Program Area Manager

Work Context
CESVI has been active in Ethiopia since 2018, implementing programs across multiple regions with a focus on strengthening community resilience and supporting humanitarian response in areas affected by climate-related and socio-economic shocks. Its initiatives promote climate-smart agriculture and agroforestry to improve smallholder productivity and food security. These efforts include introducing resilient crops such as sorghum, promoting moringa and legumes, improving soil health, and facilitating environmentally sustainable farming practices.

CESVI also invests in strengthening local value chains by supporting producer associations especially women and youth groups and linking them with micro-enterprises for processing and market access. By combining technical expertise with community engagement and academic partnerships, CESVI advances inclusive development aligned with global sustainability goals.

A key intervention, “She-F.E.R.A. (Moringa): Economic Chains for Resilience Food in Ethiopia,” financed by AICS Rome, uses a systemic, resilience-oriented approach. The project integrates moringa with sorghum and beans to promote resilient food systems, empower women and youth, and strengthen connections between farmers and local markets. Through improved extension services, resilient crop inputs, and integrated agroforestry systems, the project enhances soil fertility, increases production volumes, diversifies diets, and boosts household incomes ultimately reducing vulnerability to climate shocks.

PROMOSSO builds upon these approaches to deliver comprehensive, sustainable, community-centered resilience solutions.

Job Description
Job summary: The Program Area Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, coordination, planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of the PROMOSSO project in the assigned operational area. The role ensures high-quality delivery of project activities, effective team management, strong stakeholder engagement, and compliance with donor, organizational, and government requirements. The Manager acts as the primary liaison between the community, local government structures, partners, and PROMOSSO’s technical and management teams.

Starting date of collaboration: February 2026
Duty station: Yabello, Konso and Derashe
Duration: One year with possibility of extension

Responsibilities:

Operational Management:

• Oversee day-to-day operations and the management of field office, ensuring the projects are implemented efficiently, on time, and within budget, adhering to humanitarian standards like Sphere and the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS)
  Strategic Leadership & Program Development
• Lead the adaptation of the national strategy to the local context, identify new programming opportunities, and contribute to the development of project proposals and budgets in coordination with the Country Office and technical teams.

Team Management:

• Provide leadership and direct line management to area and field staff, including performance management, capacity building, and promoting a positive, inclusive, and accountable team environment. Ensure all HR policies and guidelines, including safeguarding, are understood and implemented.

Financial & Grant Management:

• Serve as the overall budget holder for the area, managing the master budget, monitoring expenditures, ensuring compliance with donor regulations, and overseeing timely and accurate financial and programmatic reporting.

Coordination & Representation:

• Act as the primary representative for the organization in the area of operation, fostering strong relationships with local government authorities, donors, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and community leaders. Participate in relevant coordination forums and cluster meetings.

Safety & Security Management:

• In coordination with the National Security FP and the Field Security FP, assume overall responsibility for the safety and security of all staff and assets in the area. Continuously monitor the local context and security situation, contribute to update risk assessments, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and contingency plans in collaboration with the National Security FP.

Accountability & Risk Management:

• Ensure effective mechanisms are in place for accountability to affected populations, including feedback and complaint handling mechanisms. Plan and implement risk management plans and ensure follow-up on internal and external audit findings.

Requirements
Essential requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Agriculture, Rural Development, Disaster risk management, Natural Resource Management, Development Studies, or related field.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Spoken and written fluency in English, and Amharic language
• Spoken and written in Afan Oromo, Konso and Derashe language is advantage
• Previous experience in working with International NGOs on the same role for more than 5 years.
• Willingness to travel frequently to field locations.
• Familiarity with the local agricultural context and practices is an advantage

Other Skills & Competencies:

• Excellent project planning, coordination, and leadership skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Good command of report writing and documentation.
• Knowledge of local language of the project area is a strong asset
• Solid understanding of safeguarding, gender, and inclusion principles.

Safeguarding
CESVI adopts a zero-tolerance approach to any form of harm, abuse, or exploitation of children or vulnerable adults by its staff, associated personnel, or partners.

Our commitment to being a safe and protective organization begins at the recruitment stage. CESVI’s hiring process includes rigorous vetting procedures such as criminal record checks and disclosure of previous convictions to ensure the safeguarding of children and vulnerable individuals and to prevent any form of misconduct. These safeguarding checks form an integral part of the staff selection and performance evaluation process.

For further information regarding CESVI’s safeguarding and protection policies, please refer to the relevant organizational documents or contact the Safeguarding Focal Person. https://www.cesvi.eu/who-we-are/transparency/our-policies/

How to apply

Persons qualified for this position are invited to submit their CVs (including 3 referees) and COVER LETTER ONLY to CESVI to the e-mail address: ethiopia@cesvi.org

Please quote the Position in the subject line of your e-mail application. Please do not apply twice, applicants should not attach certificates at this stage. Inquiries by phone or e-mail will not be entertained.

This position is only open to Ethiopian Nationals, who must be eligible to live and work in Ethiopia. More information about CESVI can be found on cesvi.eu

Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Please note:
The closing date for applications is Wednesday 25th January2026 at midnight EAT. However, Cesvi reserves the right to close the vacancy before the above-mentioned date in case a large number of applications is received. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.