Deputy Program Manager – Program Operations (iWork)

Job Description

Who we are

SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia is an International Non-governmental organization and a member of SOS Children’s Villages International Federation. We started our humanitarian work in Ethiopia with the opening of our first Village in Mekelle, Northern part of Ethiopia in 1974. Since then, we have expanded our programs to different regions where there are significant needs for intervention and where we believe we can work in partnership with all relevant actors to bring sustainable positive outcomes for children’s and young people. 

Today, we have grown significantly to meet the persistent challenges that confront Ethiopian children who have lost parental care and those that are at risk of losing their parental care. Working in close collaboration with international donors, local government and community-based organizations across eight program locations; we aspire that every child grows up with love, respect and security.

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Our Commitment to Safeguarding  

At SOS Children's Villages, safeguarding isn't just a policy, it's a foundational value embedded in everything we do. We are unwavering in our commitment to protecting the children, young people, adults, and communities we serve, as well as our workforce and resources.

We cultivate an environment of trust and accountability where every voice is heard and respected. All successful candidates will be expected to champion our holistic safeguarding principles, actively upholding our Child & Youth Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct, and regulations against sexual misconduct, fraud, and corruption.

By joining our team, you commit to integrating these vital standards into your work, ensuring the highest levels of safety, ethics, and integrity in every action and partnership.

Together, we create a world where everyone feels safe, respected, and protected

Join Our Mission:

We are looking for a Deputy Program Manager – Program Operations to work under the supervision of the Program Manager. This position drives operational leadership for the iWork Programme across all locations, overseeing programme implementation, supervising Cluster Coordinators, ensuring consistent standards, and supporting the timely achievement of programme targets.

Serving as the operational bridge between national programme management and field implementation, ensuring harmonized delivery across locations while upholding donor compliance, organizational policies, safeguarding standards, and quality assurance frameworks.

The Deputy Program Manager enables adaptive programme management through ongoing monitoring of implementation progress, technical backstopping, operational problem‑solving, and strengthening collaboration across programme teams and stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

 Programme Operations Coordination 

• Coordinate day-to-day implementation of programme activities across all programme locations.  
• Translate annual operational plans into coordinated implementation schedules.  
• Monitor implementation progress across clusters and ensure timely achievement of programme milestones.  
• Ensure consistency in programme implementation approaches across locations.  
• Coordinate operational planning meetings with Cluster Coordinators.  
• Identify operational bottlenecks and recommend corrective actions.  
• Support rollout of new programme initiatives and operational procedures.  

Technical Supervision of Programme Implementation 

• Provide technical guidance to Cluster Coordinators throughout programme implementation.  
• Ensure programme activities comply with approved implementation guidelines and SOPs.  
• Support quality implementation of all programme pillars.  
• Review implementation plans and provide technical feedback.  
• Ensure consistent interpretation of programme standards.  
• Conduct regular technical support visits to programme locations.  

Operational Performance Management 

• Track programme implementation against annual targets.  
• Develop operational dashboards and implementation tracking systems.  
• Review monthly implementation reports from programme locations.  
• Monitor performance indicators and identify implementation gaps.  
• Coordinate implementation review meetings.  
• Recommend corrective actions for underperforming programme areas.  

Quality Assurance 

• Ensure implementation complies with programme quality standards.  
• Coordinate programme quality assurance visits.  
• Monitor adherence to approved Standard Operating Procedures.  
• Verify quality of internship implementation.  
• Ensure standardized documentation across programme locations.  
• Promote continuous quality improvement initiatives.  

Workforce Development Operations 

• Coordinate implementation of participant recruitment and selection processes.  
• Ensure harmonized beneficiary targeting across clusters.  
• Monitor implementation of life skills and employability training.  
• Review participant enrolment and completion rates.  
• Coordinate participant transition tracking.  
• Support implementation of inclusive youth participation strategies.  

Internship Operations and Host Institution Management 

• Coordinate internship placement processes across programme locations.  
• Monitor availability of internship opportunities.  
• Review host institution performance.  
• Ensure compliance with internship standards.  
• Support resolution of operational issues affecting internship placements.  
• Coordinate improvement of host institution engagement mechanisms.  

Partnership and Operational Coordination 

• Support coordination with national government institutions.  
• Facilitate collaboration among programme partners.  
• Coordinate operational engagement with TVET institutions and employers.  
• Support organization of programme events, job fairs and stakeholder meetings.  
• Strengthen communication between programme locations.  

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) 

• Coordinate programme performance monitoring.  
• Ensure timely submission of programme reports.  
• Review data quality across programme locations.  
• Support implementation of evaluations and assessments.  
• Coordinate learning and knowledge-sharing sessions.  
• Promote evidence-based programme improvement.  

Financial and Operational Compliance 

• Monitor implementation against approved operational budgets.  
• Review operational expenditure trends.  
• Ensure compliance with procurement and financial procedures.  
• Support budget forecasting and resource planning.  
• Monitor efficient utilization of programme resources.  
• Coordinate operational compliance reviews.  

Safeguarding, Gender Equality and Inclusion 

• Ensure safeguarding standards are consistently implemented across all programme locations.  
• Monitor implementation of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion commitments.  
• Support safeguarding capacity-building for programme teams.  
• Review safeguarding compliance reports.  
• Ensure timely reporting of safeguarding concerns.  
• Promote safe and inclusive programme implementation.  

Staff Supervision and Capacity Development 

• Provide functional supervision to Cluster Coordinators.  
• Conduct regular coaching and mentoring sessions.  
• Review cluster performance against agreed objectives.  
• Identify staff capacity gaps.  
• Coordinate technical capacity development activities.  
• Promote teamwork and cross-location learning.  
• Support performance appraisal processes.  

Risk Management and Continuous Improvement 

• Monitor operational risks affecting programme implementation.  
• Coordinate implementation of mitigation measures.  
• Document lessons learned and good practices.  
• Recommend operational improvements.  
• Support innovation and adaptive programme management.  
• Ensure business continuity during implementation challenges.