Côte d'Ivoire: West Africa Program Officer

Transform the lives of the most marginalized and vulnerable communities and be at the forefront of social change. *Be a part of a dedicated team of human rights workers and make a lasting impact.*

Organizational Background: Heartland Alliance International (HAI) is the newest and fastest growing part of Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights, a family of organizations that has been leading anti-poverty and social justice work in the Chicago area for more than 125 years. HAI is comprised of a dozen country offices implementing programs on a broad range of global human rights issues. HAI is making significant investments in its programming in the fields of trauma-informed mental health care and access to justice for marginalized populations. HAI is also an industry leader in ensuring access to stigma-free health care. HAI's programs deliver high quality prevention and treatment services, and take action in response to human rights violations. HAI does this while building the capacity of local providers. HAI’s Cote d’Ivoire (CI) and Nigeria offices also have new programmatic areas on the horizon.

About YOU:A driven and passionate early/mid-career professional hoping to join an inspiring, dynamic team of human rights workers. Innovative, hard-working, and a team player, the candidate has experience living and working in challenging environments in Africa and is eager to take the next step in her/his career to contribute to large-scale programs. The ideal candidate possesses fluent English and French speaking and writing skills. Exceptional proficiency in English writing is a requirement of this position.

Position Summary: This position is based in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire with frequent travel to Nigeria and possibly other countries in the region. The West Africa Program Officer provides coordination and support to HAI’s programs, reporting directly to the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Director. With HAI teams in-country and globally, the West Africa Program Officer will have the opportunity to collaborate with key government ministries, international stakeholders, and local civil society organizations. The West Africa Program Officer will help spearhead project design, outcome measurement, and partnership development for a unique portfolio of programs committed to serving marginalized populations. The West Africa portfolio includes the following:

· HIV/AIDS/STI, sexual health, and integrated health programs

· Human rights promotion and civil society strengthening

· Gender and empowerment programs with women, men, and LGBT

· Mental health care and comprehensive services for survivors of trauma, displacement, torture, and gender-based violence

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

· Work with in-country and Chicago-based teams to facilitate program design, planning, and implementation.

· Apply M&E and quality assurance tools, and write project reports following designated formats.

· Communicate regularly with the Chicago office and submit plans, assessments, and situation analyses as requested.

· Document findings and capture key lessons learned, smart practices, and scalable models to share internally and externally.

· Write newsletters, abstracts, web content, and other internal and external communications.

· Develop and update partner and resource maps.

· Assist with the mobilization of new program components and technical areas.

· Network with grassroots organizations and local governments to forge strategic partnerships, and to generate new programming opportunities.

· Provide capacity building opportunities for local partners consistent with their strategic plans.

· Demonstrate an understanding of HAI’s key areas of focus of mental health, access to justice, and gender, actively pursuing opportunities and relevant potential partners in these fields.

· Monitor changes in the external operating environment as they relate to HAI programming.

· Travel regularly (35%+) to HAI program sites in Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and other countries in the region, including areas with limited transportation and challenging conditions.

· Initiate other projects and activities corresponding to the Field Program Advisor’s skills and interests.

· Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:We are looking for outstanding professionals who have a demonstrated passion for human rights work and are seeking a career-track position designed to build a diverse range of skills. Candidates who meet the criteria below are strongly encouraged to apply.

· A Master’s Degree (or equivalent education and years of experience) in international development, public policy, public health, international relations, or similar fields.

· At least two years of experience living and working in Sub-Saharan Africa.

· Superb English writing skills.

· Highly advanced ability to speak and write in French.

· Technical knowledge of HIV/AIDS, gender, access to justice, and/or mental health programming.

· Demonstrated commitment to advancing human rights for populations including men who have sex with men, sex workers, trauma survivors, LGBT, and populations subjected to human rights abuses.

· Strong monitoring and evaluation, research, concept paper, and/or academic publishing background.

· Excellent cross-cultural skills and drive to succeed in resource-limited environments.

· Ability to meet deadlines, excel under pressure, and work independently.

· Proven experience working in partnership with NGOs and other civil society organizations, networks, and grassroots movements.

· Familiarity with U.S. government donors such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR); the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria; European Commission; and foundations.

· Willingness and ability to work in insecure environments with extensive travel (35%+) in-country and in the region.

TO APPLY

To learn more about this position and to apply, please visit:

http://chk.tbe.taleo.net/chk03/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=HEARTLANDALLIANCE&cws=1&rid=3150

OR

http://www.heartlandalliance.org/whoweare/careers/

*Please note that we do not consider resumes sent by email, fax or postal mail.