Projects Support Officer
17 Aug 2009 14:38:00 GMT
Deadline date: 31 Aug 2009 |
| Organisation: | Concern Universal - UK |
| Location: | 216137 |
| Type: | permanent |
| Salary: | TBA (000's USD) |
| Description: | Concern Universal
PROJECTS SUPPORT OFFICER, GUINEA Job Description Closing date: 31st August 2009 Job Title: Projects Support Officer Work Station: Based in Dabola, Guinea. Travel to Conakry, Kankan, Siguiri, Labé, Kissidougou and other locations may be required. Reporting to: Concern Universal (CU) Guinea Country Director. Expected to work in close coordination with other members of the CU Guinea Programme team. Rationale: The purpose of this post is: 1. To assist CU-Guinea leadership to develop the country programme by playing a key role in the development and elaboration of projects to proposal stage. 2. To complement existing CU-Guinea support to local partners 3. To provide project management support Background Established in 1976, Concern Universal (CU) is a UK-based international development agency with ten country programmes, plus cross border initiatives extending to a total of 13 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Concern Universal’s vision is a world where justice, dignity and respect for all prevails. The organisation works in partnership to challenge poverty and inequality. We support practical actions that enable people to improve their lives and shape their own futures. Partnership is at the heart of what CU does and is the means by which we aspire to achieve our vision of helping some of the world’s poorest and most marginalised people to improve the quality of their lives in a sustainable and practical way. At the core of CU’s partnership approach is a deep sense of value and respect for the processes involved in relationship building and the partner’s development – in this sense our approach is a process oriented and relationship based one. CU originally began working in Guinea as a response to the Sierra Leonean and Liberian refugee crisis in 1995. However, as the caseload of refugees has diminished greater emphasis is now being put on working with local populations in the poorer northern side of the country. CU Guinea works exclusively with local partners. Currently, these are four in number including Secours Rapide Rurale (SRR), Organisation Catholique pour la Promotion Humaine (OCPH), Association Sauvons les Enafants Désérités (ASED), and Ballal Guinée. Activities with these partners include Food Security ; Water and Sanitation, Environmental Protection; Promotion of Market Gardening and Agricultural Development; Civic Education activities, and Emergency Preparedness and Post-Emergency Response initiatives. Until the end of 2002 CU and its partners had a sizeable engagement in Sierra Leonean refugee camps in the Dabola and Kissidougou Prefectures. This work included emergency sanitation, environmental protection and food security work. At the end of 2002 it was decided to end this work as most of the Sierra Leonean refugees were to be repatriated by early 2003. This now permitted CU Guinea to target resources towards working with Guinean populations in the poorer northern part of the country. However, notwithstanding this, CU-Guinea and its partners are monitoring closely the unstable situation in Cote d'Ivoire and are prepared to engage in an emergency response should this have repercussions for the Upper Guinea Region. Currently we are scaling up Water and Sanitation, and Environmental protection projects. This position offers the opportunity to gain an invaluable wide ranging field experience, working within an internationally recognized organization, and to make a significant contribution to the work of CU in Guinea. Responsibilities Project management support • To assist in the monitoring and management of a diverse portfolio of projects • To format and edit reports, and ensure their compliance to donor requirements /formats • To assist in the update of management, monitoring and evaluation tools, project database and monthly reports Organisational support to partners • To act in a solid support role (in collaboration with the CU-Guinea programme team), to our partners SRR, ASED, OCPH and Ballal Guinea in order to assist these organisations grow and become more effective facilitators of development • To assist in the preparation and implementation of training courses for partners • To assist these partners in the development of new project ideas and proposals within the framework of their strategic plans • To seek for new potential partners Internal organisational development • To promote CU’s visibility by producing and translating promotional material • To follow up with donors at in-country level and to keep the CU Guinea donors database updated to promote diversity of funding • To respect and work within all aspects of Concern Universal's internal Security Policy and Guidelines for West Africa and those specific to Guinea • Other tasks as necessary and required Person Specification University level qualification in development or related subject • Preferably at least two years experience of development work overseas and working with Local NGOs • Fluent written and spoken English • Good written and spoken French • Strong computer and IT skills: Excel and Word proficiency as a minimum • Demonstrable proposal development capabilities • Excellent report writing skills • Excellent planning and organisational skills • Ability to manage multiple priorities and workload in a demanding environment • Strong team player with solid interpersonal skills • Proactive, patient and adaptable disposition • Stand alone self-starter with capacity to work under minimum supervision & support • Personal commitment to development and humanitarian values • Willingness to cope with sometimes difficult working and living conditions • Full clean driving licence desirable Terms and Conditions This is essentially a semi-volunteer unaccompanied position providing the right candidate with a significant opportunity to gain solid overseas experience and increasing responsibilities within an international non-governmental organisation. The position is offered on an initial one year basis (renewable by mutual agreement). Basic shared accommodation will be provided combined with a local living allowance and a Grade 1a salary of £5,000GBP per year, emergency insurance and annual return flight to country of origin. All applicants must complete an application form. CVs will not be acknowledged or accepted. Contact All applicants must complete an application form. CVs will not be acknowledged or accepted. For an application form please download this from our website http://www.concern-universal.org and submit this to clare.lovelace@concern-universal.org If having difficulty send an e-mail to the same address for assistance. Additional information about CU is available from the website above. Deadline for receipt of completed application forms is Monday 31st August. Initial telephone interviews for shortlisted candidates will take place shortly after this date, followed by a panel interview and written exercise for the final shortlisted candidates week beginning 7th September. The successful candidate will ideally be expected to take up appointment within 4 weeks after offer of post; Concern Universal is an equal opportunities employer |
| Name: | Clare Lovelace |
| Telephone: | +44 (0) 1432355111 |
| Fax: | +44 (0) 1432355086 |
| Email: | clare.lovelace@concern-universal.org |