Program Manager
Job Description:
- Vision Aid Overseas (VAO) is a UK-based charity, with a focus on fighting poverty by transforming access to eye care services in developing countries in Africa. The charity was established in 1985, and currently works in several countries across sub-Saharan Africa.
VAO is a registered charity under the Ethiopian Democratic Republic of Ethiopia agency for Civil Society Organisation Proclamation No. 113/2019 with Certificate No.3638.
Our work focuses on the development of services for Uncorrected Refractive Error (URE), primary eye health and School Eye Health.
VAO has been working in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, Save the Children Ethiopia, Regional Health bureaus, and Professional associations to tackle vision impairment and blindness due to URE.
We develop programs that integrate training, primary eye care, School Eye Health, and facility developments into national and regional eye care plans, seeking always to be responsive to local need. More recently VAO has supported the development of a School Eye Health Program in Oromia Region and a Vision Centre in Wollega University Referral hospital. We are soon to commence our “Vision4Inclusion: Leave no Child Behind” – School Eye health Project funded through USAID’s Child Blindness Program.
To learn more about us visit our website at www.visionaidoverseas.org
Key Accountabilities
The Program Manager (PM) will be responsible for overseeing the successful implementation of USAID-funded CBP project and completion of a 1-year School Eye Health project in Waghimra Zone, Amhara, in partnership with Save the Children Ethiopia. He/she will manage the sub-grant to Save the Children, ensuring milestones are met and reporting is high quality and on time. In consultation with, and guidance from the Country Manager, they will manage the scope, schedule, finance, risk, quality, and resources of the project, ensuring that all children and persons with disability are protected and always safeguarded.
Duities and Responsibilities
- The Program Manager shall be the project implementation lead and shall ensure effective planning, delivery of action plans and communication with Program team and stakeholders.
- Develop project milestones and schedules under the guidance of the VAO Country Manager.
- Ensuring thorough identification, prevention, and management of potential risks and liabilities to the project, VAO and the funder (donor).
- Communicating with the Country Manager, VAO and Save the Children technical teams to keep the project aligned with their goals and international best practices and standards.
- Performing quality assurance and control on the project throughout development to maintain the standards expected, in consultation with the Country Manager.
- Ensure adaptability to readily adjust activities/workplans on the project in response to realities and emergencies that might occur.
- Motivating people involved in the project to complete tasks on time.
- Assign, prioritize, and supervise project tasks (task management), implement, and manage changes.
- Working closely with the MEAL Officer, track project performance using appropriate KPIs, metrics, tools, and techniques.
- Working with the Finance team, ensure robust financial procedures and reporting.
- Submit deliverables and ensure they adhere to quality standards.
- Perform any other relevant, organisational, and project-related duties when needed.
- Formulate monthly and quarterly action plans for the approved project with timelines. Report on progress to the Country Manager.
- Extend required support and undertake monitoring visits to the eye department in the project areas and communities.
- Work closely with government, eye care professionals, and community elders and other relevant stakeholders to deliver project results.
- Build the capacities of the community mobilizers and oversee their work pertaining to assigned project.
- Coordinate with the district eye hospital and ensure all referred patients from the project areas are provided with required eye care services.
- Ensure and insist on gender and inclusion in every stage of the project management cycle.
- Ensure child protection and safeguarding throughout the project cycle and report any child abuse cases to the relevant authorities in accordance with VAO Child Protection and Safeguarding policy.
Community engagement
- Liaise with other stakeholders or NGOs in the project area to encourage collaborative working.
- Provide a forum to gather feedback from the communities in line with VAO participatory approaches.
- Work with the VAO staff to develop and refine appropriate Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) materials.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
- Support the MEAL Officer to:
- Ensure the project complies with VAO’s Monitoring and Evaluation framework, theory of change, and specific donor requirements.
- Ensure timely and accurate data flow from schools and mobile eye health teams and to line manager/supervisor.
- Assist in data processing and analysis in line with VAO adaptive learning framework.
- Develop, along with the Country Manager, save the Children and the Waliku team, systems to harvest project outcomes.
- Gather case studies from students and schools in line with VAO communications strategy and grant requirements.
- Support baseline and end of project assessment processes.
- Help compile comprehensive project reports to key government stakeholders i.e., the Health and Education bureaus, donors, VAO staff and other stake holders.
Project name: Vision4Inclusion: Leave no Child Behind
Reports to: Country Manager
Salary and benefits: 500,000 to 550,000 ETB Gross per annum, commensurate with experience, plus a 32,000 ETB contribution towards medical insurance
Contract terms: Full time, fixed term contract for 12 months
Leave: 23 days holiday per annum plus public holidays
Travel requirements: Within the region and to Addis Ababa
Job Requirements:
- Experience/Knowledge/Skills
The role of the Program Manager requires an energetic, highly motivated and a result orientated individual, with demonstrated experience within the NGO sector and community engagement sectors. They must be able to demonstrate:
- Solid experience of working in the health sector and demonstrable expertise in Program management may qualify candidates for the position despite not having the undergraduate degree.
- Three to five years of work experience in health or community development sector with main responsibility covering all areas of Program management.
- Experience of working in the eye health sector (desirable) and/or School-based programs (essential) for Government or non-profit organization (NGO).
- Expertise and experience in budget management.
- Proven skills in documentation, data management, and project report writing.
- Good IT skills including MS Office.
- A strong empathy with the cause of elimination of avoidable blindness
- Good verbal and written communication skills in English, Afaan Oromo, and Amharic
- Excellent management skills and interpersonal skills
- Self-motivated and a self-starter
- Willingness to spend substantial time with community-based health workers and target communities in remote locations.
- Appreciable understanding of the Gender dynamics of Ethiopia and experience in inclusion.
Education/certifications
- Minimum undergraduate degree in Public Health, Social Work, international development, or any other relevant subject.
How To Apply:
- Eligibility: This position is open to those with the legal right to live and work in Ethiopia. The successful candidate must be able to obtain a Police Clearance Certificate. Qualified female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply.
IMPORTANT: Applicants MUST send their CV (maximum 4 pages) and a cover letter (max 2 pages) demonstrating how they meet the desired qualifications to
[email protected] and COPY [email protected]
Deadline for applications: Sunday 12th June 2022 at 5pm.