Program Manager I- Early Warning System (EWS) Full Time

• Job Title:  Program Manager I- Early Warning System (EWS)
• Department: JEOP
• Band:                9
• Reports To:    PMII – Early Warning System, markets, and VBT
• Employment Term:  Definite term (i.e. up to April 27, 2027)
• Country/Location:   Ethiopia, Addis Ababa

Job Summary: 

As a Program Manager on JEOP, you will provide technical advice and support to a range of program design and implementation issues related to the early warning system (EWS) in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices to Country Program (CP) teams to advance the delivery of high-quality programming. As a program manager for EWS, oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of the early warning system. You will be responsible for ensuring that the EWS is functioning effectively and efficiently, and that it is providing timely and accurate information to JEOP. You will also be responsible for widening the geographic scope of the system to enhance JEOP’s intelligence of areas and regions most affected; and get prepared and respond for timely food assistance. This would involve working closely with other consortium members, as well as with external partners and stakeholders, to ensure that the early warning system meets the needs of the organization and the communities it serves. You will also be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the early warning system to identify areas for improvement and to ensure that it is meeting its objectives. Your advice, knowledge, and support will contribute to determining how effective, adaptive and innovative CRS’ JEOP programming is across the globe.

Job Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a strategic plan for strengthening early warning systems within JEOP operational areas and also set up early warning systems in non-JEOP operational areas, focusing on regions that are most vulnerable to disasters.
• Scale up community-based early warning systems, ensuring active participation and ownership by local communities which implementing activities such as: Facilitating participatory hazard vulnerability and capacity assessments to identify risks and community strengths; Implement risk monitoring system;  Develop and execute risk communication plans using behavioral change video messaging to educate communities; and  mobilize communities for anticipatory action, preparing them to respond effectively to early warnings.
• Support the design and implementation of Monthly Interval Resilience Monitoring (MIRA) to assess and enhance community resilience.
• Oversee a market monitoring system to inform program decisions and ensure the effectiveness of cash-based interventions, and work with the cash team to set transfer values and decide on cash transfer locations and seasons based on market data.
• Conduct comprehensive monthly food security analysis converting information from context monitoring, MIRA, community based early warning system and climate analysis to prioritize interventions woredas; collaborate with the Vulnerability Based Targeting (VBT) team on woreda prioritization and caseload determination.
• Develop and maintain emergency preparedness plans to ensure rapid and effective response when early warnings are issued.
• Prepare and submit detailed reports on early warning system activities, outcomes, and impact assessments.
• Provide management, guidance, and technical oversight for EWS  across of all new and existing JEOP interventions throughout the project cycle to ensure project design, start-up, implementation, and close-out are in line with CRS quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices. Oversee the JEOP level EWS, DRR and Market Monitoring Technical Working Group (TWG) ensuring consistent best practice is applied across project sites.
• Oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of the early warning system and ensure that the EWS is functioning effectively and efficiently, and that it is providing timely and accurate information to JEOP.
• Provide strategic direction for widening the scope of JEOP EWS to increase the JEOP’s agility to serve the most vulnerable communities across Ethiopia.
• Lead development and implementation of JEOP’s EWS and data uptake strategy in collaboration with the technical senior staff in HRD and the donor. Facilitate periodic refinement if indicators and tools as required. Oversee the EWS process, including development of templates, reviewing partner inputs, crosschecking inconsistencies, and drafting reports sections. Adhere to internal reporting requirements for CRS and the steering committee, and confidentiality regarding data sharing. Oversee refinement of the data sharing strategy, improving products for user-friendliness in collaboration with ICT4D staff.
• Lead the development of program learning – identify opportunities for learning, research, and publications for JEOP. Evaluate and refine early warning system processes and protocols to incorporate best practices and innovations.
• Ensure integration of innovations and best practices. This will include close collaboration with upcoming university learning partners and technical assistance firms, and provision of key inputs for write-up of success stories. Organize quarterly reflection meetings/ workshops to discuss data collected and learning to guide decision making and action.
• Oversee the identification, assessment and strengthening of partnerships relevant to EWS and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools, and approaches. This will include fostering partnerships with local data collection firms for post distribution monitoring and annual results surveys, and baseline and end line evaluations.
• Ensure timely and appropriate EWS activity expenditures in line with financial plans and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources. Collaborate with operations team colleagues on budget development to ensure that MEAL budgets are appropriately planned and utilized.
• Champion crosscutting themes of protection, gender, conflict sensitivity, safeguarding, disability and inclusion. Utilize these lenses to review policies and practices, and challenge un-ethical behavior. Identity linkages and technical assistance from others to support these areas, and track project advancements towards engagement strategies in these sectors alongside sectoral leads.