Program Officer

Job Description

Job Summary

The Program Officer leads the day-to-day delivery of one or more Village Enterprise projects across assigned geographical areas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Reporting to the Program Manager, the position translates approved project plans into coordinated field activities and is accountable for delivery milestones, participant targets, quality, operational controls, and local implementation risks.

The role directly supervises Field Associates in traditional Graduation delivery and Project Officers in SPRINT delivery, as applicable to the approved staffing structure. Business Mentors are supervised through Field Associates where that reporting arrangement applies. The Program Officer coordinates staff deployment, field logistics, community engagement, performance monitoring, and practical problem-solving across one or multiple projects.

The Program Officer retains oversight of the wider field portfolio, cross-geography priorities, and escalated decisions, while owning daily implementation and field-team performance within delegated authority.

Key Responsibilities

1. Subnational Project Delivery & Field Coordination

• Lead daily implementation of assigned projects across Woredas, Kebeles, cities, and sub-cities within the assigned jurisdiction, in line with approved workplans, budgets, and donor commitments.
• Translate project plans into weekly and monthly activity schedules, staffing assignments, and measurable field targets.
• Coordinate targeting, community entry, enrolment, training, coaching, savings, enterprise support, and other approved intervention activities.
• Track delivery milestones and participant targets across projects; address routine delays and escalate material deviations promptly.
• Conduct frequent field supervision and coordinate logistics, implementation materials, and access to assigned locations.

2. Field Team Leadership & Supervision

• Directly supervise Field Associates and Project Officers, as applicable, setting clear workplans, targets, and standards.
• Provide regular coaching, performance feedback, spot checks, and field-based support to implementation teams.
• Oversee Business Mentor performance through Field Associates where this is the approved reporting line.
• Monitor staff workload, coverage, productivity, and attendance; identify capacity gaps and corrective actions.
• Coordinate with relevant functional teams to support effective program implementation, monitor follow-up actions, and ensure timely completion of activities in line with deliverables.

3. Program Quality, Data & Learning

• Ensure faithful application of approved Graduation and SPRINT methodologies, safeguarding standards, and participant eligibility rules.
• Review field monitoring data and dashboards with MEL and Systems to verify progress, completeness, and accuracy.
• Conduct quality checks on targeting, training, coaching, and participant services; correct gaps within delegated authority.
• Capture participant feedback, operational lessons, and context-specific barriers to inform adaptive implementation.

4. Operational Planning & Resource Management

• Plan field logistics, transport, venues, materials, and supplies needed for timely implementation.
• Prepare activity-level resource requirements and monitor the use of approved budgets and equipment.
• Verify field activity completion and ensure timely, accurate expense documentation and accountability.
• Flag resource shortages, unbudgeted needs, and significant variances to the Program Manager and Finance.

5. Community Engagement & Local Coordination

• Lead operational relationships with communities, local administrators, and stakeholders within assigned areas.
• Coordinate community sensitization, mobilization, and clear communication of eligibility, entitlements, and grievance channels.
• Support approved local government and partner activities without making unauthorized strategic commitments.
• Identify and escalate community tensions, access constraints, and sensitive stakeholder issues.
• Promote respectful engagement, participant dignity, and effective feedback and referral mechanisms.

6. Reporting, Risk & Compliance

• Consolidate accurate weekly and monthly field reports, verified against workplans, systems, and supporting records.
• Maintain field-level risk and issue logs, track corrective actions, and escalate material implementation concerns.
• Ensure staff comply with donor rules, safeguarding, data protection, security, and organizational procedures.
• Support MEL verification, audits, and donor monitoring visits, maintaining complete and audit-ready field records.

7. Safeguarding, Inclusion & Risk Management

• Explain participant rights, entitlements, complaint channels, and safeguarding measures, including risks of child abuse and sexual or financial exploitation.
• Follow Village Enterprise safeguarding policies, Code of Conduct, security procedures, and data-protection requirements in every interaction.
• Report safeguarding allegations immediately through established confidential channels; do not independently investigate incidents.
• Identify routine field risks and take authorized mitigating action; escalate serious compliance, security, reputational, or implementation concerns promptly.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• At least 3–5 years of relevant experience in community-based program delivery, including field team supervision.
• Experience coordinating one or multiple projects across dispersed locations and supervising implementation personnel.
• Strong competence in fieldwork planning, operational logistics, reporting, risk identification, and stakeholder coordination.
• Ability to use implementation data and digital tools to assess field performance and take corrective action.
• Experience in Graduation, livelihoods, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, or SPRINT-style digital delivery is desirable.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in International Development, Project Management, Business Administration, Agriculture, Social Sciences, Community Development, or a related field.

Core Competencies

• Field Leadership: Coordinates daily implementation and multiple field teams across assigned locations.
• Delivery Quality: Applies approved methodologies and identifies and addresses field quality gaps.
• Operational Stewardship: Plans activities and uses field resources responsibly.
• People Supervision: Coaches Field Associates and Project Officers and strengthens accountability.
• Community Engagement: Builds trusted local relationships without exceeding delegated authority.
• Risk & Integrity: Acts promptly on safeguarding, security, compliance, and operational risks.
• Problem-Solving: Resolves routine field constraints and escalates material changes appropriately.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Delivery: Percentage of assigned field milestones and activities completed on time.
• Reach & Results: Achievement of approved participant, household, enterprise, training, and coaching output and outcome targets across the implementation cluster.
• Quality: Compliance with approved delivery standards and closure of field quality actions.
• Resource Use: Timely accountability and efficient use of approved field resources.
• Supervision: Completion of planned coaching, field visits, and team performance reviews.
• Data & Reporting: Timely, accurate, and complete field data and reporting.
• People: Achievement of Field Associate and Project Officer performance objectives.
• Risk & Community Accountability: Timely issue escalation and effective response to participant feedback.