Terms of Reference for Recruitment of Resident Program Officer (RPO)

General Information on VNG International and We are Able! Program 

VNG International is the International Cooperation Agency of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG). Being part of VNG, one of the oldest and strongest local government associations in the world, our roots in local government are deep. It is second nature for us to work at both the technical and political level of local government.

VNG International is implementing various programs in Ethiopia, among which We are Able! The We are Able! programme strives at co-creating inclusive governance for access to basic resources that leaves no one behind. We are able! focuses on empowerment, amplifying voices and creating resilience among people (including men, women and youth) with disabilities (also referred to as PWDs) and other excluded groups, particularly those faced with food insecurity in areas of protracted crises. While PWDs are the core target group of the We are able! program, we create benefits for other excluded groups like vulnerable women, youth in general, marginalized ethnic groups and internally displaced persons (IDPs), as applicable per context. The programme, funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is being implemented by a consortium consisting of ZOA, the African Disability Forum, SeeYou Foundation (Light for the World), the Leprosy Mission Netherlands, VNG International and The Hague Academy for Local Governance. The programme is implemented together with local partners in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.

In Ethiopia, the We Are Able! programme operates in Dire Dawa, Harari, Oromia (Deder, Haromaya, Babile and Gursum Weredas), & Addis Ababa City Administration (Yeka, Gulele, Kolfe Keranio & Nifas Silk Lafto Sub Cities).

VNG International will under this program focus on lobby and advocacy and will implement and coordinate the activities under Pathway III: ‘Strengthening Public Authorities’. For Pathway III, WaA! specifically targets Public Authorities (both technical + political staff), CSOs/OPDs and citizens. This Pathway includes a strong capacity development component (training, action learning, technical assistance, coaching, etc.), as well as community planning and budgeting.

Programme Implementation

• Support the implementation, design and monitoring of the Annual Country Work Plan in coordination with Resident Program Manager (RPM) and with ZOA (lead).
• Develop, organize, steer, and/or support the implementation of activities (timely delivery of inputs and outputs, activity plans, quality control, logistics) under the Annual Work Plan of the specified areas.
• Assist beneficiaries in the project area in the implementation of their activities of the Annual Work Plan and reaching the objectives of the Country Programme. Regularly contact and visit the beneficiaries and stakeholders.
• Ensure proper coordination and alignment with the lead organization (ZOA) and other consortium- and implementing partners. The officer will participate in name of VNG International and seek alignment, identify activities and come up with innovative ways of working together with the other partners and key stakeholders. This includes participation in Monthly Taskforce meetings at Harar office with all government stakeholders.
• Provide feedback, add value, advice and issue recommendations for the improvement of the implementation of the Programme, the Annual Work Plan, the Annual Report and other relevant programme documents.
• Contribute to the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and perform annual LIA (Local Inclusion Agenda)-score measurements in collaboration with the RPM.
•  Coordinate and spend part of the annual budget; recording and maintain the day-to-day transactions in the financial reporting templates, payment of per diem and transportation allowances with regard to events.
• Coordinate and follow-up on sub-grants that may be used in the programme; implementation of grant manual.
• Prepare financial and narrative reports for VNG International according to the agreed formats and timing in coordination with the RPM.
• 10. Ensure usage of VNG International and WaA! visibility materials, logos, working formats and documents, etc.
• Work in close coordination with both the other WaA! consortium partners and other programmes of VNG International in Ethiopia.

 Expert responsibilities

•  To act as expert for technical assistance for the beneficiary public authorities, partner organizations and CSOs/OPDs in the fields of local governance upon request.
•  Support in conducting stakeholder analyses, ensuring alignment of programme to local context, including being able to adopt a gender and disability inclusion lens to programme design and implementation.
•  Ensure the programme is inclusive for all. This may include that basic information is available in Amharic and or Afan Oromo, as well as on other accessible platforms, such as braille.
• Accomplish all other tasks that may come up in coordination with the RPM.

 Reporting Requirements

• The RPO will report directly to the RPM in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
• Formats for the different reports will be provided by VNG International.

 Duty station: Harar town with regular travel within Harari Region, Dire Dawa, Haromaya, Babile, Gursum and Deder, and occasionally to Addis Ababa (HQ).

Job Requirements

Education

•  Masters Degree in Public Administration, Governance, Social Science, Gender/Conflict Studies, or another relevant field.

 Experience

• Demonstrable knowledge and expertise with inclusion of people with a disability;
• Affinity of working with public authorities on local and national level (woredas, kebeles) as well as civil society organizations (CSOs);
• Minimum of 6 years of experience in the project target area in developing, implementing and evaluating activities in the field of good governance; experienced in project cycle management;
• Minimum of 3 years of experience with the formulation, implementation and evaluation of international and donor-funded capacity development programmes for local governments;
• Experience with financial reporting;
• Experience with working with (organizations for) people with a disability is a great advantage;
• Experience with working in a political sensitive environment.

 Skills

• Excellent knowledge of English, Amharic and Afaan Oromo (essential);
• Excellent narrative and financial reporting skills;
• Excellent training and facilitation skills such as time-management skills, skills to guide and motivate participants and active listening skills;
• Excellent social, communication and networking skills, both oral as in writing;
• Eye for conflict- and gender sensitivity;
• Pro-active and representative attitude;
• Analytical and content-oriented;
• Computer literate (Microsoft Office, most notably Word and Excel, MS Teams).

How to Apply

Qualified individuals can apply for the position by sending an email with CV and motivation letter to  vnginter@ethiojobs.net before December 10, 2021 (Gregorian calendar) under reference of “We Are Able! Ethiopia Program Officer”.

Nothing about us without us! We actively aim for the programme to include disability experience experts. We therefore actively encourage disability experience experts to apply for this opportunity.