multi-stakeholder meetings with regional government line bureaus, universities, and customary leaders.

4. Monitoring, Reporting, and Safeguarding Compliance

• Compile and verify monthly field progress data, tracker logs, and activity reports, submitting them systematically to the Project Coordinator and Senior MEL Officer.
• Conduct localized data collection, participant feedback tracking, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews to support the development of 6 regional case studies.
• Maintain real-time monitoring of emerging local safety risks, log operational access restrictions, and implement conflict-sensitive “do-no-harm” mitigation measures.
• Enforce strict compliance with PSEA (Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) policies and anti-fraud standards among regional stakeholders and participants, promoting the use of ELiDA’s secure hotline.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Social Sciences, Peace and Conflict Management, Gender Studies, Development Studies, Sociology, or Law.
• Minimum of 3 years (for MA) or 5 years (for BA) of relevant progressive field coordination experience in local NGOs, women-led CSOs in particular.
• Proven experience coordinating community-based projects in peacebuilding, gender equality, women’s rights, or youth civic engagement sectors, preferably within the Harari and Somali regions.
• Deep understanding of the localized patriarchal structures, clan-governance systems, and resource-sharing conflict dynamics prevalent in pastoralist and peri-urban hubs.
• Experience in grassroots community mobilization, interactive workshop facilitation, and outcome monitoring using digital data tools (Kobo Toolbox, Google Sheets).
• Good at written and spoken proficiency in English and Amharic is required. High proficiency in written and spoken Afaan Oromoo and/or Somali is mandatory to effectively communicate with regional structures and grassroots target groups.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and presentation skills.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding and accountability principles.

Core Competencies

• Proven grassroots mobilization and community engagement skills
• High degree of cultural empathy and conflict-sensitive negotiation
• Integrity, professionalism, and results orientation
• Strong gender sensitivity and commitment to inclusive programming
• Adaptability and independent field-level problem-solving
• Effective communication, teamwork, and cross-cultural collaboration
• Full commitment to safeguarding, PSEA, and humanitarian protection principles

Languages

• Fluency in English and Amharic is required.
• High proficiency in written and spoken Afaan Oromoo and/or Somali is mandatory.