Program Manager (PM)

JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION

SOS Sahel Ethiopia is a humanitarian and development NGO serving the people of Ethiopia since 1991. The organization is implementing a wide range of projects chiefly oriented to Natural Resources Management, Food Security, Rural Development, Value-chain Development, Drought Preparedness and Action Researches. SOS Sahel Ethiopia works in partnership with communities, government, local and international organizations, and the private sector to innovate, learn and share best practices for the maximum impact of our projects. SOS Sahel Ethiopia in partner with FARM Africa, FZS, PHE EC, & IWMI is implementing BER (SHARE) II Program in different districts under Bale Eco-region. SOS Sahel Ethiopia as part of its program implementation intend to recruit a key staff for the potion mentioned hereunder:

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The PM is responsible for the implementation of SOS Sahel Ethiopia – BER (SHARE) II Project, undertaking project management, planning, and implementation, playing a leading role in internal and external project reporting, financial management, monitoring and evaluation of the project activities, outputs and impacts, coordination of activities among consortium organizations and liaising with government partners and the donors. The PM’s responsibilities involve ensuring that the project activities of all consortium members are integrated effectively and that all relevant stakeholders at all levels are sufficiently engaged.

KEY TASKS AND RESPONISBILITES

Key areas of responsibility are:

1. Successfully manage the implementation of programmes in accordance with the agreed objectives, work plans and budgets

a. Project planning:

In coordination with consortium members,review and prepare the project’s work plan and budget during the annual planning process, ensure that the plans of consortium members are well aligned and integrated to ensure the landscape approach/methodology of the project;manage monthly, quarterly and annual work plans for project logistics and activities, identifying and responding to the implications of interdependencies between different sub-project work stream activities plan for and ensure the successful implementation of a sustainable macro exit from the project;

b. Project delivery, implementation and internal reporting:

Ensure that project activities are implemented and outputs achieved as planned and within the agreed budget; coordinate regular project reviews, submitting quarterly internal progress review reports outlining progress, issues and actions being taken in the standard format to the Executive Director.

Participate in quarterly project progress review sessions with the consortium members including an in-depth review of financial spend/burn rate; achievement against activity and output plan, and a forward look on whether the project is achieving its objectives.

Proactively identify and monitor any risks to non-delivery and, where required, develop and implement action plans including training (capacity building) needs to address issues identified; ensure the timely submission of narrative and financial reports to the donor as per the reporting requirements indicated in the financing agreement;

c. Financial management and governance:

Maintain strong leadership and knowledge on budget management, tracking spend of SOS Sahel Ethiopia;

Prepare budget forecast and cash requests as per SOS Sahel Ethiopia’s internal working rules;

Identify and analyze the causes of spending variances to the budget and take action as needed;

Review budget monitoring reports, and provide timely explanations and corrective actions for any significant variances;

Ensure that all procurement of goods and services follow the terms and conditions stipulated in the donor financing agreement and SOS Sahel Ethiopia procurement procedures;

d. Monitoring and evaluation of the project’s outcomes and impact

Working with the project field team, consortium members, and other stakeholders, develop and implement a project monitoring and evaluation process that meets the basic monitoring and outcome reporting requirements of each consortium member;

Work closely with the project team to contribute lessons learned, ensure dissemination and maintain dialogue on key project findings;

Ensure the project’s log-frame and data collection plans are regularly reviewed and refreshed, and that the project is collecting the breadth of indicators required at a frequency and timing in line with reporting purposes;

Lead the project’s annual self-assessment process ensuring that necessary evidence is collected and all staff are actively inputting into the process

Oversee baseline, mid-term, final evaluation and other external evaluations, ensuring that learning and recommendations from those evaluations are explicitly incorporated into the project’s future implementation activity

2. Line manage the project staff

In liaison with the relevant consortium member leadership, lead the recruitment of new staff to the project team;

Provide leadership and motivation to all project staff building values-based team working and individual staff skills relevant to the project;

Regularly provide both informal and formal coaching and feedback to all project staff;

Hold in-person supervision sessions with all line-managed staff at least once per quarter (to discuss progress against their personal development objectives and work targets) and carry out in-person annual appraisals with all line-managed staff;

Effectively and promptly deal with any poor performance and actively recognize and encourage strong performance.

3. Play an active role as a member of team

Contribute to the development and implementation of SOS Sahel Ethiopia’s strategy

Participate in SOS Sahel Ethiopia’s strategic planning processes, which provides future directions of SOS Sahel Ethiopia and support the Executive Director to develop the organization future strategic direction, development and focus,

Support the Executive Director in the development of new initiative in line with the country strategy of SOS Sahel Ethiopia,

REPORTS TO:The Executive Director

LOCATION:Addis Ababa (Head Office) with frequent field travel

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Required Skills/Expertise:

1. Technical

Essential	Desirable
MSc degree or above in one or more of the following disciplines: Natural resource management, , agriculture, watershed management	Practical experiences in the implementation of participatory Forest management, Interdependent livelihood development intervention Participatory Range land management and
A minimum of 15 years of a total work experience of which a minimum offiveyears in the position of project coordinator in development projects with NGOs experience and a minimum ofthreeyears at the position of program manager in managing and implementing integrated, complex, and large programmes (at least $ 2 million) in the areas of natural resources management, Agriculture, & watershed management, and Climate smart agriculture, and diverse geographic coverage, involving multi-sector, diverse groups of stakeholders, consortium approach and Multisectoral approach	Practical work experience at the grassroots & good understanding of the Forest dependent community Livelihood and Consortium management , Experiences of linking small farmers to a market and micro financing institutions

2. Competency required

An advanced understanding of the interlinks among climate smart agriculture, natural resources, ecosystems and livelihoods, and the balance among these in insuring sustainability;

Extensive experience and demonstrated successes in managing and implementing integrated, complex and large programmes, covering wide range of thematic and geographic areas, involving multi-sector, diverse groups of stakeholders and natural resources;

An understanding of the role of community-based approaches, in particular gender issues as they relate to livelihoods and conservation;

Demonstrated leadership experience, team work, excellent network and excellent relationship with government partners;

Excellent record of writing skills including policy briefs, project report compilation, communication and dissemination;

3. Project management

Cultivates innovative thinking among team members for imaginative solutions with high potential for impact;

Ensures high quality of programme delivery across the team;

Manages all aspects of complex projects well; dynamically adjusting work and activity plans and as required and as new opportunities emerge or the context shifts.

Structures and leads teams in problem-solving manner to address complex issues, prioritising efforts towards the most critical issues and regularly updating the ingoing hypothesis as required to focus the team

4.Fundraising and grant/contract management

Able to craft and synthesise project activities, outcomes and learning into compelling donor reports;

Able to develop proposals and concept notes;

5. Team building and line management

Develops strong capabilities and skills in team members, group members, and build collaborative team environment;

Balances workloads of team members to both ensure successful delivery of the project as well as provide development opportunities for people to grow and learn, and able to manage team members remotely;

6. Financial management

Ability to develop read and manage to budgets; and rapidly spot potential issues and solutions

A strong leadership and knowledge on budget management and tracking spending of the project;

Able to report spend vs budgets accurately to consortium lead;

7. Participatory planning, monitoring & evaluation

Able to build trust-based relationships with beneficiaries, understanding their culture, context, skills and views;

Constantly seeks beneficiary input, feedback and supporting data to ensure full understanding of the impact of interventions;

Good understanding of participatory impact assessment approaches and effective monitoring and evaluation techniques;

8. Stakeholder engagement and management

Ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders based on trust, collaboration, demonstrated commitment and impact, deploying a wide range of influencing techniques as required;