Programme Officer - Eastern Europe - BelgiumProgramme Officer - Eastern Europe - Belgium

Context

International IDEA has a mandate to support democracy worldwide. Since its establishment in 1995, the Institute has sought to fulfil this mandate by incrementally expanding its geographic footprint. Increasing demand for the Institute´s support in countries in Europe, coupled with key developments that have highlighted the weakness of democratic institutions in some European countries, has motivated the Institute to establish a Regional Europe Programme (REP).

The REP has a strategic objective to support democracy in Europe, with an emphasis on Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans. The focus is described in detail in both the Programme Strategy Document and the International IDEA Institutional Strategy 2018-2022. The other component of the REP is to function as the main liaison of International IDEA to the EU Institutions in Brussels.

International IDEA is currently looking to invest in fundraising and project implementation efforts in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) region. To this end, it seeks to recruit a Programme Officer with ample experience in democracy assistance and project development.

The Programme Officer (PO) will report to the Programme Manager for the Regional Europe Programme. The PO will be an experienced democracy professional with an intimate understanding of electoral assistance, political party assistance, constitutional reform or related issues. He/she is also a seasoned proposal writer and fundraiser and has extensive experience with implementing democracy projects that rely on donor funding. She/he will have ample experience in project reporting (programmatic and financial), and project troubleshooting vis-à-vis donors. The incumbent should have an excellent network among donors and democracy assistance organisations in the EaP region. Having previous work experience in the region with an international democracy assistance organization, such as the Council of Europe, OSCE-ODIHR, NDI or similar will be an asset. She/he will oversee and support the execution of program delivery and budget; maintain donor relations; conduct monitoring and reporting, and seek opportunities for innovative program design and fundraising.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Supports the design and implementation of projects and activities for the Regional Europe Programme, with emphasis on the Eastern Partnership Region and in particular, the countries of Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine;

• Coordinates International IDEA´s programmatic activities in Europe with other IDEA staff;
• Supports the development of funding proposals for resource mobilization for the Regional Europe Programme in close collaboration with relevant thematic programme teams, and identifies potential funders and relevant partnerships;
• Facilitates and institutionalizes partnerships with key stakeholders in the region, such as electoral commissions, constitutional review bodies, think tanks, academia and civil society organizations of the countries in the region for the advancement of International IDEA's institutional objectives;
• Regularly monitors and reports on important political and socio-economic developments in the region to inform ongoing programme design and future potential programmatic interventions;
• Liaises with respective multilateral and bilateral democracy assistance actors active in the region, in order to identify, coordinate initiatives and ensure International IDEA’s visibility;
• Undertakes representational functions as delegated by the line manager;
• Produces regular update reports on trends in democratization in Europe in close collaboration with thematic leads;
• With the support of the Budget & Programme Performance Unit, monitors and evaluates the reach and impact of International IDEA's work in the region;
• Collaborates with researchers and consultants, provides daily guidance to REP colleagues in the field, and supervises interns when required.

General Profile

• Combines in-depth knowledge of democratic development, acquired through academic achievements, excellent skills including managerial skills and relevant experience in their field;
• Manages assigned projects throughout the project life cycle, i.e. from strategic planning and project design, funding and budgeting to project assessment and accountability; leads meetings and discussions, supervises publications and input from external providers;
• Has contributed to publications on their relevant subject; is recognized as a knowledge resource in his/her broad professional community;
• Has the intellectual leadership to integrate innovation into his/her field of expertise;
• Directly manages contributors to the project, including junior staff members and possibly consultants;
• Fosters team-based activities in his/her unit; collaborates with other entities of the Institute;
• Acts as a model and mentor for colleagues;
• Is expected to travel globally to any geographical area involved in his/her projects;
• Follows internal procedures to ensure high standards of performance and compliance with Institutional guidelines;
• Integrates a gender and diversity perspective in all activities.

Reporting line

• Programme Manager, Regional Europe Programme

Education and Experience

• University degree in political science, law, international relations, public administration or other related disciplines;
• Minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience in democracy assistance, including in a national and local context in Eastern Europe;
• Demonstrated experience in report writing and reporting under a Results Based Management(RBM) system;
• Demonstrated experience in conceptualization, formulation and management of project activities;
• Proven track record of resource mobilization, including conceptualization and formulation of successful funding proposals and knowledge of fundraising methods;
• Experience working with the EU is desirable.
• Fluency in English is essential; Fluency in Russian will be an asset.

Terms of Contract:

• International Post
• Two (2) year fixed term appointment
• Remuneration - EUR 4 623 NET per month + benefits

Applying for this position:

• Applications should be submitted no later than 23:59 (CET) on 14 August 2022.
• Please note that all applications must be made in English.

Selection Process:

• Evaluation of qualified candidates will include a written test assessment and up to two (2) interviews.
• Candidates selected to proceed to the next stage of the process will be contacted once all applications have been carefully reviewed.
• All candidates will be notified of the status of their application via email once the process has been finalized

International IDEA is an equal opportunity employer which seeks to further diversify its staff in terms of gender, culture and nationality.