Programme Officer (PO)

POSITION DESCRIPTION 

POSITION: Programme Officer (PO)- Education Theme (FEMALE)

INTRODUCTION

The IM Swedish Development Partner (in short it is called IM) formerly known as Swedish Organization for Individual Relief (SOIR-IM) is a based Swedish International Development NGO working in the field of economic empowerment, education, health and strengthening civil society in 12 countries worldwide. It has its International headquarters (head office) in Lund, Sweden. IM has been supporting Nepal’s development and humanitarian efforts since 1980 through Nepali partners. Since 2010, it has been working in Nepal as a legal registered INGO having its own country office in Kathmandu, Nepal with seven staff members. IM’s mission is to fight and expose poverty and exclusions in our working countries (refer our web: global.manniskohjalp.se). IM is a growing development organization (INGO/donor) in Nepal and expanding its programs and operations from 2015 with Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) framework funding and IM’s own private funds for Nepal with more focus towards sustainable and rightsbased development interventions. Our strategic focus in 2015–2017 for Nepal is to support Nepalese NGOs (CSOs) in the sectors of economic empowerment, quality education, earthquake recovery/reconstructions and strengthening Nepali CSOs for sustainable development programs. IM’s current working areas are Dang, Kapilbastu, Nawalparasi, Gorkha and Kathmandu districts. Currently we partner with 9 national and district level professional partners (CSOs) in our programmatic portfolios and are planning to expand more from 2017 onward through raising institutional back-donor funding e.g. EU. We support our partner organizations financially as well as promote a true partnership approach by facilitating their organizational and capacity development (OCD) processes to develop them as accountable CSOs towards rights-based development work. IM seeks to appoint urgently an experienced and qualified Programme Officer (FEMALE) for its Education Theme for its Country Office. IM promotes very good working, development and learning environment for its staffs.

POSITION

The position of Programme Officer (PO) is a senior and core position with 2-year renewal contract after successful completion of probationary period, and based in IM Nepal Country Office, Kathmandu. PO performs her duties under the close supervision and technical guidance/directives of Country Director, and in accordance with technical inputs/directives from IM Head Office-Sweden and South Asia Regional Office India. The PO coordinates and works closely with program and other staffs of Nepal Country Office, and South Asia Regional Office and Head Office. The successful candidate is expected to start the job by 1 July 2016.

SUPERVISION

Supervised by/Report to:

• Country Director

Supervises:

• None for the time being but possibility of supervising role in future when IM expands.

Coordination and team work with:

• Senior Finance Officer, Program Officer-Economic Empowerment and National Advocacy, Finance/Admin staffs, Other program, finance and communication staffs of South Asia Regional Office-India and Head Office-Sweden 

WORKING FIELD

The Programme Officer (PO) operates at the IM Nepal Country Office, Kathmandu, Nepal with extensive travel (at least 40 %) to the IM’s working areas in Dang, Kapilbastu, Gorkha and Kathmandu districts with a role to effectively contribute to the fulfilment of the strategic and operational objectives and plans for the IM Nepal Office in the sector of education, strengthening CSOs, economic empowerment, national advocacy, and earthquake recovery/reconstructions. As per need, PO also needs to travel in south Asia, Sweden and other IM’s working regions for own learning, exchanges and capacity building initiatives and leading partners exposure initiatives.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the position as Programme Officer is to meet the following organisational needs:

• To manage all stages of partnership portfolio management, and IM/Sida grants management compliances including technical support and guidance to the partners at field and advocacy works at national level
• To contribute to the overall IM Nepal operations with delivering plans, reports, strategies, learning etc. to Country Office, South Asia Regional Office-India, Head Office-Sweden

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The position requires the following responsibilities:

