Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Mission (CoM) and in close coordination with relevant coordinators and project managers in Burundi and with the Regional Office (RO) for East Africa in Nairobi, the Project Development Support Unit Coordinator will be primarily responsible for project conceptualization, proposal development, streamlining internal communications, and overseeing the mission’s external communication strategy.
Responsibilities
- Lead and consolidate the drafting of concepts and project proposals in the Project Information and Management Application (PRIMA) in line with IOM’s mandate, the Mission’s strategy, operational priorities and needs in Burundi, with donors’ interests and requirements, for negotiations and submission to existing and new potential donors.
- Ensure that institutional and regional frameworks/strategies (e.g., Strategic Results Framework, East and Horn of Africa Regional Strategy & Matrix, etc.) are embedded throughout the project cycle, especially in project development.
- Directly supervise international and national staff of the Project Development Support Unit (PDSU), including the PDSU Officer, the Monitoring & Evaluation Officer (M&E), the PDSU Assistant and Communication Assistant, and perform all related human resources requirements for successful team operations.
- Enhance the Mission’s relations with donors in Bujumbura. Organise, attend, report, and follow up on contacts and meetings with donors, collate and provide updates on the Mission’s programmes and activities, collect information about donors’ policies, approaches and funding opportunities, provide feedback to relevant colleagues and services, and provide advice on the follow-up as needed in view of new project opportunities.
- Identify potential and realistic funding opportunities by collecting donor information and maintaining thorough knowledge of donor priorities for Burundi, and specific requirements related to the project planning, development, and reporting.
- Streamline communication between the Burundi mission and international teams and offices (RO, Office of Legal Affairs (LEG), Accounting and Financial Reporting Division (ACO), Global Procurement Supply Unit (GPSU), etc.) by reviewing the content of documents, translating when necessary, and ensuring proper administrative processes for review and endorsement are respected.
- Support the facilitation of project inception and progress review meetings.
- Ensure the regular update of the universal project tracking and funding opportunity database.
- Oversee the mission’s external communication strategy, including the development and dissemination of communications, including the utilization of social media communication tools (including but not limited to Twitter, Facebook, IOM, reports, and various media resources) for crisis-affected communities based on key messages and concerns in the context of Burundi to increase awareness of IOM’s work in the country.
- Design and prepare appropriate information campaigns for a variety of target groups, including within the Mission and to external sources, IOM Missions, headquarters, donors, United Nations agencies, government counterparts, and other interested stakeholders.
- Develop and strengthen links with local, regional and international media to promote the work of IOM in Burundi.
- Provide input and coordinate the project development/monitoring and evaluation work plan and the development and updating of projects, as well as reporting and contract schedules for all IOM Burundi projects in line with the donors’ requirements.
- Participate in inter-agency media and communication working groups to encourage information flow across agencies and to develop complementary media strategies.
- Advise field and programme staff in the sub-offices on public information, media, and communication issues.
- Identify and organize outreach activities and assist the CoM in carrying out initiatives to promote IOM’s image and to increase awareness of IOM activities in the country. Advise the CoM and Programme Managers on media and communication issues/campaigns.
- Consolidate and analyse data on programme implementation and Mission’s activities, to ensure the preparation of donor reports as well as mission, regional and Headquarters periodic and activity-specific reports, as may be required.
- Facilitate the generation and use of knowledge to promote improved policy engagement, project development and management in Burundi and the region.
- Participate in mission key events and workshops and undertake field duty travel as needed to acquire material, including photographs of work being undertaken in the field, that would promote IOM with donors and governments.
- Liaise closely with programme managers to regularly update the mission website.
- Provide input, as necessary, to Public Information (PI) products with regard to donor coordination and relevance and assist the departments with regular reporting, infographics and situation reports.
- Provide and coordinate inputs for information requests from Headquarters, the RO, other IOM missions, and external partners, such as donors, partner agencies, implementing partners, etc.
- Represent IOM Burundi at various stakeholder meetings, conferences, or workshops as needed.
- Perform such other related duties as may be assigned.
Required Qualifications and Experience
Education
- Master’s degree in Political or Social Science, International Relations, International Development, or a related field from an accredited academic institution with five years of relevant professional experience; or,
- University degree in the above fields with seven years of relevant professional experience.
Accredited Universities are those listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database.
Experience
- Work experience in technical writing, editing, and reporting in English and French; and,
- Experience in donor relations and report writing for relevant donors is an advantage.
Skills
- Familiarity with a multitude of international development and humanitarian areas of intervention;
- Advanced research, writing, outreach and communications skills;
- Familiarity with monitoring and evaluation concepts and methods; and,
- Demonstrable knowledge of Burundi political and humanitarian issues.
Languages
For this position, fluency in English and French is required (oral and written).
Working knowledge of another official UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish) is an advantage.
Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.
How to apply
Internationally recruited professional staff are required to be mobile. Please refer to this link for guidance on IOM Job Category. Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation. This selection process may be used to staff similar positions in various duty stations. Recommended candidates will remain eligible to be appointed in a similar position for a period of 24 months.
Appointment will be subject to all clearances, including medical and security, as well as accreditation, and any residency or visa requirements. Vacancies close at 23:59 local time in Geneva, Switzerland on the respective closing date. No late applications will be accepted.
IOM has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and IOM, including sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and any forms of discrimination. IOM is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.
IOM conducts reference checks and background verification, including through system-wide databases such as ClearCheck, to help ensure that candidates have no record of misconduct, including on sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, or fraud. Candidates are expected to uphold these standards and principles at all times.
IOM does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process—whether for application, interview, processing, training, or otherwise—and does not request any information related to bank accounts.
IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the IOM WAVE system (for internal candidates, link here). The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. For further information and other job postings, you are welcome to visit our website: IOM Careers and Job Vacancies.
More Information
- Job City Burundi
