OSISA is recruiting a Manager to head the Zimbabwe Programme
22 January 2010
The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) is a growing African institution committed to deepening democracy and human rights in southern Africa. With a staff of over 50 employees, and a mandate that includes operating in ten countries in the region, including four that are in crisis and/or transition from conflict, OSISA requires individuals at the management level who are able to operate in a fast-paced environment, demonstrating superior leadership skills and the ability to multi-task.
In recent years OSISA has deepened its engagement in crisis and transitional countries, and has been active in seeking to address the crisis in Zimbabwe. Through a large network of partners organizations working on pro-democracy, media and accountability issues, OSISA has sought to ensure that the voices of civil society organizations and ordinary Zimbabweans are amplified over the last six years.
OSISA is recruiting a Manager to head the Zimbabwe Programme. This individual will manage an advocacy and grant-making portfolio, and will be required to work with key civil society, donor and government actors. The Zimbabwe Programme Manager will be expected to have strong established networks across sectors, and will have excellent communication and facilitation skills. The ZPM will also be required to travel extensively in the Southern Africa region in order to support Zimbabwe solidarity networks. The ZPM will also work closely with colleagues in OSI's advocacy community working in Brussels, London, New York and Washington.
The Zimbabwe Programme Manager position specifically involves the following:
Overview of Responsibilities
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Programme Manager has direct responsibility for developing all internal strategy documents concerning Zimbabwe. This involves designing and managing a consultative process with key players in civil society, the donor community and the government to profile OSISA, its values, mission and objectives in Zimbabwe.
The Programme Manager will also take responsibility for managing the implementation of the OSISA strategy in Zimbabwe, supervising the work of a Zimbabwe Programme Officer and one other administrative staff member. In addition, the Programme Manager will be responsible for initiating and managing strategic projects, and guiding the production of key publications and research that concern Zimbabwe.
The Programme Manager will have as a key role, liaison with colleagues in the OSISA office in Johannesburg, who are responsible for programming on thematic issues. The Manager will work closely with all OSISA programmes to ensure that OSISA support in Zimbabwe is holistic and represents all thematic areas in which OSISA is active at a regional level.
Networking will be a critical component of the responsibilities of the PM. This will be done with the objective of building and sustaining OSISA's reputation as an advocacy organization with a mandate to support civil society and provide appropriate technical assistance to the state on an as-needed basis. Key sectors with whom the Programme Manager is expected to interact include donors, government officials and civil society groups, as well as stakeholders in the private sector.
The Programme Manager will also be expected - as part of the strategy implementation - to develop a system for building the capacity of key players within the human rights and democracy-building arena, to play an effective policy and advocacy role at this critical juncture in Zimbabwe's history.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Planning & Management
• Oversee the development and implementation of internal documents guiding OSISA's strategy in Zimbabwe
• Ensure that high quality management reports are generated on time to the relevant parties (this includes country and monthly reports)
• Make recommendations to OSISA's board of trustees regarding grants and projects to be supported by the institution
• Provide guidance and support to OSISA thematic staff working with partners in Zimbabwe
Networking and Liaison
• Maintain regular contact with key actors in the governance, development and human rights sectors including civil society, donors and government officials
• Provide leadership and guidance on policy and international legal questions regarding Zimbabwe at the regional and global levels within the OSI network
Grantmaking
• Develop and maintain a relevant grants portfolio and keep track of grants administered by OSISA programmes based in Johannesburg
• Ensure adherence of grantees to the policies and guidelines contained in OSISA grant agreements
• Carry out regular monitoring and evaluation of grants
Knowledge Production
• Design and oversee the production of relevant resea
rch and publications related to OSISA issues
• Contribute to the production of wider regional publications developed by OSISA regional office
Qualifications:
Applicants must hold a minimum of a Masters degree in the social sciences, and must be fluent in spoken and written English. Fluency in an African language of the region, as well as in French or Portuguese is desirable. A minimum of 10 years grant-making experience, and/or experience working for a funding agency, bilateral institution or regional/international multilateral institution is necessary. Expertise in any of the following areas will be of benefit: democracy, elections and governance; peace and conflict; resource extraction and environmental justice. Strong networks amongst civil society organizations, donors and government are highly desirable.
An attractive remuneration package, commensurate with experience applies. The job is offered on a three-year (renewable) contract.
Interested applicants should forward a letter of interest and a detailed CV to:
Prava Singh
Human Resources Manager
Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA)
humanresources@osisa.org
Only short listed candidates will receive a response from OSISA.
OSISA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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