General Coordinator for Ethiopia

Country: Ethiopia

Organization: Médecins du Monde

Closing date: 28 Feb 2025

The humanitarian aid organization Ärzte der Welt e. V. is the German division of the international network Médecins du Monde/Doctors of the World (MdM). The 17 national members of the network implement domestic and international health care projects, currently almost 340 projects in 75 countries around the world.

MdM provides emergency medical aid in disaster and crisis situations, supports access to health care and, if possible, assists with reconstruction measures. The network is also active in risk reduction and preparedness as well as long-term development co-operations in neglected regions around the world that receive little public attention. MdM ensures that its health services are provided equally to the most vulnerable citizens, refugees, internally displaced people and host communities, regardless of their ethnic, social, religious or political background. MdM considers access to general health care a universal human right for everyone.

MdM has been working in Ethiopia since 1986, implementing different types of health projects from long-term interventions to emergency response. MdM Germany is pursuing two programmatic approaches since 2021: collaboration with local partner organisations in development-oriented projects and implementing an emergency humanitarian intervention in the regions Somali and Afar.

The humanitarian multi-sectoral intervention of MdM Germany in Somali and Afar is aiming to improve the access to and the quality of health care services (with a focus on SRH-R, MCH, GBV), prevention of epidemics and MHPSS for conflict and crisis affected communities, with particular attention to the needs of women and girls. Nutrition and WASH components are integrated in the approach and mainly implemented by the local partner organisations.

Jointly, MdM Germany and the partners support established health centres and health posts in different areas of the Somali and the Afar Region: in rural remote areas, in selected IDP camp settings, and areas with ethnic / internal border conflicts. The direct support to health staff and structures is completed by outreach activities to the surrounding communities. Donors include German ministries (GFFO, BMZ) and ECHO, while a further diversification is expected.

The General Coordinator is responsible for the overall management and the steering of MdM GE’s operations in Ethiopia, including finances and administration, logistics, programming and implementation, planning, monitoring, staff management and leadership, safety and security, as well as partner and donor relations. An adequate planning includes a foresighted budget and HR planning as well as a close monitoring of the resources, risks, and implementation, potentially beyond borders where a partner’s intervention is planned. In close collaboration with the manager of the programme at Head Quarter level, s/he is responsible to implement and further develop the country’s strategy.

In support of our work in Ethiopia, MdM Germany is looking for an experienced General Coordinator, based in Addis Ababa with frequent visits to all current and future project locations within Ethiopia (mainly Somali and Afar Region).

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Overall responsibility for all programmes in Ethiopia and in potential neighbouring countries under MdM Germany’s lead including responsibility for the project budget, HR planning, and compliance.
• Implementation and further development of the country strategy, providing guidance to the team and local partners.
• Safety and security for all staff and implemented activities including a regular monitoring of the humanitarian, political and security situation in the Horn of Africa.
• Monitoring project progress by ensuring that administrative, financial and logistical procedures are in place and followed up on regularly.
• Representation and coordination with other MdM chapters, donors, and partner organisations.

Hierarchical & Functional links

The General Coordinator reports directly to manager of International Programmes in Munich, Germany. S/he directly manages the international coordinators in Ethiopia, as well as selected other staff and is responsible for all national staff as well as visitors.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATION

Your professional Profile

• Master degree in Development or Humanitarian studies, Public Health, or equivalent,
• Minimum of 5 years of working expierence in planning, implementing and managing humanitarian or development aid projects within the humanitarian sector incl. financial and logistical supervision. Experience in managing medical programs is an asset,
• Proven managerial experience within complex environments,
• Substantial experience in safety and security management in volatile contexts,
• Strong project management skills including planning, proposal development, monitoring, and report writing and an extensive,
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of the project cycle management,
• Experience in representation within the humanitarian system and in challenging negotiations with local authorities,
• Experience in working with German (GFFO, BMZ, GIZ) and/or international donors (e.g., ECHO, CBPF),
• At least five years of experience at a senior management level with the demonstrated ability to lead a team in a complex environment,
• Fluency in English (written and verbaly),
• Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office.

Your personal profile

• Capacity to live and work in challenging conditions,
• High level of mental and physical resilience and ability to cope with a high level of workload,
• Strong problem solving and organisational skills in day to day as well as in crisis situations,
• Ability to classify and to manage priorities and adaptability to change them,
• Strong communication (written and spoken) and interpersonal skills including the ability to effectively motivate people, listen and to diplomatically manage the relationship with local partners and authorities.
• You are comitted to MdM’s values.
• Women* are specifically encouraged to apply.

What we offer

• Starting date: as soon as possible
• Length of the contract: until 31 December 2025 with the possibility to extend
• Duty station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Salary: according to MdM Germany’s terms and conditions

How to apply

Please apply via our application tool.

Our aim as an organisation is to reflect the diversity of the people we support. We therefore explicitly encourage people with a migration history, people of colour, people with disabilities and people of all ages, genders, sexual identities and ethnic or social backgrounds to apply.