Chief Observer for Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organization for Elections (CECOE) Full Time NEW

II. Organizational Context

ECES is a not-for-profit private foundation headquartered in Brussels with a global remit. ECES promotes sustainable democratic development through the provision of advisory services, operational support and management of large projects in the electoral and democracy assistance field. ECES works with all electoral stakeholders, including electoral management bodies, civil society organisations involved in voter education and election observation, political parties, parliaments, media, security forces, religious groups, and legal institutions confronted with electoral dispute resolution. Since February 2012, ECES has signed over 70 contracts in support of transparent, credible, and cost-effective electoral processes and the strengthening of democratic institutions in more than 35 countries, mainly, but not only, in Africa and the Middle East. In addition, the founders and personnel of ECES have acquired extensive field experience, and, taken together, ECES can count on a specific knowledge and a well-established network in over 70 countries. The EU is by far the largest ECES donor; however, the organization has also signed contracts and partnered with many other organizations.
III.Project’s context

Actions in support of democratisation and respect for human rights, including the right to participate in the establishment of governments through free and fair elections, can make a major contribution to the peace, security, prosperity, and well-being of people. In that regard, the EURECS I project was implemented in Ethiopia from 2019 until March 2024, with funding from the EU in Ethiopia and Germany.
The EURECS was crafted as an innovative and alternative delivery mechanism to implement electoral and democracy assistance activities that are consistent with the EU’s values and policies, and targets to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations of the EU election observation mission (EOM) in Ethiopia that national authorities agree to strive towards. The action has a built-in election conflict prevention, mitigation, and management aim in nearly all activities prescribed by this approach.
Recognizing the high expectations of the 7th general elections of 2026 for the consolidation of a well-functioning democracy in the country, the EURECS II project seeks to contribute by strengthening the transparency, credibility, and public confidence in the election process and in the NEBE, as well as in the capacity of the civil society to be a major and credible actor in the electoral process. The project will support NEBE in fostering the inclusion of all segments of the electorate, including marginalised and vulnerable groups. In continuation of past efforts, the project will also strengthen the CECOE platform and other CSOs in electoral observation, civic and voter education, and awareness-raising targeted at disenfranchised groups, including youth and first-time voters.

The EURECS II project in Ethiopia is built around the three main specific objectives as follows:

• Empower NEBE to hold all levels of elections and implement lessons learned from 2021 for the 7th General Election in 2026;
• Strengthen CSOs in their election observation and support them in extending it to mid-cycle elections (municipal, referendum, and reruns) as well as voter and candidate registration.;
• Support civic and voter information to vulnerable groups, including IDPs, PWDs, the illiterate, women candidates, youth, and first-time voters.

Election observation, both national and international, is widely recognised as a cornerstone of electoral integrity. It contributes to transparency, accountability and credibility across all phases of the electoral process, from voter registration to the announcement of results, and reinforces public trust in the conduct and outcomes of elections. Media monitoring and analytical reporting constitute essential complementary tools for assessing the quality of the electoral environment and identifying emerging risks.
Civil society organisations are entitled to engage in electoral processes through non-partisan election observation, in accordance with international norms and standards. Such engagement contributes to enhanced transparency and accountability and plays an important role in building public trust in the credibility and legitimacy of elections. Civil society organisations may also support electoral processes through complementary activities, including civic and voter education, promotion of codes of conduct for electoral stakeholders, auditing of voters’ lists, media monitoring, facilitation of public debates, and formulation of technical recommendations for electoral reforms.
The Declaration of Global Principles for Non-Partisan Election Observation and Monitoring by Citizen Organizations recognises the right of non-partisan citizen election observation organisations to cooperate with other organisations, both domestic and international, and to receive technical and financial support for the purpose of conducting professional and independent election observation and monitoring activities. Access to such support constitutes a key condition for ensuring the effectiveness, professionalism and sustainability of domestic election observation efforts, in line with applicable legal frameworks.

IV.Functions / Key Results Expected

Under the guidance of the ECES Representative in Ethiopia, the Chief Observer will be entrusted with the following specific responsibilities along with the corresponding deliverables:

1. Key Responsibilities

The Chief Observer provides overall strategic leadership, coordination, and public representation of the observation mission, ensuring the credibility, impartiality, and methodological rigor of all observation activities across the electoral cycle

1.1 Strategic Leadership and Oversight

• Lead the overall design and implementation of the observation methodology.
• Provide strategic guidance to the Core Team, ensuring coherence between LTO and STO deployment.
• Ensure adherence to international election observation standards and national legal frameworks.

1.2 Mission Coordination

• Oversee coordination between:
• Core Team experts (legal, political, operations, data analysis)
• Long-Term Observers (pre-election phase)
• Short-Term Observers (election day observation)
• Supervise deployment plans, reporting systems, and data collection tools.

1.3 Electoral Analysis and Reporting

• Guide the analysis of :
• Pre-election environment
• Campaign period
• Election day procedures
• Post-election processes
• Lead the drafting and validation of:
• Preliminary statements
• Interim reports
• Final comprehensive report

1.4 Stakeholder Engagement

Serve as the primary liaison with:

• National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE)
• Political parties
• Security institutions
• Civil society organizations
• International partners

Facilitate dialogue to promote electoral integrity and peaceful processes.

• 1.5 Public Communication and Representation
• Act as the official spokesperson of the mission.
• Present key findings to media, stakeholders, and the public.
• Ensure communication is accurate, impartial, and evidence-based.

1.6 Quality Assurance and Ethics

Ensure all observers comply with:

• Code of conduct
• Principles of neutrality and independence
• Maintain high standards of data integrity and confidentiality.

2. Deliverables

• Observation methodology and deployment strategy
• Regular internal briefings
• Preliminary statement (post-election day)
• Final observation report with findings and recommendations

3. Duration

The assignment covers the full electoral cycle*, including:

• Pre-election phase
• Election day
• Immediate post-election period
• The full electoral cycle included the 7th General election (possibility of staggered elections over several months/years), possible bi-elections, referendum and local elections.

C.VALUES

• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of ECES.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Demonstrates integrity by modelling ECES’ values and ethical standards.

Excellent working-level proficiency in Amharic and English, both written and spoken.

Duration: 24 months

CI.Recruitment Qualifications

Education:

• A master’s degree in law of electoral policy ;
• Experience/competencies:

Professional Experience

• Minimum 15 years of relevant experience in:

1.Election observation or;
2.Governance and democracy programs or;
3.Civil society leadership;
4.Minimum 3 years’ experience working in a leadership/management position for CECOE would be an asset

• Proven leadership of large-scale election observation missions
• Experience coordinating multi-stakeholder electoral initiatives (NEBE, CSOs, international partners)
• Strong background in policy analysis, research, and advocacy
• Experience in international election observation and peer exchanges

Technical Expertise

Deep knowledge of:

1.Ethiopian electoral legal framework
2.International election observation standards

Expertise in:

1.Methodology design for citizen observation
2.Data-driven election analysis
3.Civic and voter education

Leadership and Management Skills

• Demonstrated ability to lead large, decentralized teams
• Strong coordination and decision-making skills
• Experience managing complex programs and partnerships

Language Requirements: