Palladium is a global company working to design, develop and deliver positive impact on the lives and livelihoods of people around the globe; broaden access to health, water, power, and infrastructure; build enduring, sustainable, and transformative institutions and market systems to address global challenges; and conserve the natural world. We operate in over 90 countries and have a workforce of 4,000 talented, motivated, and diverse staff of all religions, races, languages, and gender identities. 

Project Background

This Opportunity

Palladium International, LLC is implementing the $250 Million, 8-year USAID CATALYZE contract which offers a facilitated partnership model that will craft solutions to crowd in $2 Billion in blended finance (i.e., blended concessional and commercial finance) to USAID partner countries; it can work in any development sector or region. Launched in October 2019, CATALYZE is a buy-in mechanism that allows USAID Bureaus and Missions to efficiently deploy investment facilitation solutions that respond to the needs of specific sectors, issues, and geographies. 

USAID CATALYZE Market Systems for Growth (MS4G) focuses on creating transformative outcomes in the food security and WASH sectors to benefit all Ethiopian people. To achieve these goals, the activity engages youth, mobilizes capital, increases access to finance, connects enterprises to markets, and supports stakeholders to self-advocate towards policy change which will promote opportunities for the private sector community. The project supports activities in Addis Ababa and secondary cities. 

To strengthen the private sector in the food security and WASH sectors, MS4G uses a market-based approach to enhance enterprise performance, product/service delivery, and inclusion. The activities are designed to build institutional capacity, enhance knowledge and skill transfers through workforce development initiatives, advance the business enabling environment, accelerate digital transformations and scale best practices to increase productivity and quality.

The Program Specialist will support MS4G technical teams in line with the MS4G scope of work and client expectations. S/he will be based in Addis Ababa to enhance the opportunities to work with the MS4G Addis-based staff on the urgent actions and partnerships needed to achieve the expected results.  

Estimated Start Date

This assignment is expected to commence in April 2023.

You and Your Career

If you are a problem-solver, collaborator, and results-focused doer, who shares our commitment to the development mission, we are interested in hearing from you. 

We are a learning organization and provide growth opportunities from the start.  We pride ourselves on giving you the freedom, resources, and guidance to chart a fulfilling career!

Reporting and Supervision

The Program Specialist will report to one of the CATALYZE MS4G technical team leads and support two or more teams. S/he will be responsible for supporting timely, organized, effective program delivery for assigned teams and collaborating with MS4G colleagues across Ethiopia and the United States.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Specific responsibilities of Program Specialist include, but are not limited to: 

• Update and disseminate status trackers, activity updates, budgets, forecasts and other project management tools.

• Plan and facilitate meetings including taking and distributing meeting minutes.

• Assist with the collection, organization, and/or analysis of materials in response to requests for program information.

• Assist with data collection and reporting from implementing partners.

• Track team and partner deliverables, deadlines, milestones, and budgets to support team members delivery of on-time and on-budget results.

• Provide light editing, formatting, and other document preparation support.

• Other tasks as assigned by the Supervisor.

Location: The position is based in MS4G’s Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Office

Job Requirements

Key Competencies Required:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills In English and Amharic

• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

• Excellent time management and organizational skills

• Professional proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

• Keen eye for detail and ability to produce and edit client-ready documents and presentations

Professional Competencies Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in business administration or a related field

• Prior experience in a similar role on a large USAID- or other donor funded project

• Experience in project and partnership management

• Certification or expertise in project management and experience with project management software

• Experience managing budgets, and contributing to research and report writing

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion: 

Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success, and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status. 

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neuro divergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss. 

Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse.  All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.

How to Apply

Register using the following LINK