Senior Program Lead

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Role Purpose

The Senior Program Lead provides overall leadership and strategic direction for the humanitarian program, focusing on area-based ABA/multi-sector emergency assistance in the Wag Himra Zone and other contested areas. This includes managing a consortium of partners, serving as the overall budget holder, ensuring coordination among stakeholders, and achieving project objectives aligned with donor expectations and organizational goals.

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Scope of Role

• Reports to: Director of Program Operations
• Staff Reporting: Finance Manager, Senior ABA Coordinator, Senior Information Manager, MEAL Advisor
• Budget Responsibility: Overall program budget of ~$3.2 million

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Key Areas of Accountability

Strategic Leadership & Program Oversight

• Provide strategic vision and leadership for the program, aligned with humanitarian needs and organizational priorities
• Oversee program planning, implementation, and evaluation to ensure timely, high-quality service delivery
• Lead area-level needs assessments, service mapping, and gap analysis for Wag Himra response strategy
• Facilitate coordination among consortium partners and develop/revise the Area-Based Response Strategy and implementation roadmap

Consortium Management

• Lead consortium governance structure, including steering committee and coordination platforms
• Ensure partners comply with agreements, work plans, and donor obligations
• Review and approve partner work plans, budgets, and technical deliverables
• Resolve conflicts among partners and consolidate partner reports for donor submissions
• Oversee partner capacity strengthening and technical support as needed

Budget Management

• Act as main budget holder ensuring compliance with donor and organizational policies
• Lead annual budget development, financial forecasts, and amendments
• Monitor financial performance and report to donors and stakeholders
• Endorse modifications, reallocations, and strategic shifts as needed

Coordination & Partnership Management

• Maintain relationships with local authorities, community leaders, and administrations
• Represent program in national-level coordination meetings and advocate for affected populations
• Facilitate collaboration and joint planning among partners

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEAL)

• Integrate MEAL frameworks into program activities
• Promote learning and continuous improvement
• Oversee data collection, analysis, and reporting for impact assessment and quality assurance

Community Engagement & Accountability

• Ensure community participation in the design, implementation, and evaluation of ABA activities
• Establish feedback mechanisms to address community concerns and inform program design

Safeguarding & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with child safeguarding policies
• Implement risk management strategies to mitigate potential program risks

Team Management

• Provide leadership, mentoring, and capacity building for program staff
• Conduct performance reviews and support professional development opportunities

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Behaviours (Values in Practice)

• Accountability: Deliver results and uphold organizational values
• Ambition: Set challenging goals and motivate team members
• Collaboration: Build effective relationships with internal and external partners
• Creativity: Encourage innovative solutions and take calculated risks
• Integrity: Demonstrate honesty and transparency

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Qualifications

• Master's degree in Social Studies, Humanitarian Studies, International Development, Project Management, or related fields

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Experience & Skills

• Minimum 10 years in humanitarian program management, with at least 5 years in leadership
• Proven experience managing multi-sectoral programs in emergency contexts, particularly ABA frameworks
• Strong understanding of humanitarian principles, coordination mechanisms, and donor requirements
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Experience in budget management and financial reporting
• Desirable: Familiarity with the Ethiopian context, experience working with consortia, and capacity building/training of staff and partners

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Additional Responsibilities

Role holder may carry out additional duties within reason, covering emerging assignments in humanitarian program operations.

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Equal Opportunities

All duties must comply with SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

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Health and Safety

All duties must comply with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

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Required Skills

• Strategic Leadership
• Consortium Management
• Budget Management
• Coordination & Partnership
• Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning
• Community Engagement
• Team Leadership
• Risk & Compliance Management

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