JOB ADVERTISEMENT

Job title: Project Officer (National position)

Duty station: South Mitrovicë/a, Kosovo

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for a Project Officer.

The Project Officer (Mitrovicë/a) supports the Project Manager in the implementation of the Sida-funded Socio-Economic Empowerment project.

Namely, the Project Officer works towards the achievement of the project’s Inclusive Social Empowerment – Enhanced access to rights for ethnic minority and other vulnerable groups, and improved awareness within Kosovo society on the challenges they face.

In this framework, the Project Officer is responsible for the implementation of the activities planned under the project’s Component II.

The project officer will directly monitor and work with one of the key project partners to ensure the successful implementation of the Sida project’s activities under the second component. The project officer will closely work with DRC’s partner organization/s to make sure the project deliverables successfully feed into the outcome 2 of the current Sida funding.

Such activities are:

• Support to compulsory education institutions hosting mixed/minority classes.;
• Enhancing access to pre-school education for Roma children
• Scholarship programme.
• Capacity building of local NGO partners
• The Project Officer, under the guidance of the Project Manager, primarily concentrates on serving the minority and marginalized communities in the Mitrovicë/Mitrovica and Prishtinë/Pristina regions, while also addressing other project-related responsibilities as needed.

Your main dutiesand responsibilitieswill be:

Support Management in ensuring the implementation of all SIDA funded project activities in line with donor contractual agreement, with specific reference to:

• Develop and oversee activities aimed at raising awareness about the importance of education within the Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian Communities of the Mitrovicë/a and Pristinë/a regions.
• Collaborate with local NGOs (LNGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs), as well as authorities, to promote the provision of scholarships and emphasize the significance of education in targeted communities.
• Distribute material support to beneficiaries as needed.
• Encourage active participation in project activities among the target groups.
• Monitor implementing partners on a daily basis, providing support for their continuous capacity building.
• Contribute to the review of progress reports submitted by implementing partners.
• Maintain detailed records of monitoring and capacity-building activities in accordance with DRC procedures and tools.
• Establish and maintain a positive and constructive dialogue with project beneficiaries.
• Facilitate communication and cooperation between beneficiaries, DRC implementing partners, and Kosovo institutions.
• Utilize DRC Dynamics and Promote Gender Sensitivity
• Utilize DRC Dynamics for all relevant matters within the assigned access level.
• Ensure the adoption of a gender-sensitive approach in all project initiatives, including activities that promote the inclusion of marginalized gender groups.
• Promote Civic Engagement and Representation
• Increase awareness among Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities regarding civic participation and representation mechanisms.
• Advocate with authorities, civil society, and majority communities to enhance minority participation in social, civic, and political dimensions, reducing ethnicity- and gender-based segregation.
• Ensure that all project activities are conducted with an AGDM-based, rights-based, and environmentally friendly approach.
• Manage procurement and communication for ongoing project activities.
• Initiate procurement procedures in accordance with DRC requirements and regulations.
• Maintain effective communication with contractors throughout the procurement process.
• Utilize the DRC Kosovo Procurement tracker as needed.
• Contribute to ERP System Rollout and Reporting
• Support the DRC-wide rollout of the ERP system, DRC Dynamics.
• Contribute to the preparation of bi-weekly, monthly and other reports.
• Gather, systematize, and provide management with relevant information for the drafting of donor and other reports.
• Spot check the monthly financial and narrative reports from DRC’s implementing partner institutions.
• Conduct Field Visits and Oversee Partners
• Conduct regular field visits to partner organizations to ensure the smooth implementation of field activities.
• Carefully monitor partner's Budget Forecast Updates (BFUs) and review their monthly financial and narrative reports.
• Perform any other duties as assigned.

To be successful in this role we expect you to be able to manage the above-mentioned tasks with minimum supervision. This will entail displaying:

• The ability to take responsibility over complex processes;
• The ability to ensure the implementation of long-term tasks that require regular follow up, without being provided constant reminders;
• The ability to interact in a positive and constructive manner with DRC’s partners and beneficiaries, based on respect and conducive to generating mutual trust and to their empowerment;
• An open, supportive, collegial behaviour with all DRC staff.

In addition, you will be expected to uphold the ethical principles enshrined in DRC’s Code of Conduct.

On these grounds, we expect the following:

• 3 to 5 years of experience in international development;
• 3 to 5 years of experience in supporting returnees, minorities and other vulnerable groups in Kosovo;
• Experience with Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities and other vulnerable minority communities.

Very good command of written and spoken English, as well as native-speaking proficiency level of either Albanian or Serbian (mandatory – very good command of the non-native language preferred).

Education:

University Degree or equivalent work experience.

Moreover, all DRC staff must master the following DRC's Core Competencies:

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.

Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with DRC’s vision and values.

Contract length: Six (6) months including an initial three-month probationary period, with the possibility of extension, subject to funding.

Salary: Starting salary 730 EUR gross amount

Band: H

Health insurance provided from a local insurance company

Estimated start date: 1 December 2023

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with DRC Kosovo National Salary Scale.

All applicants must submit an updated CV (no longer than four pages) and a cover letter, both in English.

All applicants must upload here an updated CV (no longer than four pages) and a cover letter, both in English. Applications sent by email will not be considered. Closing date for applications: 20.10.2023

If you face any problems with the online application process, please contact [email protected]

Please note that, due to the number of expected applications, you will only be contacted if selected to take part in the next steps of the recruitment process. No confirmation of receipt of your application will be provided.

As part of our commitment to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion, we strongly encourage applications from female candidates, as well as representatives of minorities (Albanian and Serbian speaking).

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our websites www.drc.ngo and www.drc-kosovo.org

The selection process will consist of several steps.

1. Applications will be subjected to a screening of the CV and cover letter submitted, aimed at verifying whether the requirements listed above are met. Only applications clearly and fully meeting the requirements will be evaluated further.
2. Candidates selected through step 1 will be invited to take a written test aimed at assessing some technical skills as well as language proficiency.
3. Candidates selected after step 2 will be invited to one or more rounds of individual interviews aimed at further analysing the possession of relevant skills as well as testing DRC’s Core Competencies.