Project Manager - PEACE Project

Job Description

Organization profile

HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation in Ethiopia is a registered charity operating, for 20 years, in the working areas of Resilience, Accessibility, Skills Development, Governance & Peace, and humanitarian aids for people in need including youth, women and disadvantaged groups in multiple regions. Helvetas, based in Switzerland, is an independent Swiss development organization that has development, peace and humanitarian projects in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Helvetas is globally active in three thematic areas such as 1) Water, Food & Climate Change, 2) Skills, Jobs and Income and 3) Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion. For more information, please visit www.helvetas.org/en/ethiopia and www.helvetas.org.

Project profile

Helvetas is currently in negotiations and contracting with the donor for a project, which is intended to start on the 1^st of January 2024 (for 3 years, about 2 million CHF). This project aims to strengthen the operational, financial and peacebuilding capacities of local peacebuilders in crisis-affected areas of Amhara and Tigray regions. The project has the following three components/programs such as 1) a capacity-strengthening of selected civil society organizations (CSOs), 2) a small grant program (to be provided to selected CSOs for small-scale peacebuilding initiatives) and 3) a networking and advocacy program. Gender, Social Equity, Do-No-Harm, Conflict-Sensitive Project Management, Multi-Stakeholder/Participatory approaches are the main cross-cutting aspects of the project. The project, aiming to capacitate about 50 CSOs and outreach 500 women and youths, will be implemented in collaboration with two associations of CSOs in Amhara and Tigray regions.

Summary of Job Descriptions

HELVETAS Ethiopia is looking for motivated and competent professional for the ‘Project Manager’ position to be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with frequent visits to the project areas (Amhara and Tigray regions). The Project Manager reports Program Director and supervises Peace, Gender & Social Equity Officer.

Roles & responsibilities 
The Project Manager will be responsible for the overall management and quality assurance of the assigned project. The incumbent is responsible for the following objectives and main tasks:

• The project is successfully (quantitatively, qualitatively, safely/securely, sustainably) implemented and managed as per the project’s documents and in alignment with Helvetas’ global and country strategies.
• Responsible for the overall management, leadership and quality assurance of the project.
• The project is systematically monitored, documented, filed, learned, communicated and reported.
• Contribute to program acquisition and development for the working field of conflict management and peacebuilding.

Job Requirement

Education & Experience

• Bachelor degree in the relevant fields (e.g., Social science, Political science, Development study, Public policy or other related subjects).
• Minimum 9 years of working experience, in which: 4 years of experience as a Project Manager, 3 years of experience in peacebuilding, conflict management (resolution, responsive, transformation) related projects, 2 years of experience in small grants management.
• Strong experience in working with and for partners. Experience in managing and capacitating partners.
• Excellent risk analysis and management skills. Proven experience in adapting and managing the project in volatile contexts and with difficult partners.
• Strong experience in working with/for civil society organizations, community-based organizations and respective associations and networks (e.g., youth, women, peacebuilding).
• Excellent budgeting, budget monitoring, proposal and budget amendment (in compliance with complex donor requirements).
• Capable of guiding and coaching the project staff, partners and consultants by writing necessary Terms of Reference, guidelines and tools (e.g., project implementation guideline).
• Proven experience in monitoring, learning and capitalization of learning.
• Sound knowledge and understanding of the political, social and economic contexts of the project contexts.
• Sound knowledge and understanding of respective legal frameworks and government’s strategies (e.g., 10-year transformational plan, Ethiopia Resilient Recovery and Reconstruction Plan).
• Proven experience in working with respective government entities at regional and city administration levels such as the Bureau of Finance, Women, Youth - preferably Peace and Security as well.
• Excellent networking and coordination skills.
• Proven experience in promoting and mainstreaming Gender and Social Equity aspects. Be gender and social equity-sensitive in the project and in the team.
• Proven experience in promoting and mainstreaming Do-No-Harm principles. Be conflict sensitive.
• Proven track record in promoting and applying inclusive, participatory, multi-stakeholder approach.
• Knowledge of Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA).

Other skills and experience

• Excellent interpersonal and intercultural competencies and sensitivity
• Excellent conceptual, analytical, reporting and writing skills
• Strong motivator, facilitator, coordinator and coach
• Leadership skills including visionary, participatory, inspirational and remote leadership
• Results-based management skill
• Adaptable
• Team building and management skills
• Capable and willing to live, work and travel under difficult and stressful conditions
• Fluent in English and Amharic skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking)
• Good command of Microsoft Office software package (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook). Able to use communication platforms such as Teams, Webex, ZOOM, Skype, GoogleMeet, Whatsapp, Telegram.