• Be the primary contact person or advisor to an assigned number of partner organisations under education theme and relevant national advocacy initiatives.
• Be responsible for overall partnership portfolio management of assigned partners ensuring a complete project cycle management (PCM) processes starting from assessment and selection of partners; facilitate in processes of designing project proposals; technical support and guidance to partners; periodic monitoring, reviews and evaluations of projects; overall level financial management of projects; analysing and reporting of operational performances and results of the projects; organizational development and capacity building of partners; and closure of projects following IM’s planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting (PME-R) guidelines and compliances in close consultation and coordination with country director, finance and program staffs.
• Be responsible for facilitating and controlling the partners for qualitative programming and implementation; effective and efficient use of IM/Sida funds; and compliances in line with IM/Sida policies and guidelines.
• Ensure the quality of plans and reports submitted by partner organisations to the Country Office, as well as the partner organisations’ understanding of IM agreements, policies and guidelines.
• Contribute to the Country Office’s plans, and reports to Regional Office/Head Office and Government Authorities (SWC etc.) with specific analysed data and information from each partner organisation and IM’s work area contexts.
• Be responsible for promoting partnership approach, and promoting organizational capacity development (OCD) processes of assigned partners to develop them as accountable CSOs.
• Facilitate partners constantly to mainstream gender equality and climate/environmental sustainability in their education programming/strategies/interventions and at organizational level
• Ensure thematic coordination/networking/advocacy with like-minded stakeholders, CSOs, and donors at national including south Asia regional/international levels. 
• Promote programmatic synergies among IM’s working themes-education, economic empowerment, strengthening CSOs, earthquake recovery/reconstruction and among partners and networks
• Enhance learning and participation in thematic working groups within IM offices and among partners, and external stakeholders on the best practices of IM and partners
• Ensure relevant and adequate internal and external communications about the partner organisations, their interventions, achievements, challenges, and learning etc.
• Support, contribute, and work closely with teams of country, regional and head offices towards fund raising processes to raise funds from institutional back donors, Foundations etc.
• Support and contribute to the processes of ensuring government compliances of Nepal such as SWC agreements, monitoring and evaluation, reporting and coordination etc.

MANDATE

The position requires the following mandates:

• Partnership management and overall organizational and capacity development (OCD) of assigned partners to develop them as accountable civil society organizations (CSOs) under education and relevant advocacy initiatives at all levels

WORKING TASKS

The position requires the following working tasks:

• Develop and maintain an in-depth knowledge about the assigned partner organisations and their strategies, operations and activities, results and other achievements, challenges, strengths, areas of improvement, needs and gaps, overall level of financial management and continuous organisational development of partners.
• Keep dialogue, provide technical support and facilitation to the partner organisations as an advisor to support in coping their challenges related to project cycle management, in promoting their thematic understanding and knowledge of rights to education, economic, social and cultural rights (ESCRs), rights-based approach and strengthening CSOs for sustainable development etc. and in augmenting their organizational and capacity development (OCD) processes ensuring full ownership of the partners in every process.
• Ensure the completion of activities and documentations required in accordance with the established Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (PME-R) guidelines of IM.
• Review and evaluate partners’ proposals on new interventions, projects and activities, budgets, and revision processes in close coordination with senior finance officer and country director.
• In dialogue with the partner organisations develop plans for sustainability and closure of IM projects.
• Develop and maintain relevant information/database system about the partner organisations and their interventions and achievements to be used regularly for communication to IM internal and external stakeholders for fund raising, communication and visibility purposes.
• Enhance learning within IM and among partners, and external stakeholders about the IM partner’s interventions, IM and partners’ added values and best practices at all levels.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCES AND KEY SKILLS

The position requires the following qualifications:

Education:

• Postgraduate degree in relevant development studies or education or social studies or human rights and governance, or related discipline(s) from recognized university. A bachelor degree in education and masters in other relevant discipline(s) would be a strong advantage. 

