The Mastercard Foundation in partnership with Hybrid Designs and its consortium partners- Icog any one can code, R& D Group and Qua Qua Capitals as well as D & T Ethiopia Management Consulting PLC are launching a five- year program entitled ‘Entrepreneurship in the Digital and Gig Economy (EDGE)’ with the aim of unlocking over 300,000 dignified and fulfilling employment opportunities for economically disadvantaged young people across Ethiopia through an innovative digitally enabled and mediated domestic outsourcing market and enabling a thriving offshore outsourcing ecosystem. This program will be scaling five outsourcing platform (digital) enabled products for both the offshore and onshore market that will empower young women and vulnerable groups. The program will also support 1,041 MSEs across Ethiopia to streamline their internal processes and organizational excellence to expand and grow their business, which will contribute to the development of a pipeline of competitive outsourcing enterprises that will serve and take advantage of the outsourcing market, both locally and globally. Through the ecosystem level collaboration with key strategic partners such as the IT park and the Ethiopian Outsourcing Association, the program anticipates contributing to the development of a strong outsourcing ecosystem, which will enable system level changes and position Ethiopia as an attractive outsourcing destination. The program will work to transform the outsourcing ecosystem to better serve the needs of financially disadvantaged young women and men. The program anticipates achieving its goals through its three interconnected program components which include i) Enhancing youth awareness in outsourcing and skill development; ii) Enterprise development and iii) Improving enabling environment through ecosystem Support. Through these interventions, the program will contribute to the achievement of the goals of the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy, Ethiopia’s country roadmap and country success story by the end of the program period and beyond.

Job Profile

Job Title: Program Operations Manager

Duty station: Addis Ababa with travel to the regions from time to time

Type of employment: Program (2025 – 2029)

Duration: One Year with possible extension up to five years

Reports to: Program Director

Required Number: One

Short Description of the Position

The Program Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing the successful implementation of the EDGE program, ensuring alignment with donor requirements and the EDGE program goal. The Program Operations Manager will co-create the design, implementation and oversight of EDGE’s program office operating model ensuring that the people, processes and systems are well organised, co-ordinated and aligned to deliver on the EDGE’s program strategic objectives. The ideal candidate will have strong project management, strategic and executional focused mindset, and interpersonal skills, as well as a deep understanding of the program’s goals and objectives.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the program director in executing the strategic vision and objectives of the EDGE program
• In collaboration with EDGE Program Director, ensure that the Program is delivered according to the grant/contractual requirements of the donor and any regulatory/compliance requirements
• Support in the development and implementation of operational processes and policies
• Assist the program director in preparing annual program implementation work plan and monitoring implementation.
• Ensure that KPIs for program operations are met and work closely with other functions to achieve program milestones.
• Support in ensuring risks, issues and dependencies are being recorded, monitored and proactively managed to minimise disruption to successful delivery of the program
• In collaboration with the Program Director and the program MEAL lead, coordinate the design and routine update of detailed quarter, bi-annual and annual work plans and ensure these are used by the program team appropriately to monitor progress towards completion and achievement of program objectives.
• Ensure that reports, quarterly, biannual and annual reports for the donor, Program Management office and relevant stakeholders are prepared as per required standards, ensuring these are of the highest quality and submitted in a timely manner to the donor.
• Ensure that all key project documents: donor, stakeholder partnership agreements, and other key program documents are properly documented and maintained.
• Ensures that key program documentation, are obtained, maintained, verified and safeguarded appropriately in related databases.
• Ensure the program budget is tracked and managed through organizing regular meetings to review BVAs; ensure consortium partners funds are spent/committed in compliance with the agreed objectives, timeframe and donor regulations.
• Follows up on budget utilization and project expenditure and in collaboration with Program Director and the program finance lead makes periodic project budget review/Planning
• Maintains and updates all operational and financial policies and procedures to ensure project compliance with local government laws, and donor regulations
• Stay abreast and regularly track program risks and develop mitigation plans in collaboration with programs team and follow up on implementation of preventions and mitigation strategies and regularly share updates with and the program director and relevant program staffs
• Working in collaboration with the Finance team, ensure the EDGE program have a clear framework monitoring of award budgets, phasing and forecasting
• Using strong financial analysis skills to oversee the award portfolio, pipeline and partner databases
• Oversee consortium partners and manage their implementation approaches and operational activities.
• Develop EDGE_HR & Admin Officer_230125 Program phase out strategy in close collaboration with Program Director, and Finance team
• Leads coordination among EDGE Program team and relevant teams of Hybrid Designs (, Procurement, IT, Logistics, and Human Resources Development etc.) – to ensure program compliance with standards and policies and smooth implementation of program interventions.
• Track and manage action items, follow-ups, and deadlines arising from various program meetings with consortium partners, the fund manager, the donor and other stakeholders
• In collaboration with Program Director and HR & Admin officer, develop procurement plan for all program related procurements
• Ensure all goods and services are timely requested, procurement process is tracked, and quality ensured
• Develop distribution plan and ensure timely delivery and distribution of goods and services
• Ensure donor regulations are respected in all procurement processes
• Take a lead in proper close out processes of projects and timely hand over of goods and materials as per the project phase out strategy
• Identifying appropriate resources required to ensure EDGE program team are enabled to deliver to strategic objectives of the program in an efficient manner
• Developing appropriate governance structures and feedback loops to ensure internal and external flow of information is optimized and is in line with the expectations of the donor and all stakeholders
• Any other task assigned by the EDGE Program Director.

Required Academic Qualifications and Experience

• MA in Project Management, Management/ Business Administration/Business, Management/Economics/Marketing Management/or other relevant field of study
• At least 10 years of related work experience, of which 6 years in a supervisory/senior Manager position. of which 8 years in a supervisory/senior operations management/strategic planning position
• Experience in an International NGO is preferable

Required Knowledge, Skills and Competencies

• Strong project management skills
• Experience in managing complex programs
• Knowledge of financial management and budgeting
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Experience solving complex challenges across complex environments
• Ability to priorities and handle multiple tasks simultaneously in time critical situations
• Demonstrates understanding of risk management policies and procedures and record of following them.
• Proficiency in relevant software and tools