Job title: Regional Desk Officer for Africa

Location: Freetown – Sierra Leone

Working conditions: 40 hours/week, desired starting by the end of January 2020, full time – some regional and international travel involved.

About Defence for Children International:

Defence for Children International-DCI is a leading child rights focused and membership-based grassroots movement placing all members on equal footing. Created during the International Year of the Child (1979), DCI coordinated the NGO input for the drafting of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) - the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history.

DCI’s mandate is to ensure ongoing, practical, systematic and concerted action directed towards effective implementation of the human rights codified in the UNCRC, by means of its effective coordination between different levels (national, regional and international) and its active membership within key networks and fora. DCI counts with 37 grass-roots organisations (National Sections and Associated Members) in five different continents, involving over 300 trained and specialized local staff and volunteers, who contribute daily to defend and protect the human rights of children.

For more information see www.defenceforchildren.org

Location and working environment:

This position is based at the DCI Regional Desk for Africa in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The Desk Officer, will be hosted by the DCI National Section for Sierra Leone, and will be composed of a small team together with other temporary positions and interns; it promotes advocacy and lobbying activities, capacity building for DCI National Sections in Africa, including supporting initiatives to start new sections in other countries, representation and monitoring at the (Sub-)Regional level on behalf of the African region of the Movement, in coordination with DCI Vice-President for Africa and the International Secretariat (IS) in Geneva who leads the global capacity and advocacy activities.

Overall responsibilities:

The Regional Desk Officer is in charge of project development and management of multiple projects mainly at regional and the national level (in support of the African DCI National Sections), as well as developing the capacity-building strategy for the Movement with African sections of DCI. The Regional Desk Officer communicates in two official languages (English and French) and has the responsibility to promote the image of DCI in Africa.

1. Project Development and Management

DCI Regional Projects in Africa, in implementation of the DCI Strategic Framework 2017 – 2021 and new capacity-building strategy for the DCI Movement

• As Regional Desk, support DCI National Sections in Africa in the implementation of programmatic and project activities.
• Support Regional projects with International and Regional Advocacy.
• Support Regional projects with communications and event organisation.
• Strengthen governance of National Sections, regional projects, and develop relations with donors.

2. Capacity building

• Facilitate and provide technical assistance and guidance to DCI National Sections in Africa on how to implement DCI’s Strategic Framework 2017-2021.
• Support DCI African sections in their development in coordination with the IS in Geneva (governance, membership, project management, project reporting, communications…).
• Support DCI African sections in need of capacity-building, compliance and effective use of the tools, models and guidelines developed by the DCI-IS.
• Support the establishment of new sections, including by taking proactive measures to establish new sections
• Coordinate and arrange training programs and workshops for DCI African National Sections and regional projects as appropriate, and in close coordination with DCI-IS.
• Strengthen knowledge-sharing, replication of good practices by Sections and development of tools to be used by the African region.
• Coordinate DCI’s engagement in project-related advocacy with mechanisms such as the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), including through technical support and guidance to DCI National Sections in Africa.

Required qualifications and skills:

• University degree in relevant field: international relations, law, human/child rights, political sciences, project management or another related field
• Bilingual speaker with an excellent command of both written and spoken English and French
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in a position with similar responsibilities
• Proven experience in Project Management
• A good understanding of the functioning of human rights mechanisms and in particular regional bodies and institutions (African Union, ACERWC)
• Fully computer literate; skilled and confident user of Microsoft Office/365; knowledge of SharePoint is a distinct advantage
• Intercultural and interpersonal sensitivity and ability to represent DCI professionally in regional fora
• Proactive and can-do attitude, readiness to help out other team members as necessary
• Ability to work in a team, with resource constraints and work in a complex multicultural environment

DCI is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff, and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of sex, age, disability, gender identity, or ethnicity.

Supervision

The Regional Desk Officer reports to the International Secretariat of DCI (Geneva) and on a daily basis and management issues to DCI-Sierra Leone hosting the position.

Terms and Conditions of Employment

Preferred starting date by early 2020 or asap to be confirmed upon agreement. The position is based in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

How to apply

Interested candidates are invited to:

• Produce a letter of intent including skills and relevant experience, and explaining her/his motivation to apply for this position (max.1,000 words in English);
• Attach a full Curriculum Vitae (maximum 3 pages) including a recent photo;
• Provide the names and contact details of three referees including last two employers (they will only be contacted if the candidate is shortlisted for final interviews and the candidate will be informed in advance);
• Send a (non-edited/proofed) writing sample in English and in French.

Complete Applications including all the above documents should be sent to recruitment@defenceforchildren.org , with the subject line:

“Application : Regional Desk Officer-AFRICA.” Only complete applications arrived within the deadline will be considered. Selection process and interviews will be taking place on a rolling basis.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not receive a reply four weeks after the closing day, please consider that you have not been selected for the role this time.

Job Email id: recruitment(at)defenceforchildren.org