About B2P:
Bridges to Prosperity (B2P) exists to innovate cost-effective rural infrastructural solutions through advocacy, evidence, and technical assistance to promote safe access for geographically isolated communities through partnership with governments and donors.
We believe that it is within our grasp to solve poverty caused by rural isolation.
Job purpose
The Ethiopia Country Director oversees the strategy and implementation of Bridges to Prosperity’s (B2P) Ethiopia program, which works closely with Helvetas Ethiopia to support the government and local private sector in planning and delivering rural transport access at scale. They are responsible for the delivery of the objectives of the program while at the same time managing a diverse range of stakeholder inputs to ensure rural connectivity is improved where it’s needed most. The Country Director has deep experience fostering partnerships with ministries and government stakeholders, and has a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to build government relationships, and promote local ownership and sustainability to ensure long term service delivery. In Ethiopia, this role has a special focus on resource mobilization and advocacy. This role doesn’t act alone, and therefore it’s important they have experience guiding diverse teams to deliver against challenging objectives and keeping that team engaged and motivated.
The Country Director will:
- Lead a team of 4-8 staff
- Report initially to the Director of Technical Advisory Services (interim)
- Transition to reporting to the VP of Programs
Duties and responsibilities
Strategy, Program Leadership and Delivery (30%)
- Overall responsible for the development, delivery and tracking of B2P’s Ethiopia strategy, and ensure alignment with B2P global strategy
- Lead B2P Ethiopia to deliver against the project and grant objectives and expectations of government and community partners
- Empower direct reports to oversee daily operations and prioritize high risk and important activities
- Design and implement business strategies, plans and procedures to ensure quality and impact are optimized
- Review quarterly reports and ensure timely submission to the B2P donor lead
- Be the face of B2P Ethiopia and present the program to external parties including government, donors, vendors, and other strategic partners
Partnership Management (50%)
- Identify opportunities to grow the national Ethiopia rural access program beyond the grant period
- Lead rural transportation access advocacy and resource mobilization efforts in Ethiopia at multiple levels of government, and with national funders and in international forums
- Manage timely recovery of reimbursements and reports from partners
- Engage effectively with the B2P AMP (advocacy, marketing, and partnerships) team to ensure all program objectives and fundraising goals are achieved
- Ensures that all stakeholder reporting are completed on time and expected quality
- Lead in government negotiations, ensuring engagement and networks are created that prioritize rural infrastructure development
- Develop and enhance relationships, partnerships and networks with external organizations to maximize B2P’s impact
- Work with the partnerships department to develop, implement and update a government and donor engagement strategy
- Travel with Ethiopia government officials on visits to other B2P programs
Talent and Human Resource Management (10%)
- Foster a B2P Ethiopia culture which supports the health and performance of a growing team
- Communicate openly and transparently across the Ethiopia team
- Contribute to, and ensure compliance with, the B2P Ethiopia HR policies
Financial Controls and Reporting (10%)
- Overall accountable for B2P’s Ethiopia financial management
- Approve realistic budgets for all program activities
- Work with the finance department to ensure efficient and fully compliant financial management in the allocation/budgeting, disbursement and accounting of all resources
- Support the Program Manager with Ethiopia regulatory compliance and business management
Qualifications
- BA/S in Business Administration, International Affairs/Development, Public Policy/Public Administration, Urban Planning, Civil Engineer or other relevant field. Bachelor’s degree required.
- 5+ years of experience managing and leading a team in planning and/or delivering national programs is required. Experience with rural or infrastructure programs is preferred.
- Strong direct experience in advocacy
- Minimum of 3 years experience establishing relationships with senior government and partners
- Proven experience of exercising leadership functions with increasing responsibility in an international environment related to development
- Knowledge of delivering programs in challenging environments with good understanding and appreciation of the local context
- A sound understanding of international development, especially in terms of infrastructure development and market systems development
- Proven networking and negotiation skills with governmental and non-governmental actors in Ethiopia and in international contexts
- Record of raising funds from government and/or international agencies (bilateral/multilateral) preferred
- Knowledge of financial and human resources management with experience owning significant budgets and leading staff teams
- Demonstrated ability to manage high stakes projects in complex environments
- Ability to work strategically and collaboratively across departments
Working conditions
The position is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and requires travel to rural locations, and some regional/international travel.
Physical requirements
The position requires the ability to visit sites in remote and isolated areas. The position may require standing for extended periods of time.
Direct reports
- Ethiopia Program Manager
- Ethiopia Resource Mobilization Specialist (TBC)
Application guidelines
Bridges to Prosperity is committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and strive to provide accommodations for individuals with disabilities during the application and employment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in our hiring process or to perform the essential functions of your job, please include this information in your application and we will work with you to ensure your needs are met.
To apply we require:
- A max one-page motivation letter
- A CV following these guidelines:
- Length: Maximum 2 pages.
- Education: Highlight relevant diplomas, degrees and recognized certifications
- Exclude: personal information (photos, gender, religion, marital status, number of dependents), non-certified training.
