Education:

Master’s degree in Development Studies, Project Management, Social Sciences, or other related fields. Advanced academic background in humanitarian response, economics, or public policy is an advantage.

About the Organization

Save the Children is a globally recognized child-focused humanitarian and development organization operating in more than 100 countries with approximately 25,000 staff worldwide. The organization works to ensure that children survive, learn, and are protected, especially in times of crisis.

Save the Children delivers life-saving emergency assistance and long-term development programs in health, education, child protection, and child rights governance. It also advocates at national and international levels to ensure children’s rights are upheld and their voices are heard.

The organization is working toward three ambitious breakthroughs by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their fifth birthday.
• All children learn from a quality basic education.
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated.

In Ethiopia, Save the Children implements large-scale humanitarian and development programs in partnership with government institutions, donors, and local communities. The organization promotes innovation, accountability, and evidence-based programming.

Joining Save the Children offers professionals the opportunity to make a measurable impact while developing leadership skills in a collaborative and inclusive workplace that values ambition, creativity, integrity, and accountability.

Job Description

The Program Manager – Cash Assistance will lead the design, implementation, and oversight of a short-term emergency Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) project funded by WFP. The position is based in Addis Ababa and requires frequent travel to field locations in Oromia and Amhara regions.

The project aims to provide shock-responsive humanitarian cash assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in multiple woredas across East and West Wellega, North Shewa, Buno Bedelle, Bale zones, Jimma Town in Oromia Region, and Kobo Town in North Wello Zone of Amhara Region.

The Program Manager will serve as the operational link between Save the Children and WFP, government stakeholders, clusters, and coordination platforms. The role ensures effective, timely, and cost-efficient delivery of digital cash assistance to targeted beneficiaries.

Key responsibilities include leading a large field team of up to 110 staff, including coordinators, officers, enumerators, monitoring staff, complaints and feedback mechanism teams, and support personnel.

The Program Manager will oversee digital beneficiary registration, enumerator recruitment and training, collaboration with Financial Service Providers (FSPs), crowd management systems, and cash disbursement processes.

The role requires strong leadership in ensuring compliance with donor regulations, safeguarding standards, anti-fraud and anti-corruption policies, and internal control mechanisms.

The Program Manager will ensure that monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) systems are fully integrated into the project design and implementation.

The position also includes responsibility for donor reporting, budget management, expenditure tracking, and forecasting to ensure that all activities remain within approved financial plans.

The role promotes gender equality and inclusion by ensuring that quality markers and disaggregated data are integrated into planning, implementation, and reporting processes.

The Program Manager will represent Save the Children in coordination forums, including cash working groups and ICCM platforms, strengthening partnerships and collaboration.

This role offers significant professional growth in humanitarian leadership, strategic program management, donor relations, and large-scale cash transfer programming.

Educational Qualification

Master’s degree in Development Studies, Project Management, Social Sciences, or other related fields.

Advanced academic background in humanitarian response, economics, or public policy is an advantage.

Work Experience

At least 10 years of progressive professional experience, with a minimum of 5 years in managerial or leadership roles.

Extensive experience managing humanitarian cash assistance programs, preferably digital cash assistance interventions.

Strong background in emergency response and fragile state contexts.

Demonstrated experience in project management, market analysis, and economic recovery programming.

Experience managing highly technical teams in Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) implementation.

Previous experience working as a consortium manager is desirable.

Experience with community participation and accountability systems is required.

Strong monitoring and evaluation experience in donor-funded programs.

Ability to operate in both advisory and hands-on implementation capacities.

Proficiency in Amharic is preferred; knowledge of other local languages is an advantage.

Required Skills and Competencies

Strong strategic leadership and decision-making skills.

Excellent financial management and budget oversight capabilities.

Advanced knowledge of humanitarian cash programming methodologies.

Strong donor coordination and relationship management skills.

Ability to manage large, diverse teams effectively.

Excellent communication, negotiation, and representation skills.

High level of integrity, transparency, and accountability.

Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities.

Commitment to child safeguarding and protection principles.

Strong analytical skills for risk assessment and mitigation planning.

This role provides exposure to high-level coordination with international donors, government stakeholders, and humanitarian clusters, significantly enhancing leadership and technical expertise in emergency programming.

Job Location

Country Office – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with frequent travel to project locations in Oromia and Amhara regions.

Employment Type and Salary

Employment Type: Full-time

Contract Length: 4 months (Fixed-term emergency contract)

Job Category: Programme Operations

Salary: Competitive and aligned with Save the Children’s salary scale. Specific details will be communicated during the recruitment process.

Save the Children is committed to equal employment opportunities and diversity. Qualified female candidates and individuals from underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

The organization maintains strict child safeguarding standards and conducts rigorous background checks as part of the recruitment process.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further evaluation.

Scanned certificates or additional attachments are not required at the time of application.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit an updated CV and cover letter as a single document through the official Save the Children recruitment platform.

Applicants are required to include details of their current remuneration and salary expectations.

Applications must be submitted before March 5, 2026, at 09:32 AM.

This is a unique opportunity to lead a high-impact humanitarian cash assistance program and contribute to improving the lives of vulnerable children and families while advancing your career in international humanitarian leadership.

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