Light for the World is a global development organization. We empower people with disabilities and enable eye health services in low-income countries. Over the last three decades we improved health systems, enabled education for all, and amplified the voices of people with disabilities. We focus on the poorest and hardest to reach because that’s where we will have the biggest impact.

Terms on Employment; One year contract with the possibility of extension

Reports to: Head of Disability and Inclusion Advisory Unit

Our programmes include:

• Eye Health – preventing blindness and promoting eye health for all.

• Inclusive Education – ensuring children with disabilities receive quality, inclusive education.

• Inclusive Economic Empowerment – ensuring that barriers are removed for men and women with disabilities to access decent work.

In Ethiopia, our country strategy for the year 2021-2025 focuses on Eye Health, Inclusive Economic Empowerment, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), Inclusive Education and Humanitarian Action. Advocacy and disability inclusion are cross cutting theme. Currently, Light for the World Ethiopia is supporting projects in Addis Ababa City Administration, Amhara, Tigray, Oromia, Sidama, and SNNP regions. Light for the World with funding from Mastercard Foundation will implement an 8-year project dubbed We Can Work, a regional signature disability program that uses a system and mindset change approach to impact the lives of at least 1,000,000 young women and men with disabilities and enables them to access dignified and fulfilling work. The program works with umbrella Organizations of Persons with Disabilities and Entrepreneurship Hubs in Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Senegal, Ghana, and Nigeria.

With our partners, we will effect change at the level of individuals (including households and communities), organizations and institutions. Young persons with disabilities will act as change agents and provide disability inclusion advisory services and confidently advocate for disability-inclusive policies and practices among key system actors.

Throughout the eight-year partnership intervention, the key ingredients of our work with young women and men with disabilities in the lead will be:

• engaging caregivers and communities through positive and empowering messaging around disability and inclusion.

• driving co-creation processes to inform inclusive economic development.

• developing agency of young women and men with disabilities through the We Can Work Academy, and amplifying voices of young persons with disabilities.

Light for the world therefore seeks the services of an experienced and self-driven person to lead this innovative and ambitious project hence the vacancy below.

Job Purpose

The role holder is responsible to promote and facilitate disability inclusive practices amongst civil society, public and private actors. S(he) will play a key role in nurturing partnerships with these actors and provide firsthand technical support in the form of training and coaching. He/she also will be responsible for training and advising different stakeholders on disability inclusion, (s)he will largely work through a pool of Disability Inclusion Facilitators. The Advisor

will strategize together with the Facilitators and support them to effectively tailor their interventions to the needs of the organizations. The Disability Inclusion Advisor is a powerful ambassador for disability inclusion, a natural networker, an inspirational communicator, as well as a role model and changemaker.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

Networking:

• Work with consortium partners, the technical and DIAU programs team and Country Managers to ensure that disability priorities are identified and integrated into workplans.

• Create and steward relationships with regional and national organizations of people with disabilities and connect them with our service delivery partners.

• represent the FEAPD We Can Work team in networks of NGOs and/ or government bodies, as needed.

• initiate and build relationships with both mainstream and disability organizations, in order to promote disability inclusion and to initiate partnerships with organizations interested in disability mainstreaming.

Advising and training:

• coordinate learning sessions and working groups; to bring organizations together in learning platforms.

• During inception undertake any situational analysis on the state of disability inclusion in WCW across the projects and propose key areas of focus for

• develop and deliver training and workshops on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in development programming, workplaces, and policies.

• provide coaching and advice on the same.

• Consolidate and further expand the Pool of Disability Inclusion Facilitators:

• provide training and support to a growing pool of Disability Inclusion Facilitators for WCW program.

• support them with preparation, implementation, and reporting on their training and other professional activities.

• Ensure continuous quality and consistency of all the activities of the pool of Disability Inclusion Facilitators by monitoring, facilitation of continuous learning and refresher trainings.

Training material and tool development:

• lead and provide input to co-creation processes, building on principles of human centered design; to provide content to training manuals and tools.

• Pro-actively identify the need for additional training materials and tools and support the development of those.

Knowledge and information management:

• gather and disseminate relevant information regarding disability mainstreaming; to document lessons learned, case studies and stories of change.

• Stay apprised of the latest global evidence and best practice. Contribute to position papers and other materials generated as part of the thematic areas.

• Support the generation of evidence of the programs impact on WCW and disability inclusion.

• Monitor the implementation of country workplans in relation to disability focused activities.

Job Requirements

Required Skills, Qualifications and Experience

• BA/MA/MSC degree in fields relating to development work, law, human rights, Sociology, Inclusive/Special needs education disability rights, or program management.

• At least 6/4 years of experience respectively for BA degree and master’s degree working in Non-Governmental Organizations, or Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) with related position.

• Familiar with Adult learning/ participatory training methodologies

• High level of exposure to barriers that persons with disabilities face and practical solutions to overcome those barriers, either through life experience or through previous work experience

• Experienced trainer and facilitator with experience in designing and conducting skills-building workshops and other capacity development approaches with a variety of stakeholders.

• Excellent people skills with the ability to develop others and to impart knowledge and experience in an accessible and clear manner.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

• Commitment to local ability building and experience of engaging and working with local stakeholders in project design and implementation.

• Demonstrated expertise in implementation of Livelihoods and Disability inclusion advisory is desired.

• Show great initiative and be able to work well in a team and independently.

• Ability to produce prompt and deliver high-quality results.

• Interest to abide by Light for the world’s values- Together, with Respect, Accountability, Inclusion & Learning

How To Apply

Please send non-returnable CV and a cover letter mentioning how your experiences match with the job advertisement until 30th of June,2025. 

Please mention your expected salary in your application letter and include 3 professional references into your CV. Applications should be sent through THIS LINK

Note: We only accept applications from qualified persons with disabilities for this position. 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.