Senior Programme Officer

• Employment type: Defininte period
• Salary: USD 922

Role Purpose

The overall purpose of the job is to lead and support the implementation of Urban Livelihood activities at Addis Ababa for the KOICA livelihood project and provide the necessary leadership and technical support to government, privet sector and local NGO partners involved in the project implementation process; and manage Livelihood staff assigned for the project.

Key responsibilities summary

1. Project management and implementation

• Management of Concern Ethiopia’s ‘Improving livelihood for urban poor by developing Vocational skills through private sector engagement in Ethiopia’ project, to be implemented in Addis Ababa.
• Ensure strong and cordial working relationships established /maintained with different projects within and outside the organization in the project intervention area.
• Ensure that strong technical methodologies are in place for the range of activities being implemented with the support of the Addis Ababa based FSL Coordinator, DRR Technical and Senior FSL technical officers.
• Lead any kind of assessment required for the project implementation.
• Provide close and day-to-day appropriate technical and managerial support for project officers all throughout the project implementation period.
• Take the lead role and coordinate with partners in the development of project beneficiary selection criteria; lead beneficiary selection process together with project team and key government sector project partners.
• Establish good partnership relationship with government sector and NGO actors in the areas of women and youth employment, labor market assessment.
• Organize and facilitate Bazar promotion events, project specific workshops, document workshop minutes and share with the FSL Coordinator, DRR Technical officer and senior FSL Technical officer.
• Regularly communicate with TVET and related institutions regarding on-going trainings.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, annual and ad hoc reports & submit to the FSL Coordinator and other relevant technical staff.
• Build public-private partnership (PPPs) to promote work based training.
• Consider innovative technical project interventions and oversee their implementation in collaboration with the FSL Coordinator.
• Contribute to the development of proposals for any new livelihoods activities as needs arise.

  2. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• Carry out regular visits to the project sites, monitor activity implementation status, identify challenges, good practices and make prompt technical & managerial recommendations on remedial measures.
• Contribute to the development of documentation learning briefs and case studies relating to the Addis Ababa KOICA funded Livelihood project.
• Ensure project result indicators and effective data collection tools are clearly established and an effective M and E plan is developed.
• Ensure that data management system is simple and consistent allowing easy access and recall for performance management, evaluation and analysis;
• Design and develop appropriate databases in collaboration with M&E department and properly collect, document and share the appropriate information.
• Take lead in regular monitoring and evaluation activities of the project.
• Prepare monitoring checklist and schedule and share with M&E Department and sectoral coordinators on time.
• Plan and undertake regular technical and supportive supervision, field visit and ensure the implementation of the planned activities are in line with project document and standard quality.

3. Planning, Reporting and Accountability

• Prepare internal reports, donor and government reports and ensure that they are developed to a high standard and that all deadlines for the receipt of these reports are met.
• Clear reporting responsibilities and timeframes established within the project team and beyond allowing timely production of reports on expenditure and –in-kind support;
• Ensure effective communication and transparent information flows are maintained with the Addis technical teams (livelihoods, MEAL, gender equality, DRR).
• Ensure the full participation of beneficiaries at all stages of the project cycle management (needs assessment, design, implementation, project monitoring, review and evaluation).
• Contribute to ensuring that strong complaints response mechanisms are in place across the project throughout the project period.
• Ensure that Core Humanitarian Standards, applicable to the project, are met and that any concerns are timely raised to the DRR technical and senior FSL officers, Livelihood Coordinator and the PD as necessary.
• Prepare and share quarter monitoring and other field visit reports on major findings of project implementation.

