Partnerships Program Manager – Ethiopia will be responsible for overseeing technical assistance and ensuring quality implementation and monitoring for organizations utilizing Grassroot Soccer’s SKILLZ methodology. As the primary representative for Grassroot Soccer in Ethiopia, this position will also be responsible for cultivating and strengthening Grassroot Soccer’s network of partners, including the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Oromia Development Association (ODA) and collecting/interpreting program data.

Grassroot Soccer (GRS) is a rapidly growing adolescent health organization that leverages the power of soccer to educate, inspire, and mobilize at-risk youth in developing countries to overcome their greatest health challenges, live healthier, more productive lives, and be agents for change in their communities. Since 2002, GRS programs have reached 13 million young people in more than 60 countries with life-saving HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health information and services. GRS is looking to continue scaling its impact via partnerships over the next five years.

GRS has been working with partners in Ethiopia since 2004. Over the past 18 years, MOE and ODA have scaled the GRS curriculum to reach millions of young people in all regions of Ethiopia. GRS is seeking to provide technical support to partners in the form of curriculum development, monitoring and evaluation, training, and research.

Position Summary:

The Partnerships Program Manager – Ethiopia should be a strategic thinker and proactive problem-solver with demonstrated ability to manage tight deadlines and concurrent deliverables with no in-person supervision. The Partnerships Program Manager should be able to communicate empathetically, persuasively, and efficiently, and with exceptional attention to detail as the position will be responsible for actioning a diverse set of tasks – from deliverable and/or target-based technical assistance to strategic partnership development. This person should thrive in a remote and cross-cultural environment and be able to articulate and share compelling examples of good practices across the organization. This position will work closely with the Technical Director for Curriculum & Training, the Global M&E Director, and the GRS Senior Director.

Responsibilities:

Program Coordination (60%)

• Coordinate work plans with both MOE and ODA to ensure GRS can provide the appropriate technical assistance and project goals are being met in a timely fashion
• Work closely with the GRS Global M&E team to establish a data plan with partners to ensure data is routinely collected, accurate, and verified
• Interpret data to make programmatic recommendations
• Oversee translation of materials into local languages
• Liaise with other teams at GRS such as Global Research & Development, Global M&E, and Finance and Operations, to ensure technical assistance is adapted to relevant country context and aligned to GRS mission, grant details, technical assistance approach, and strategy
• Develop and oversee tasks lists and schedules that effectively allocate time and resources for all project objectives
• Help develop and review materials such as radio scripts, curriculum review reports, and evaluation plans
• Track all grant deliverables, travel, deadlines, and other key timelines in the appropriate platforms
• Provide support, documentation, and assistance for the growth and improvement of programs into other areas such as coach development, referral systems, youth-friendly health services, youth engagement and other areas as needed
• Track and document learnings, successes, challenges, and best practices from Technical Assistance (TA) visits and trainings to share out with broader organization
• Identify and articulate good practices that have potential for growth and scale
  Monitor and manage project expenditures to ensure spending is in line with budgetary limits and approved by Global Controller
• Draft quarterly, mid-year, and annual reports for grants and funders
  Other tasks as required

External Relations, Partnership Cultivation & Business Development (30%)

• Lead GRS’ overall in-country strategy for engaging the Ethiopian Ministry of Education, Health, and other line ministries to adopt and scale GRS programs
  Represent GRS at relevant technical working groups
• Cultivate, navigate, and manage relationships with government agencies, CBO/FBOs/NGOs, INGOs, research institutions, UN agencies, and other international development and adolescent health partners to explore and build a pipeline of strategic partnerships
• Collect, interpret, and share strategic information that would enhance programming and partnerships  Maintain excellent relationships with partners, donors, businesses, and other relevant stakeholders
• Uphold GRS’ reputation and manage reputational risk by proactive gap analysis, risk identification, and escalation to appropriate teams for mitigation planning and support
• Participate in national and subnational technical working groups, meetings, workshops
• Understand, contribute to, collate, and disseminate national and local strategies, updates, and critical information within the broader organization

Organizational Development (10%)

• Support annual work planning process for GRS
• Support in country budgeting process for GRS and for partner
• Identify stakeholder needs and map out potential solutions
• Strengthen network of in-country GRS alumni – including consultants, former
• Master Coaches, Coaches, and participants
• Support and action long-term strategic direction for GRS in country
• Reports to: Director of Programs

Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with up to 30% domestic travel

Job Requirements

Qualifications:

• 7+ years of experience managing, implementing, and monitoring concurrent, large scale international development projects in Ethiopia
• Demonstrated experience implementing and/or providing technical assistance to partners in donor funded projects valued at least $1 million per year
• Demonstrated experience developing new business and partnership opportunities
• Must be authorized to work in Ethiopia  Experience working in partnership with Ethiopian ministries
• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field
• Fluency in English and Amharic
• Demonstrated experience working with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders (e.g., from young people to global headquarters to boards to partners to field teams)
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically (approximately 30% of time) with occasional international travel

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in relevant field
• Fluency in Afaan Oromoo
• Knowledge and experience working in adolescent health
• Experience in a cross-cultural work environment
• Experience with a range of international donor organizations and relevant
• international donor rules and regulations
• Ideal candidate should have exceptional skills in the following:

Attention to detail

• Effective communication, both oral and written, in English, Amharic, Afaan Oromoo, with wide range of external and internal stakeholders (e.g., young people, Ministry leaders, Civil Society leaders, board members, senior leadership, staff)
• Time management and prioritization
• Ability to proactively identify issues, propose and implement solutions
• Building relationships with wide range of staff and partners, and operating within diverse social and cultural contexts, often virtually over multiple continents and time zones
• Thinking strategically yet knowing how and when to dive into the details
  Managing budgets
• Ability to see and tell stories from numbers
• Successful leaders at Grassroot Soccer are bold, yet humble. They are passionate about the mission of Grassroot Soccer and understand their role on the Grassroot Soccer team to achieve its mission.

Day to day, they are…

• Proactive: can anticipate both opportunities and obstacles and take action
• Professional: level-headed; ability to de-escalate difficult situations, behave exceptionally, and manage/minimize distractions
• Problem Solvers: comfortable with ambiguity, can creatively unlock bottlenecks and turn problems into opportunities

…they demonstrate lots of…

• Common Sense: prioritizing the right things at the right time; making good, quick, informed decisions balancing multiple issues and points of view
• Self-awareness: know where one’s blind spots are, recognize differences, and build a team to complement one’s skills and weaknesses

…and a strong bias for…

• Follow-through and Outcomes: deliver results, not just create lots of activity
• Treating People Well: empathetic, kind, great listener, yet can make tough decisions and hold oneself/others accountable