Position: OVC Services Director
Project: Family-Focused HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment (FFHPCT) Project
Duty Station: Hawassa City, with frequent travel to project sites in the four regions.

Project Areas: Central Ethiopia, Sidama, South Ethiopia and Southwest Ethiopia Regions
Reports to: Chief of Party (CoP)
Supervises: OVC technical staff, regional/project OVC coordinators, case management and community-based OVC personnel, and other assigned staff
Employment Status: Full-time-Fixed term for one Year
Application Deadline: 27 September 2026

About Mary Joy Ethiopia

Mary Joy Ethiopia (MJE) is an Ethiopian-led organization committed to improving the lives of underserved and vulnerable populations through integrated humanitarian and development interventions, working closely with government, communities and development partners.

Job Summary

The OVC Services Director will provide strategic and technical leadership for the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) component of the FFHPCT Project, ensuring that children, adolescents and vulnerable families affected by HIV receive integrated, family-centered and child-sensitive services covering health, protection, education, psychosocial well-being, nutrition and household resilience.The position will strengthen linkages between OVC and HIV prevention, testing, treatment, adherence and retention services, while leading case management, child protection, community systems strengthening, evidence use, quality improvement, adaptive management and sustainable transition of OVC services to government and local systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic & Technical OVC Leadership: Provide overall leadership for OVC programming, translate project strategies into effective implementation plans, and ensure family-centered, child-sensitive, inclusive and rights-based service delivery.
• Case Management & Integrated Services: Lead OVC identification, vulnerability assessment, case planning, referral, follow-up and case closure; strengthen linkages with HIV, health, education, nutrition, psychosocial and social services.
• Child Protection & Safeguarding: Strengthen child protection systems, referral mechanisms and safe environments for children and adolescents, ensuring confidentiality, dignity, informed participation and the best interests of the child.
• Family Strengthening & Resilience: Lead family and household approaches addressing health, education, psychosocial and socioeconomic needs, including appropriate livelihood, savings, skills development and social protection linkages.
• Community Systems & Capacity Strengthening: Strengthen caregivers, peer networks, community organizations, FBOs and local structures; promote community ownership and sustainable OVC service delivery mechanisms.
• MERL, Evidence & Adaptive Management: Work with the MERL Director to monitor OVC performance, data quality and outcomes; use evidence, client feedback and learning to drive quality improvement, corrective action and adaptive programming.
• Government & Transition: Engage government institutions responsible for health, social protection, women and children affairs, education and related sectors; support capacity strengthening, institutionalization, transition and sustainability.
• Partnership, Risk & Reporting: Coordinate with project technical leads, consortium partners and stakeholders; manage safeguarding and programmatic risks; and contribute to technical reports, donor deliverables, learning products and performance reviews.

Required Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Public Health, Social Sciences, Child Protection, Development Studies, Psychology, Social Development, Project Management or a related field.
• Advanced qualification or relevant professional training in child protection, social protection, HIV/OVC programming or case management is an advantage.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience in OVC, child protection, social protection, HIV, community development or related programming.
• At least 5 years of senior technical or managerial experience leading OVC, child protection or HIV-related social support programs.
• Demonstrated experience with USG/PEPFAR-funded OVC or HIV programs is highly desirable.
• Strong experience in OVC case management, child protection, psychosocial support and family-centered programming.
• Demonstrated experience linking OVC services with HIV prevention, care and treatment.
• Experience in education, health, nutrition and/or household economic strengthening interventions for vulnerable children and families.
• Experience strengthening community-based systems and government capacity.
• Demonstrated experience in data use, quality improvement, performance management and adaptive programming.
• Experience in transition, sustainability and localization of social and community services is highly desirable.

Interested and qualified candidates are invited to submit their application through the following

link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6Yjn3SkF4D43X6ca9CoBpMmhW29N2tCCZkqesOc6WbJUylQ/viewform?usp=publish-editor

 Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Job Requirements Master’s degree in Social Work, Public Health, Social Sciences, Child Protection, Development Studies, Psychology, Social Development, Project Management or a related field of study with relevant work experience out of with Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience in OVC, child protection, social protection, HIV, community development or related programming and At least 5 years of senior technical or managerial experience leading OVC, child protection or HIV-related social support programs. How to Apply Interested applicants can send their CV and essential credentials with application letter to us by using the link