Work experience:

• A minimum 7 years of professional and successful experiences in partnership portfolio and program/project management in INGOs and/or bi-lateral/multi-lateral donor-funded development programs/projects as a senior program staff e.g. program officer/program coordinator/program manager or similar capacity.
• Out of minimum of 7 years of experience, the candidate must have at least 3 years of professional experience only in an INGO in managing human rights-based development and education programs/projects and evidence-based advocacy work in partnership with local and national CSOs/NGOs. Relevant working experience with Scandinavian or EU countries’ INGOs would be advantageous.
• Demonstrated progressive and successful experiences in managing programs/projects related to integrated sustainable development or integrated quality education programs at grassroots, district and national levels.
• Demonstrated experience and excellent hands-on skills in development project planning, designing, implementing, monitoring, coordinating, evaluating and reporting, and facilitation skills for partners’ capacity building and organizational development.
• Demonstrated ability to analyse, interpret, and assess project proposals, reports, and financial information.
• In-depth understanding of quality education with focus to girls’ education, human rights-based approach/perspectives to the development with special focus towards promotion of economic, social and culture (ESC) rights of marginalized communities in line with international human rights instruments and national legislations, strengthening CSOs, gender mainstreaming and climate and environmental sustainability, relevant policies related to education and development sectors, organizational development (OD) of partners to develop them as accountable CSOs etc.
• Working experience with local/regional partners (CSOs) from mid-western and western terrain and hill regions, and national level partners will be an advantage.

Skills:

• Excellent writing and verbal communication skills in English and Nepali, and working knowledge of local dialects of Awadhi, Tharu, Magars from western and mid-western terrain regions is an advantage.
• Excellent computer skills in the Microsoft Office applications Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook and internet based communications.

Personal characteristics and skills:

• High level of sensitivity and commitment to diversity, equality, and economic, social, cultural human rights.
• Demonstrated facilitation skills, analytical and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated reliability and high level of integrity.
• Strategic thinking, solid judgement and critical thinking ability.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication, and coordination skills within team, partners, external stakeholders, government, and donors.
• Good interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work independently with less supervision as well as collaboratively and effectively as a team within IM, and with partner organisations and other relevant external stakeholders.
• Well-organized, thorough and with an attention to details and accuracy.
• Ability to prioritize the tasks and flexible to modify priorities as needed.

Personal commitment:

• Strong personal commitment to the values and mission of IM to fight and expose poverty and exclusions, to democracy, to the respect for human rights, and the equal value and dignity of all human beings.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Salary range for the position:

• Salary will be as per IM Nepal Country office human resource regulations and can be negotiable depending on the candidate’s relevant experiences and qualifications.

Vacation:

• Vacations days in accordance with IM Nepal Office rules and regulations and practices.

Insurance:

• Coverage of medical and accidental insurances schemes in accordance with IM Nepal Country Office regulations and practice.

Other benefits:

• Pension fund, festivity allowances and gratuity etc. are in accordance with IM Nepal Country Office rules and as per labour law of Nepal.

HOW TO APPLY AND ELIGIBILITY

Please send an updated CV and a motivational letter justifying your demonstrated experiences and skills in partnership approach and strengthening CSOs, and managing rights-based development programs/projects in Nepal to IM Nepal office via email: imnepalrecruitment@gmail.com no later than 7 June 2016/Tuesday. Please mention date of birth and 3 referees from supervisors from past employers clearly in your CV. For detail, contact IM Office via email: uttamaryal.imnepal@gmail.com or call 01-5525202. Those who already applied in this position in March 2016 are not needed to re-apply. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview process during 2nd to 3rd week of June 2016.

Only qualified FEMALE candidates meeting above-mentioned qualifications, experience and skills are eligible to apply. Qualified FEMALE candidates from highly marginalized ethnic minorities and marginalized Dalits communities are encouraged to apply. IM reserves all the rights to reject/dismiss this recruitment process without assigning any reasons to applicants.

For more information about IM please visit global.manniskohjalp.se.

THE HIMALAYAN TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 18 2016