Consortium Program Manager

Youth Impact Labs East Africa; KwaZulu-Natal; On-site; ZAR 1 282 000 - 1 603 000; Full time

Job summary

An international development organization seeks a Consortium Program Manager to oversee program strategy in conflict-affected regions. The ideal candidate will lead relationships with multiple partners, ensuring compliance with donor regulations. A Master’s degree and at least 10 years of experience in international development are required. Responsibilities include strategic engagement and mentorship of diverse teams. This role is vital for ensuring program effectiveness in resilient livelihoods and economic recovery.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in international development.
• Proven expertise in Market Systems Development and economic recovery.
• Experience in managing complex consortiums or multiple partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage relationships across implementing partners.
• Advise on program direction and policy issues to senior management.
• Ensure compliance with donor rules and reporting requirements.

Skills

Program management

Stakeholder engagement

Donor relationship management

Conflict resolution

Leadership

Education

Master’s degree in a related field

Job description

Overview

About Mercy Corps Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact. Mercy Corps has been present in Ethiopia since 2004 working to drive bold and transformative ideas, working closely with government, the private sector and civil society actors to build a more resilient country, ensuring that programs are responsive to and influenced by participants and stakeholders. Our vision is to enhance the resilience of climate and conflict-affected communities through market systems development for improved livelihoods, access to food, and safe and clean water to thrive in the face of crises. Our strategy focuses on the four outcome areas of: 1) Economically marginalized populations have improved and diversified livelihoods, income, and assets; 2) Pastoralists, farmers, and households have access to sustainably produced, safe, nutritious food; 3) Social cohesion and inclusive governance processes are built in crisis-affected communities; and 4) People have equitable, sustained access to clean water and sanitation for domestic and productive use. Currently we operate in the regional states of Afar, Amhara, Gambella, Oromia, Somali, Sidama, Southern Ethiopia, Tigray and Addis Ababa city administration working with a diverse base of donors that includes United States Agency for International Development (USAID), European Union, GAC, Hilton Foundation, United Nations (UN), JOA, Sweden, EKN, and other foundations.

Position

Position Title: Consortium Program Manager

Duty Station: Addis Ababa

Open Position: 1

Safeguarding Risk: High

Program / Department Summary

ER-CAP is a 5-year project by Mercy Corps, DRC, and First Consult Development. It aims to improve the economic adaptation, protection, and recovery of conflict-affected populations in three regions: Afar (Abala), Tigray (Mekelle), and Amhara (Woldiya). The program will benefit 43,540 individuals, focusing on IDPs, returnee women, youth and marginalized groups. It uses a conflict-sensitive, systems-strengthening, climate-smart and inclusive approach to enhance systems that support economic recovery. The expected outcomes include resilient livelihoods, improved access to financial products and services, and enhanced capacity to mitigate protection risks. ER-CAP aims to improve the economic condition of conflict-affected communities by strengthening MSMEs, improving crop and livestock value chains, and providing income-generating opportunities. It includes providing affordable financial products and technology through partnerships with financial service providers, conducting GESI dialogues, and identifying business ideas for economic activities in displacement settings.

Essential Job Responsibilities (Strategic Leadership Domains)

• Strategic Donor & High-Level Stakeholder Engagement
• Donor Relationship Management: Serve as the chief point of contact with the program donor. Proactively cultivate and maintain robust, transparent relationships, ensuring timely communication, active engagement in strategic decision-making, and seamless facilitation of high-level field visits.
• Government & Policy Advocacy: Advise Mercy Corps Senior Management and senior national government officials on program direction, strategy, and policy issues. Lead discussions on innovative solutions and ensure the program is aligned with national development priorities.
• Compliance and Reporting: Assume responsibility for full compliance with all donor and government rules, regulations, and reporting requirements, including timely and high-quality submission of donor financial and programmatic reports.
• Consortium Leadership & Management
• Consortium leadership: Lead and manage the complex relationship structure across the three distinct implementing partners (Mercy Corps, DRC, and First Consult).
• Coordination and Synergy: Drive coordination among partners, fostering timely communication, navigating consortium dynamics, and establishing clear roles and responsibilities to achieve organizational synergy and collective impact.
• Consortium Capacity Building: Strategically mentor and capacitate consortium partners and their teams, positioning them to successfully achieve program objectives and ensuring a high achieving, coordinated delivery effort.
• Technical & Programmatic Vision
• Technical Oversight (MSD): Provide critical, specialized technical oversight and guidance to the entire consortium on the MSD) approach. Ensure all Intervention Concept Notes (ICNs) are strategically sound, aligned with program objectives, and adhere to MSD principles.
• Impact Guarantee: Lead the strategic planning, using adaptive management tools, to guarantee the program is positioned to achieve its overall objective, leveraging team capacity.
• Adaptive Management and Risk: Establish and utilize advanced monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and risk management frameworks to monitor progress, identify strategic risks, and advise on timely, corrective adjustments.
• Innovation & Learning: Introduce and promote innovation and best practices for working in fragile and post-crisis contexts across sectors (agriculture, inclusive financial services, etc.) and actively champion knowledge sharing across the wider Country Offices.
• Team Management and Development
• Strategic Team Formation: Lead the creation of a high-achieving, multicultural team environment by defining performance metrics, ensuring clear role clarity, and aligning the entire workforce with the program's vision.
• Mentorship and Coaching: Mentor and coach team members to build their capacity in program management and technical delivery.
• Organizational Learning
• Commit 5% of time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves, in support of organizational learning.
• Accountability
• S/he is accountable for delivering the program's intended results, ensuring compliance, and providing strategic direction.

Supervisory Responsibility

Mercy Corps Program Implementation Team, with ultimate strategic and technical oversight of the Consortium Partner Leads.

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Director of Programs (Line Manager)

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: ER-CAP team including Consortium partner team members with DRC and FC in Addis and in Amhara, Tigray and Afar regions; Operations and Finance Teams.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our field programs.

Security

Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership. Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Knowledge And Experience

• Master’s degree in economics, International Development, Business Administration, or a closely related field, or a bachelor’s degree with equivalent work experience (typically 2 additional years).
• A minimum of 10 years of progressive professional experience in international development and private sector including substantial experience in senior management roles.
• Proven deep technical expertise and practical experience applying the Market Systems Development (MSD) approach in economic recovery, livelihoods, and access to finance sectors.
• Prior experience managing programs in fragile, conflict-affected, or post-crisis contexts, preferably within Ethiopia.
• Demonstrated success in leading and managing complex consortiums or multiple implementing partners, requiring advanced skills in coordination, diplomacy, and conflict resolution.
• Extensive experience with high value grant financial management, including budget oversight donor compliance, and strong internal control systems.
• Exceptional ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder relationships, negotiate sensitive issues with donors and government officials, and mediate inter-consortium conflicts constructively.
• Demonstrated skill in using real-time data to pivot strategy, manage ambiguity, and lead teams through unexpected operational challenges inherent in post-conflict environments.
• The ability to see the 'big picture' strategic goals while maintaining a meticulous eye on compliance, risk mitigation, and financial control across a large, multi-partner budget.
• Proven capacity to lead and motivate diverse, multicultural teams operating under high pressure in volatile settings, with a commitment to conflict-sensitive programming.
• Fluent professional proficiency in written and spoken English is mandatory. All qualified individuals are invited to apply for the advertised position. All applications, including a CV, three references, and all applicable official papers, must be sent electronically.

Only candidates that are short-listed will be acknowledged and called for interviews.

“Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer promoting gender, equity and diversity. Qualified female and young candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are committed to empower women and youth.”

DEADLINE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS: 11 January 2026, 4:00 PM