Project Coordinator – Civil Society Innovation Fund (CSIF)

About the Organization

Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA) is an organization that coordinates women-led organizations and promotes the meaningful participation of women, youth, persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups in civic engagement, governance, advocacy, peacebuilding and decision-making processes.

Job Summary

The Project Coordinator will be responsible for the day-to-day coordination and effective implementation of the CSIF-supported WLO (Women Led Organizations) Initiative. The position will coordinate NEWA and its members/partners to ensure that project activities are implemented on time, within budget and in accordance with the approved proposal, workplan, results framework, donor requirements and NEWA policies and procedures. The position will contribute to strengthening women-led and women-focused organizations and promoting the meaningful participation of women, youth, persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups in civic engagement, governance, advocacy, peacebuilding and decision-making processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate the overall day-to-day implementation of the CSIF project in line with the approved proposal, workplan, budget and results framework.
• Ensure that project activities are implemented according to agreed quality standards, timelines and targets.
• Identify implementation challenges and opportunities and recommend appropriate corrective actions.
• Ensure gender equality, social inclusion, disability inclusion, safeguarding, conflict sensitivity and do-no-harm principles are integrated throughout project implementation.
• Support adaptive implementation based on changes in context, emerging needs, monitoring findings and stakeholder feedback.
• Coordinate Organizational Capacity Assessments (OCAs) of selected women-led and women-focused organizations.
• Support the development and implementation of tailored organizational capacity-strengthening plans.
• Support WLOs to strengthen their organizational systems, leadership, advocacy, evidence generation, monitoring, safeguarding and resource mobilization capacities.
• Coordinate evidence-based advocacy and civic engagement initiatives under the project.
• Facilitate engagement between women-led organizations, communities, government institutions, civil society, media and other stakeholders.
• Support initiatives that promote women’s meaningful participation in governance, peacebuilding, policy dialogue and decision-making.
• Ensure the priorities and voices of women, youth, persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups are reflected in project activities.
• Coordinate the development and dissemination of policy briefs, research findings, advocacy materials and other knowledge products.
• Coordinate project-related grant activities in collaboration with the finance and relevant technical teams.
• Support the preparation and implementation of grant-making processes in line with approved procedures.
• Provide technical accompaniment to grant recipients and monitor implementation progress.
• Review partner activity and narrative reports and provide feedback for improvement.
• Ensure grant-related documentation is complete and properly maintained.
• Coordinate with finance staff to monitor grant expenditure and identify financial implementation issues.
• Work closely with the MEAL/M&E team to track project progress against the results framework and indicators.
• Ensure timely collection and documentation of project data and evidence.
• Participate in joint monitoring visits, data quality assessments, outcome reviews and reflection meetings.
• Support documentation of success stories, lessons learned, good practices, outcome stories and case studies.
• Prepare and coordinate timely project narrative and progress reports in collaboration with relevant staff and consortium partners.
• Consolidate partner reports and ensure consistency between activities, results, indicators and expenditure.
• Ensure project documents, evidence, correspondence and reports are properly organized and centrally accessible.
• Work closely with the Finance team to monitor project expenditure against the approved budget.
• Ensure activities are planned and implemented within approved budgets.
• Coordinate with finance and procurement teams to avoid delays in implementation.
• Ensure compliance with NEWA and donor financial and procurement procedures.
• Maintain and regularly update the project risk register in collaboration with consortium partners.
• Ensure agreed risk mitigation measures are followed and updated as necessary.
• Promote conflict-sensitive and do-no-harm programming.
• Ensure safeguarding, protection, accessibility, gender equality and social inclusion standards are applied in project activities.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with government institutions, CSOs, WLOs, community structures, media, development partners and other stakeholders.
• Represent NEWA/CSIF project in relevant meetings, workshops, coordination forums and stakeholder engagements as delegated.
• Support national and regional advocacy and policy dialogue platforms.
• Strengthen linkages between project activities and existing women’s rights, peacebuilding, civic engagement and civil society networks.
• Promote visibility and positive communication of project achievements in line with donor and NEWA requirements.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Development Studies, Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Public Administration, Project Management, International Development, Peace and Conflict Studies, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in project/program coordination or management, preferably within civil society, women’s rights, gender equality, governance, peacebuilding, or development programs.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating projects involving multiple partners or consortium arrangements.
• Experience working with women-led/women-focused organizations and marginalized groups is highly desirable.
• Experience in advocacy, civic engagement, policy influencing, peacebuilding, or organizational capacity strengthening.
• Experience in donor-funded project implementation and reporting.
• Experience working with grants and providing technical support to partner organizations is an advantage.
• Experience in Ethiopia’s civil society and development sector is preferred.
• Excellent written and spoken English and Amharic.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Communication
• Leadership

How to Apply

Applicants should submit their CV and cover letter to the following email address: newarecruitments@gmail.com. Female applicants are highly encouraged to apply. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.