Program Officer MENA-HIVOS عودة إلى الفرص

How would you like to shape the future of LGBTIQ+ communities? Then join our wonderful Free to be Me team as our new project officer for the MENA region.

Job context

Position within Hivos
Hivos is an international development organization guided by humanist values. Together with citizens and their organizations, we aim to contribute towards just, inclusive and life sustaining societies where people have equal access to opportunities, rights and resources. We work in partnership with others in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America on three impact areas: civic rights; gender equality, diversity and inclusion, and climate justice. Our approach is solution driven, and we build wider movements for change by amplifying and connecting voices.

The project officer reports to the project manager and Regional Director. The project officer is responsible for the program delivery in the MENA region and supports the setting up and functioning of national-level Communities of Action, as well as the participatory grantmaking mechanisms of Free to be Me program.

Free to Be Me is an ambitious, daring and innovative program that will help build and maintain a vibrant LGBTIQ+ movement that is confident and capable to lobby and advocate for their human and economic rights. The program is led by an alliance of three consortium members – Hivos (the lead party), ILGA World and Positive Vibes – and three technical partners – Sogicampaigns, The Global Interfaith Network (GIN) and Workplace Pride. Together the alliance will coach, accompany, fund and train LGBTIQ+ persons and organizations to influence norms and attitudes, generate (public) support, and promote laws, policies and regulations that recognize, respect and protect LGBTIQ+ people’s human and economic rights.

The program will be implemented in 14 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

The program is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

You can find more information about the program here.

Aim of the job
The project officer supports the (self-)organization of Free to be Me national and local level partner organizations in country-level Communities of Action and supports the Community of Action facilitators. The project officer facilitates the development, approval and implementation of organizational-level and joint project proposals, and ensures these processes are developed in line with agreed procedures. They ensure contracts with local organizations are signed and checks on progress and deliverables.

The project officer is responsible for upholding Free to be Me values and principles and translating them into practice. They coordinate the delivery of sound country-level narrative plans and reports, which visualize activities and results of local organizations, joint activities at national level and Hivos’ own implementation. These contribute to the overarching Free to be Me plans and reports. In doing so, they will closely work together with the Hivos financial officer, the Design, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (DMEL) officer, as well as with the CoA facilitator, amongst others.

Broader context
They play an active role in coordinating activities in the field of capacity strengthening, lobby and advocacy, learning, etc. with consortium partners and local organizations, as well as with the relevant Hivos staff. Next to that, the Project Officer will share progress and results of the program to both the global program management team as well as Hivos colleagues in other countries and offices. They are also responsible for the preparation of stories and content for the website, media and other channels and the organization of internal and external events. The Program Officer will assist the Design, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (DMEL) officer in outcome harvesting, narrative assessment and other reporting needed. The Project Officer will work as a team with the DMEL officer, the financial officer, the linking and learning specialist, amongst others.

Your responsibilities

• Supports the CoAs in developing their localized ToC, plans and (in coordination with the financial officer) budget, in line with guidelines
• Supports and guides local organizations in the development of their individual or joint plans and proposals for lobby and advocacy, and including activities on capacity strengthening.
• Contributes to the development of Hivos’ overarching Free to be Me planning, and particularly to the design of innovative elements of the program, the functioning of the CoAs, as well as the design of a participatory grantmaking mechanism.
• Realizes successful implementation in accordance with the specific goals, working methods and budgets of the projects.
• Supports and guides local organizations in the development of their individual or joint plans and proposals.
• Supports and takes part in participatory grantmaking mechanisms.
• Ensures contracts with local organizations and host organizations are established.
• Coordinates with CoAs, with consortium members and with Hivos’ staff around capacity strengthening and advocacy activities.
• Ensures Hivos’ own activities are implemented according to plan.
• Monitors progress towards established goals in CoAs, and in the organizational level or joint project plans, and flags in the Hivos overarching management team when problems arise.
• Relates progress to the overarching Free to be Me plans.
• Throughout the process of project design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, the Program Officer plays a proactive role in coordinating with the CoA facilitator, with the organizations that participate in the CoA, CoA working groups, with the host organization, with consortium members and with the regional and global Hivos team.
• Actively contributes to and supports activities at the national and regional level, such as research, advocacy campaigns, learning events, etc.
• Identifies, analyses and highlights success and good practices, as well as potential risks and problems.
• Proposes solutions for identified problems and follows-up on those.
• Contributes to identifying and sharing positive stories.
• Collaborates with the CoAs, the consortium members, and Hivos’ capacity strengthening officer, in the design and realization of exchange and learning events.
• Contributes to reflection and learning on both the national and regional level, as well as on the wider programmatic level.
• Inducts, trains and mentors other finance staff as requested.
• Supports on other programs when there is work overload and covers absences for other program staff within MENA as needed.
• Supports non-program related tasks as may be requested.
• Other tasks as requested by Program Manager and Regional Director.

Your profile

• Relevant degree or equivalent work experience, and professional level of working and thinking.
• Minimum of 4-5 years of relevant working experience.
• Work experience in working with civil society, in project design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and working in international teams.
• Expertise in working on LGBTIQ+ rights and/or economic development.
• Keen on ensuring ownership by local organizations, and in finding innovative and creative solutions to realize goals.
• Work experience in an international environment.
• Flexible attitude, creative, supports Hivos and Free to be Me values, has a progressive and positive view on LGBTIQ+ rights and the leadership of rightsholders.
• Demonstrates high level of professionalism, entrepreneurial and result oriented, flexible, well-organized, reliable, independent, decisive and strong team player with excellent communication and social interaction skills.
• Sense of humor, brings good energy and positive vibes, & dynamic to the team
• Excellent verbal and writing skills in Arabic and English. Candidates who are not fully fluent in Arabic will not be considered
• Lived experience as an LGBTIQ+ person is an asset.
• Experience in the field of economic development is an asset.

We particularly welcome applications from women, trans and/or intersex people (in the broadest sense of each of these terms).

What we offer

An inspirational work environment in a value-driven international organization with dedicated staff and a great team to work with. We offer a national contract based on Hivos local labor conditions, with a remuneration commensurate with the experience and expertise. Contract renewable depending on performance. Travel costs are compensated in accordance with Hivos Regulations. We offer participation in the pension fund.