Deputy Protection, Gender, and MHPSS Head of Department

Country Office: Ethiopia

Work Base: Addis Ababa

Availability: As Soon As Possible

Salary Scale: EMS09

           Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply for this position.

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger-USA is a global humanitarian organization that takes decisive action against the causes and effects of hunger. We save the lives of malnourished children and we enable entire communities to be free from hunger. With more than 8,000 staff in over 50 countries, our programs reached 17 million people in 2019.

About the Country Program in Ethiopia

Action Against Hunger has been operational in Ethiopia since 1984 responding to both chronic and acute needs through a multi-sectoral strategy where nutrition, Food Security and Livelihoods, WASH, and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support activities are integrated to have a meaningful impact on people’s resilience.

Action Against Hunger currently operates in 5 different regions (Oromia, Somali, Amhara, Benishangul Gumuz, and Gambella) with a portfolio of 20m USD/year of emergency, resilience building, research, and innovation programs. We have a country team of around 600 staff in 17 regional and satellite offices. Our main donors in Ethiopia in 2020/2021 are BHA, ECHO, Europaid, UNHCR, UNICEF, GFFO, BPRM, SIDA, EHF, WFP, CIAA, and others.

Summary of Position

This is an opportunity to join a growing and well-respected team, helping to support the implementation of standalone and integrated protection, gender, and MHPSS programming activities. You will contribute to overseeing the conception, design, implementation, and management of various programs, across Ethiopia, ensuring that program managers at the field level are well supported.

What we are looking for

We are seeking a mature individual who is very good at project management and organization, especially monitoring and following up to ensure agreed activities have been completed for our emergency programs. You will be good at coordinating and overseeing the many programs being delivered by our field program managers. You will have NGO experience and a good understanding of protection activities.

Purpose:

• The Deputy Technical Advisor will provide technical guidance and support to the Technical Advisor for the conception, design, implementation, and oversight of programs and operations. This will be achieved by providing technical and project coordination of all activities throughout the project lifecycle process for an emergency, developmental, resilience, innovation, and research initiatives including reporting, monitoring, problem-solving, training, and coordinating.

Engagement:

• As Deputy Technical Advisor, you will represent Action Against Hunger Ethiopia Country Office both internally at the capital/field level and within the global AAH network. You will develop and build strong working relations with field teams, and support relations with donors, partners, UN agencies, and the Ethiopian government. 

Delivery: 

• The Deputy Technical Advisor is responsible for supporting the successful delivery of agreed program activities and ensuring the production of timely, and quality reports on program implementation, budgets/expenditure, APRs, and reports.

Essential job duties

Support the technical design and implementation of Protection, Gender, and MHPSS activities in the project development process of emergency, development, research, and innovation projects, and internally within the mission through mainstreaming

• Support in the process of working with donor/business intelligence and prepositioning with major donors, consortia, and alliances.
• Ensure good coordination with colleagues within the department and other departments (at the field and capital level).
• Provide/share information and analysis on incoming information for relevant future propositions for geographic and sectoral interventions throughout the country to the Technical Advisor.
• Contribute to writing high-quality proposals, including narratives, program budgets, project organigrams, etc.
• Deliver Protection, Gender, and MHPSS mainstreaming in proposal design and project implementation
• Work closely with other sectors to ensure effective joint working on integrated programs
• Support other departments in implementing mainstreaming for protection, gender, and MHPSS by providing guidance, technical support, training, minimum standards, and advocacy

Support the management of Protection, Gender, and MHPSS department project activities including startup, implementation, and closeout including budget management, MEAL, and donor reporting

• Coordinate projects to ensure timely startups including staff recruitment, preparation of project procurement plans, detailed implementation plans
• Visit Action Against Hunger field activities, report on challenges, troubleshoot, and liaise with the Program Managers and Field Coordinators
• Attend meetings and other relevant meetings (such as grant management meetings)
• Ensure the department provides timely response for project donor reports, internal reports, and APRs at the highest quality and provide feedback as necessary
• Attend relevant cluster and technical working groups as agreed with the Technical Advisor
• General leadership, coaching, and mentoring of Protection, Gender and MHPSS department staff and other colleagues as needed
• Represent as requested in donor meetings, donor visits, technical fora, consortia steering committees, technical consultations/working groups, etc.
• Facilitate a ‘trickle-down’ of information towards the field stemming from cluster/sectoral information in the capital.

Support Gender Mainstreaming

• Working with the Technical Advisor, help coordinate the implementation of GMS and mainstreaming activities in support and program function areas
• Support and help implement activities as part of the gender culture change across the mission
• Provide support and coordination with the Safeguarding Manager on materials related to PSEA

Support Staff Well-Being Mainstreaming and Support

• Provide support, guidance, and interventions relating to staff psychosocial well-being to HR, FCs, and management as requested
• Support the implementation of activities that improve and strengthen staff well-being (using the Staff Well-Being guidance)

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Program Managers, Deputy Program Manager, Roving Program Managers, and specialist staff including interns/volunteers (if applicable)

Gender Equality Commitments  

• Foster an environment that supports the values of women and men, and equal access to information.
• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, and children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status. 
• Value and respect all cultures.  

Fiscal Responsibility

• The position will support the budget holder of the Protection, Gender, and MHPSS department (Technical Advisor)

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working Conditions, Travel, and Environment

• The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required and in line with Labor Law.
•  Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high-security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases. 

Job Requirements

Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

• MA or BA degree in Psychology, Psychotherapy or Psychiatry, Legal, Social Work, or similar
• Relevant work-related field experience in humanitarian response, minimum 5 years in a management position
• A minimum of 4 years of experience in project management skills (including experience in managing multiple projects, in different contexts and content).
• Language – high level of written and spoken English (including Amharic and Afaan Oromo desired)

 Required Skills & Competencies

• Excellent project management skills and organization
• Good at building working relationships with people (partners/agencies/government)
• Extensive experience in managing teams

How to Apply

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

If you are interested, please send your application composed of none returnable CV, a Covering Letter with “Deputy Protection, Gender, and MHPSS Head of Department” written in the subject line, and three references, applicants to the following addresses:

Through CLICK HERE

NB: Only shortlisted applicants will be communicated and the selection process includes a technical test and an interview. 

Action Against Hunger-USA provides all staff with an attractive salary & benefits package. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees & qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Action Against Hunger-USA complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment