Based in Accra, Ghana,
the West Africa Coordinator will be the key regional liaison for
Free the
Slaves ' Supporting Grassroots Partnerships Program. Free the Slaves' partnerships program works
with local anti-slavery movements to support holistic ways of bringing people
out of slavery. The West Africa Coordinator, working part-time, will report to
the Director of Partnerships, based in Washington DC.
The position will be approximately 40% time or a total
of 2 full days per week (schedule to be determined by West Africa Regional
Coordinator and her/his supervisor) including approximately 3 trips to the
field for about 4-5 days at a time per year.
Free the Slaves does not have an office in Ghana, so the Coordinator
will be expected to work from home or make other appropriate arrangements and
will be reimbursed for agreed expenses (e.g. travel, phone, office supplies
etc).
Role
and Responsibilities:
- Support Free the Slaves' West Africa-based
partners in project implementation, advocacy and community organizing
work,
- Act as a liaison between partners and FTS,
ensure careful program planning, budgeting, financial reporting and
monitoring and evaluation.
- Create larger scale economic initiatives in
the source communities to prevent future trafficking. Work with local government, national
government and bilaterally funded programs to identify options for
building such initiatives.
- Enable FTS to enhance partner efforts for a
wider national and international impact.
- Strategize with partner projects and Free the
Slaves about increasing access to future financial and other support for
partner projects
- Oversee financial and other transactions
- As funding permits, conduct exploratory
outreach to potential anti-slavery organizations with which Free the
Slaves could develop partnerships.
- Be available for communication by email and
phone with US-based FTS partnerships staff during planned work hours.
- Assist partner projects' staff in setting up a
system to regularly share their stories, experiences and best practices
with Free the Slaves
- Work with our partners to assist them in
participating in regional or global networks and coalitions through which
they can address systemic causes or policy issues affecting their work.
- Work with partner projects to describe and explain their methods,
in order to share ideas about ‘best practices' for slave liberation and
rehabilitation in the region.
- Track developments regarding slavery in West
Africa and communicate those to Free the Slaves' team.
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will have the following
qualifications:
- Experience in project implementation for an NGO that is working
with vulnerable populations at a grassroots level. Strong analytical skills to absorb information
and think critically to evaluate different approaches.
- Program experience in a related international development/human
rights field e.g. forced labor, child labor, trafficking, and good
background in how to set up responses such as micro-enterprises, community
organization, awareness raising, legal rights awareness, advocacy, etc.
- Ability to effectively work with local and national government
ministries, bilateral agencies and international NGOs to develop
collaborative efforts collaborative efforts, including economic
initiatives.
- Extensive knowledge of the NGO sector as well as knowledge of funding
sources for communities that are challenging slavery.
- Experience in planning NGO programs, writing budgets and reviewing
financial record keeping, arranging recruitment and training.
- Knowledge of the needs of funders (e.g. clearly defined work plans
and measures of achievement, budgets, reporting etc)
- High level of comfort with Microsoft Excel spreadsheets for the
purposes of financial reporting, budgeting and program planning.
- University education (An undergraduate degree in a relevant field,
and, possibly, a graduate degree).
- Strong communications skills (written and spoken English - as well
as relevant local languages, if possible), and ability to use computer,
email and internet, as well as the ability to communicate with people from
a variety of backgrounds.
Sensitivity regarding vulnerability of children, gender issues, etc
- Understanding of the role of grassroots organizations in promoting
social movements against poverty and for social justice.
- Of West African origin or someone with long-term experience of
living in the region; French-speaking ability also an advantage.
To apply: Send CV or resume to Ginny Baumann,
Director of Partnerships: Baumann at freetheslaves.net
Only finalists will be contacted.