Sr. Program Lead

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Senior Program Lead is responsible for the overall leadership and strategic direction of the humanitarian program, focusing on ABA/multi-sector emergency assistance in Wag Himra Zone and other contested areas of Ethiopia. This role involves managing a consortium of partners (NRC, ACF, PAD, DPO, REACH, and SCI), serving as the overall budget holder, ensuring effective coordination among stakeholders, and achieving project objectives aligned with donor expectations and organizational goals.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

• Reports to: Director of Program Operations
• Staff Reporting to this Post: Finance Manager, Senior ABA Coordinator, Senior Information Manager, and MEAL Advisor
• Budget Responsibilities: Overall budget holder for the project, managing a budget of approximately $3.2 million.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

1. Strategic Leadership & Program Oversight
   • Provide strategic vision and leadership for the program, ensuring alignment with humanitarian needs and organizational priorities.
   • Oversee program planning, implementation, and evaluation to ensure high-quality, timely delivery of services.
   • Lead area-level needs assessments, service mapping, and gap analysis to develop a clear area-based response strategy for Wag Himra.
   • Facilitate effective coordination among consortium partners, ensuring integrated cross-sector planning and accountability for their contributions.
   • Lead the development and periodic revision of the Area-Based Response Strategy and implementation roadmap for Wag Himra Zone in collaboration with consortium partners.
2. Consortium Management
   • Lead the overall consortium governance structure, including steering committee meetings and partner coordination platforms.
   • Ensure partners comply with consortium agreements, workplans, and donor contractual obligations.
   • Review and approve partner work plans, budgets, and technical deliverables.
   • Facilitate conflict resolution and problem-solving among consortium partners.
   • Ensure timely consolidation of partner reports into high-quality donor submissions.
   • Oversee partner capacity strengthening and technical support where required.
3. Budget Management
   • Act as the main budget holder for the program, ensuring compliance with donor regulations and organizational policies.
   • Lead the development of annual budgets, financial forecasts, and budget amendments in collaboration with finance teams and partners.
   • Monitor financial performance and ensure timely reporting to donors and stakeholders.
   • Endorse modification requests, amendments, significant budget reallocations, and strategic shifts before submission to ECHO if necessary.
4. Coordination & Partnership Management
   • Establish and maintain strong relationships with local authorities, community leaders, and zonal and woreda administrations to ensure effective program implementation and alignment with local governance structures.
   • Represent the program at national-level coordination meetings, ensuring strong advocacy for the needs of affected populations.
   • Foster collaboration among partners and facilitate joint planning and problem-solving initiatives, emphasizing integrated approaches to service delivery.
5. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
   • Ensure the integration of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) frameworks into program activities.
   • Promote a culture of learning and continuous improvement within the program, utilizing data to inform decision-making.
   • Oversee the collection and analysis of program data to measure impact and effectiveness and ensure the quality and consistency of narrative reports.
6. Community Engagement & Accountability
   • Ensure active community participation in the design, implementation, and evaluation of ABA activities.
   • Establish feedback mechanisms to gather community input and address concerns related to service delivery, ensuring that community priorities inform program design and monitoring.
7. Safeguarding & Compliance
   • Ensure compliance with child safeguarding policies and promote a culture of safeguarding within the program.
   • Lead the implementation of risk management strategies to identify and mitigate potential risks associated with program activities.
8. Team Management
   • Provide leadership, mentoring, and capacity building for program staff, fostering a collaborative and high-performance work environment.
   • Conduct regular performance reviews and support professional development opportunities for team members.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

• Accountability: Holds self and team accountable for delivering results and adhering to organizational values.
• Ambition: Sets challenging goals and encourages the team to achieve them, sharing a vision that motivates others.
• Collaboration: Builds effective relationships with team members and external partners, valuing diversity.
• Creativity: Encourages innovative solutions and is willing to take calculated risks.
• Integrity: Demonstrates honesty and transparency in all actions.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., social studies, humanitarian studies, international development, Project Management, and related fields).
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in humanitarian program management, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Proven experience in managing multi-sectoral programs in emergency contexts, particularly within an area-based approach framework.
• Strong understanding of humanitarian principles and practices, including coordination mechanisms and donor requirements.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience in budget management and financial reporting.

Desirable:

• Familiarity with the Ethiopian context and experience working with consortia.
• Experience in capacity building and training of local staff and partners.