The Head of Programmes provides overall leadership and management for all SHA-Ethiopia programmes including leading the planning, design, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the country programmes and ensuring that the quality of projects, implementation, donor reporting, and field level management is of the highest standards.

The Head of Programmes supports the Country Director in pursuit of business development activities in relation to resource mobilization, partnership development and management. He/She enforces quality assurance with all projects being implemented by SHA in Ethiopia. The Head of Programmes provides line management support to all Project Managers/Programme Coordinators and Technical Advisors including overall management of their performance and of all the Program staff in Ethiopia.

The Head of Programmes supports the translating of SHA’s Global Vision and strategy into project implementation and ensuring project design and implementation are geared towards achieving scale and impact, attracting funding to diversify funding resources and that the project implementation processes respond to SHA’s need to strengthen global operating systems.

With the support of the Country Director, the Head of Programmes shall steer the process for developing and growing SHA’s country portfolio to reflect a fair balance in the project portfolios that will include but are not limited to Value chain and market systems development, Climate Change, Food security, Youth and Women empowerment.

Key Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Head of Programmes includes, but is not limited to, the following.

Programme Management

Programme Planning and Budgeting

Budget Management and Monitoring

Programme Reporting

Business Development

Documentation and Lessons Learning

Qualifications/Other Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Rural Development, Project Planning and Management, Agriculture, Agribusiness and other relevant qualification
• Fifteen (15) years of relevant experience in Program management, business development and community development work.

Preferred Requirements

• Master’s Degree in relevant professional discipline such as Agribusiness, Economics, Development Studies.
• Ten (10) years of supervisory/managerial experience.
• Thorough understanding of programming processes, systems and principles, and the ability to provide leadership and support to staff working at community level.
• Solid skill, knowledge and foundation in proposal development and of the project management cycle.
• Sound understanding of market systems development in the agriculture sector, partnership management, youth and women themes.
• Knowledge of development issues, trends, challenges and opportunities and implications to community development.
• Demonstrated knowledge of strategic planning processes.

Most Critical Proficiencies

• Good understanding of annual work planning and budgeting and budget monitoring.
• A good understanding of monitoring and evaluation processes.
• Solid project management and reporting skills.
• Sound project and proposal development skills.
• Extensive experience and engagement with government ministries in policy and guidelines revision and development
• A good understanding and sensitivity to issues associated with poverty, hunger and environment, and knowledge of the context in which non-profit organizations operate.
• Solid knowledge and experience in extension methodologies.
• Knowledge and experience in training and participatory training methodologies.
• Team leadership skills, with good abilities of addressing conflicts amongst diverse teams and constituents.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Proficient knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, electronic mail (Microsoft Office preferred) and Internet.
• Demonstrated proficiency in English oral and written.

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands

• Preparing and presenting project reports and presentations in a well-designed and attractive format with superior attention to detail.
• Demonstrated creativity, ability to think systematically, willingness and ability to incorporate innovative solutions.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work cooperatively, tactfully and diplomatically with culturally diverse groups of people.
• Willingness and ability to assign and review the work of line managed staff and to use participatory management skills with junior and senior staff.
• Proven team leadership and supervisory skills with the ability to train and work cooperatively with a diverse staff.
• Regularly conduct stakeholder analysis to strengthen partnerships and leveraging of resources.
• Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues and the public to scale up country program visibility and publicity.
• May require constant sitting, working at a computer and focusing for extended periods of time and performing office work in the field and/or in remote conditions.
• Working with sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality.
• Ability to manage and execute multiple tasks with little supervision while meeting sometimes inflexible deadlines.