MELA FOR HER is a social enterprise based in Ethiopia that aims to transform women and girls’ lives across Ethiopia by providing them with access to affordable and eco-friendly menstrual products, menstrual health education, and job opportunities.

We envision a world in which every girl and woman has access to sustainable menstrual products, understands the nature of sexual and reproductive rights, and is therefore empowered to control her life and destiny.

Summary

MELA FOR HER is looking for a vibrant, energetic and experienced professional to uptake the newly created position of Deputy General Manager. You will join a team of professionals united by commitment to a cause and shared values. Your main goal will be to manage and coordinate MELA FOR HER’s team, resources and actions to ensure that all women and girls in Ethiopia have access to MELA FOR HER’s products and services.

Role and responsibility

Under the direct supervision of the General Manager of MELA FOR HER, the position holder is expected to be responsible for the following roles:

• General Management: Make sure company objectives are set and followed up; provide strategic and operational management of MELA’s activities in the country, ensuring high quality products and service provision and environmental and social impact; put in place excellent management systems to effectively and efficiently manage the financial and non-financial resources of the enterprise; conduct weekly, monthly and annual activity plans, and assign tasks and responsibilities to team members; coordination of the different departments and teams; review and negotiate contracts with suppliers and partners; ensure compliance with legal and administrative requirements; in the absence of the General Manager, represent the organization in front of public institutions, clients, partners as well as service providers; regularly report the progress of the company to the General Manager, the Advisory Board and other relevant stakeholders.
• People Management: With the support of the HR Manager, perform the following people management roles: recruit, train, coach, develop and manage staff to maximize performance and create a continuous learning and improvement institutional culture; monitor and appraise staff performance; identify and respond to any staff development needs; ensure compliance of all organizational HR Policy and Procedure requirements; and ensure that staff, contractors and volunteers are kept informed of relevant strategic issues.
• Financial management: Responsible for annual operating budget preparation and financial planning; establish and maintain a responsible cash flow management, monitoring and projection system; manage the accurate processing of all revenue, including points of sale, credit and cash handling/storage and monthly cash reconciliation; oversee accounts payable system ensuring accurate, timely production of all purchase orders and payment of all vendors within allocated budgets; assure that MELA´s expenses (both payroll and other expenses) are on budget, noting any variances or projected variances and sharing them with the General Manager; manage and monitor accounts receivable and ensure that they are accurate and updated; analyze financial performance and present to the General Manager; and manage all third-party relationships including banking, investment, and loan.
• Social Marketing & Sales: Support the Social Marketing and Sales Officer in the following areas:-conduct market intelligence; develop and implement MELA’s sales and marketing strategy, being responsive to high standards of customer care, and customer feedback; identify, select and manage strategic customers and establish partnerships and alliances for sales and services; identify, select and develop proper marketing and distribution channels and partners at national, regional and local levels to ensure that MELA’s products and services reach all women and girls in the country.
• Fundraising, partnership building and networking: lead the search for new funding sources from financial institutions, donors, sponsors and partners to support the different activities undertaken by MELA; identify and build partnerships and alliances with various stakeholders for advocacy and policy influencing; actively participate in existing networks/platform where MELA is a member and identify new networks that enable advance MELA´s mission.
• Social impact Project Management: Project identification and design; internal project team supervision and coordination; management of consultants and sub-contracts, if any; ensure projects meet the milestones and activities are implemented according to the expected timeline; coordination with project partners and local authorities ensuring open communication and smooth collaboration; budget planning and monthly and quarterly budget follow up ensuring compliance with donor’s and local authorities’ regulations; with support from partners and MELA team members, prepare timely financial and technical reports as per donor’s and partner´s regulations.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned by the General Manager.

Requirements

Qualification

• Postgraduate degree in Business Management, Marketing, Economics or related studies.
• Minimum of 5 years relevant experience in management positions, including proven track record of managing businesses/enterprises with social impact.
• Solid experience in managing and motivating multi-disciplinary production and sales teams, including volunteers.
• Relevant experience in social marketing and sales, preferably in the health or related sectors.
• Experience in managing grants/donor funded social impact projects.
• Experience in building and managing highly productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Solid understanding of financial management.
• Knowledge and understanding of the health and/or Menstrual Hygiene
• Management (MHM)/ Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH) sectors will be an asset.
• Knowledge of most common computer programs (word, excel, PowerPoint, outlook, etc.).
• Fluency both in English and Amharic (knowledge of other local languages is an advantage).
• Deep commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment and alignment with MELA’s vision, mission and values.

Preferred skills

• Ability to prioritize, organized, high planning capacities, independent, problem-solving, and result-oriented.
• Stress management, flexibility and familiar with and able to operate in a fast-paced international and multi-cultural environment.
• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills.
• Excellent influential, negotiation and communication skills.
• Strong creative, strategic, and business analytical skills.
• Excellent People Management skills, including ability to work with people from different backgrounds.
• Excellent relationship builder with ability to engage and support partners.
• Able to match commercial reality with social aspirations.