Application Deadline: July 31, 2020 midnight (GMT)
The Open Society Foundations are an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens. To achieve this mission, the Foundations seek to shape public policies that assure greater fairness in political, legal, and economic systems and safeguard fundamental rights. On a local level, the Open Society Foundations implement a range of initiatives to advance justice, education, public health, and independent media. At the same time, we build alliances across borders and continents on issues such as corruption and freedom of information. The Foundations place a high priority on protecting and improving the lives of people in marginalized communities.
The Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) is an advocacy and grant making foundation that forms part of the global Open Society Foundations Network. OSIWA is based in Dakar, Senegal and works to support the creation of open societies in West Africa marked by functioning democracy, good governance, rule of law, basic freedoms, and widespread civic participation. It has offices in Abuja, Monrovia, Freetown and Conakry.
Job Profile
The Program Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring the overall smooth functioning and facilitate the grant making process by assisting in daily management, monitoring and evaluation and administration of projects under OSIWA’s Equality, Justice and Human Rights (EJHR) Program. The Program Coordinator’s overall tasks will be 50% program-related and 50% administrative, as per the OSF Network-Title Position Levels. The Program Coordinator will report to the EJHR Program Manager.
Key Job Responsibilities
- The development and management of OSIWA EJHR Program portfolio
- Assess applications for support and prepare materials, including recommendations for project funding to be made by the Program Manager to the OSIWA Board of Directors
- Work with partners/potential grantees to develop appropriate recommendations from proposals to advance the realization of the EJHR Program goals
- Prepare and review the Program budget under the supervision of the Program Manager and the Program Officer
- Maintain regular contact with Program partners and regularly monitor the overall progress of projects and assess project results
- Establish and strengthen strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, regional and international actors and partners/grantees
- Keep current with developments in the relevant Program thematic areas (criminal justice and sanctions reform, transitional justice, minority rights, citizenship rights and documentation, legal empowerment of the poor etc.) in the West Africa
- Contribute in effective collaboration with OSF Network Programs and strategic networking/partnerships with other development partners/organizations and grantees
- Build synergy with OSIWA’s 3 Programmatic areas providing inputs/support for the implementation to ensure integrated programming
- Provide regular updates on advocacy issues, initiatives and coalitions
- Assist in writing and/or commissioning reports and advocacy documents: this will include overseeing research/study and publications for individual or grantee; this will also entail identifying and contracting researchers, reviewing TOR, editing drafts, and coordinating the publication/dissemination of reports.
- Represent OSIWA at external meetings and events as assigned by the Program Manager and Executive Director
- Provide support for OSIWA communication team in the production of thematic informational materials and annual report and newsletter
- Prepare monthly program reports and assist with the preparation of the Program annual work plan
- Other programmatic tasks as assigned by the Program Manager
Perform administrative tasks related to the EJHR Program, including but not limited to:
- Assist with the planning and organization of meetings, and the preparation of presentations for conferences and meetings
- Maintain proper records on grants such as correspondence and reporting on grants usage and monitor the grant process through the grants management system (Serenic)
- Maintain regular contact with projects and grantees, including timely submission of narrative and financial reports
- Process new grant applications which includes acknowledging receipt of applications and obtaining adequate information about these applications to enable inform recommendations to be made by the program manager to the Board of Directors
- Ensure timely submission of narrative reports form grantees and review them
- Act as the Program liaison with the Grants unit to ensure all grants compliance requirements and the Finance unit for financial reporting requirements
Perform other related duties as delegated by the Program Manager and the Executive Director.
Qualifications
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and French
- Computer skills including the ability to operate spreadsheets and word processing programs at a highly proficient level
- Experience in the management, evaluation and monitoring of programs and projects
- Experience in law, human rights and social justice programming and advocacy work in West Africa
- A self-starter, able to take initiative
- Discretion and ability to handle confidential issues
- Ability to work efficiently under pressure and on a wide range of tasks
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
- Willingness to travel extensively
- Commitment to working as a member of a team
- Ability to listen and communicate clearly and effectively with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds.
- Compliance with standards of conduct and procedures
- Cultural awareness and sensitivity
- Flexibility
- Sound work ethics
- Consistency and fairness
- Grants programming, Advocacy and lobbying experience
- Project management expertise
- Experience in monitoring and evaluation
- At least five years of work experience in program management in an organization working on similar issues to OSIWA (e.g. human rights, justice, governance etc)
- A Bachelor’s degree in Law, Human Rights, Social Sciences or related fields.
To Apply: Send resume (in English), cover letter, detailed CV including 3 references, and salary expectations by midnight (GMT) on July 31, 2020 to: osiwarecruitment@osiwa.org. No phone calls, please.
OSIWA is an Equal Opportunity Employer
