Project Manager and Country Representative

Il Sole Onlus is seeking an Expatriate to fill the position of Chief Officer and Country Representative in Ethiopia for the implementation of the project “Vocational Training for the Empowerment of Youth in Vulnerable Conditions in Addis Ababa” co-funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and for the structuring of the NGO in the country.

The figure plays a central role in this project, as he/she will coordinate and monitor project activities with the support of two local human resources (Administrative Officer and Project Officer), ensuring regular feedback to the Project Manager in Italy.

ROLE: The figure ensures the coordination, implementation and monitoring of project actions. In particular, he/she will work to ensure that project objectives/outputs are achieved according to the work plan and within the contractual period of the project.

The Chief Officer and Country Representative will also coordinate the project team to ensure the overall success of the implementation, reporting and management of activities. As Country Representative, the Expatriate is responsible for following the paperwork for structuring the coordination office in the country and planning Il Sole Onlus’ activities in Ethiopia.

Role and Responsibilities: – He/she is responsible for the proper conduct of all project activities to be implemented according to the timetable and in coordination with local authorities, as well as with project partners and in coordination with the Desk in Italy. – Coordinates the local staff – Prepares the monthly work plans and other tools for monitoring the progress of project activities – Selects local experts to conduct seminars and workshops on key project issues, possibly leading some of them personally – Is responsible for internal project monitoring and the collection, processing, and storage of project-related data – Drafts detailed mission and activity reports – Monitors progress (activities and chronogram), supporting the preparation of project expenditure flow projections and the production of necessary documentation related to activities, indicators, and verification sources in the implementation and verification phases (external evaluations) – Prepares internal technical-narrative reporting required by the project office and external reporting required by the donor; – Verifies that the donor procedures and those of Il Sole Onlus are applied. – Develops new project ideas and provides a funding plan for the sustainability of Il Sole Onlus in the country. – Ensures compliance with in-country visibility constraints required by the donor and transfers to Il Sole Onlus’ communication office in Italy the documentation necessary for more structured communication and visibility actions; is responsible for implementing the in-country communication and visibility plan – Prepares the necessary documentation for the annual audits of local authorities – Ensures, in collaboration with the administrative desk in Italy and the local administrator, the regular dispatch of funds to ensure the smooth running of planned activities – Is responsible for the regularity of reporting prepared by counterparts and partners as well as Il Sole Onlus staff

Required skills – Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, law, political science; – Prior experience in similar position (expert/coordinator) of at least 5 years; – Proven experience in managing projects co-funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation or the European Commission; – In-depth knowledge of Project Cycle Management and its tools; – Prior experience in writing projects to national and international donors (at least 5 years); – Proven expertise in preparing budgets and project reports; – Strong organizational skills and ability to work with limited supervision; – Proven competence in writing project reports, proposals and/or research studies in a related area of development. – Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Italian. – Excellent skills in using Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Preference will be given to: – experience on Street Children issues and vocational training for youth in vulnerable situations; – Knowledge of the dynamics among different government and private stakeholders in Ethiopia; – knowledge of Amharic.

Duration of assignment: The duration of the assignment is 3 years with the possibility of renewal at the end of the project, with a 3-month probationary period.