4. Financial Management

• Prepare a project item procurement plan, procurement request and follow up its timely implementation; ensure procured project items are delivered to the project sites and put into use on timely basis.
• Take on overall responsibility for the project budget management ensuring adherence to Concern Worldwide and donor rules & procedures and time tables for financial reporting. This includes Preparing and communicate detailed budget plan of the project in line with financial format [Donor and Concern Worldwide formats].
• Ensuring strict adherence to Concern Ethiopia Financial Procedures and Fraud Policy and remaining within the boundaries of these policies at all times.
• Responsible to control and ensure proper utilization of the budget allocated to each activity and ensure that activities are implemented according to quality required as per agreed plans and quality standards.
• Ensure that the project budget are responsive to cost and value for money.
• Check and ensure the financial utilization report from the management account is correctly in line with the narrative activity report and planned budget and provide feedback.
• Ensure that the project budget utilization and variance analysis is done regularly and proper feedback is given on timely manner using the management account.
• Take the leading role in doing project budget revision as per the Concern Worldwide and donor’s time frame and communicate on timely manner.

5. Human Resources

• Line manage project staff, based in each project woreda, and provide with regular appropriate technical & administrative guidance.
• Identify capacity gaps and provide on the job capacity building and support to the project team.
• Set performance objectives for direct reports using the Concern PDR system and carry out performance development reviews.
• Provide technical and managerial support to coach project staff in order to build their capacity to perform their assigned roles and responsibilities.
• Address any HR issues in a timely and appropriate manner.

6. Coordination, Networking and Representation

• Liaise with relevant government partners and like-minded NGOs operational in the project areas.
• Promote and protect the reputation of Concern Worldwide in Ethiopia in external settings, ensuring that the organization’s experience and expertise well communicated and consistently presented, and that we looked to as a professional organization.
• Represent Concern & participate in various labour market & women & youth employment related networks and collaboration forum with government and other relevant organizations for learning and experience sharing.

  What we offer

• A competitive salary and benefit package
• Excellent medical benefits (100% cover including dependents)
• 20 days annual leave
• 26 weeks (paid) maternity leave, 18 weeks (unpaid) parental leave

Requirements

• Degree in Rural Development, Agriculture Extension/Economics, Food Security, Urban Livelihoods or related field of study.
• 4-6 years relevant experience, with at least 1 year management or advisory experience.
• Proven and demonstrable experience of working in a similar role and context.
• Demonstrable communication skills, with good spoken and written English and local language(s).
• Computer literacy in MS Office applications.
• Good technical/programme knowledge in area of responsibility
• Excellent oral and written communications skills.
• Experience in the field of managing women & youth vocational skill training, Entrepreneurship & employment is required.
• Knowledgeable in market system development approach
• NGO experience is desired.

Emergency response

Commit to participate in Emergency Response efforts when disasters strike and the Ethiopia Program is to respond, regardless of location and contribute to the efforts aimed at achieving the humanitarian objective of the organization.

Gender Equality

• Demonstrate understanding of Concern Ethiopia’s Gender Equality Strategy
• Contribute to ensuring that Concern Ethiopia is a place where men and women are treated equally and with dignity and respect.
• Demonstrate Gender equality awareness, gender sensitivity and able to integrate in all outreach tasks and activities.

Accountability

In line with Concern’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS):

• actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, M&E);
• work with relevant colleagues to ensure that the Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed;
• Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CRM, safeguarding and expected staff behavior is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Safeguarding

• Able to seek appropriate advice and report concerns, and feel confident that they have been understood.
• Understands local safeguarding structures and arrangements.
• Practice in a manner that seeks to reduce the risk of abuse, harm or neglect.
• Identifies and refers to appropriate services any other associated persons including carers, family members and children at risk.
• Able to document safeguarding concerns, and maintain appropriate record keeping, recording the wishes and views of the adult or child at risk, differentiating between fact and opinion.
  

  Important information:

Concern has an organisational Code of Conduct with three Associated Policies: The Programme Participant Protection Policy, the Child Safeguarding Policy, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy accessible here. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organisations, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organisation to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in their work, in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their contract of employment.

By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies. Additionally, Concern is committed to the safeguarding and protection of adults and children in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work or volunteer with adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Consequently, working or volunteering with Concern may be subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking