Project Officer - Haiti International IDEA

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance

Port-au-Prince, Haiti

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance — International IDEA is an intergovernmental organization that supports sustainable democracy worldwide. Its objective is to strengthen democratic institutions and processes. International IDEA acts as a catalyst for democracy building by providing knowledge resources, policy proposals and supporting democratic reforms in response to specific national requests. It works together with policy makers, governments, UN organizations and agencies and regional organizations engaged in the field of democracy building.

International IDEA’s notable areas of expertise are: electoral processes, political parties, constitution-building processes, democracy and gender and democracy assessments. International IDEA works worldwide. It is based in Stockholm, Sweden, and has offices in Brussels, New York, Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Main functions of the post:

• To participate in the development, implementation and coordination of International IDEA’s activities in Haiti as well as the programming and drafting of work plans and budgets as assigned by the Project Manager;
• To contribute to the development of International IDEA’s thematic work, design and implementation of Haiti work plans and budgets according to International IDEA regulations and procedures;
• To contribute to maintaining collaborative working relations and partnerships with the national and international counterparts and relevant institutions, including donors, and collaborate with other International IDEA offices and programmes, particularly with International IDEA’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations, as directed by the Project Manager or any person designated by him/her;
• To provide regular information and analysis on political trends and challenges for democracy in Haiti as required.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of the Project Manager, the incumbent performs the following duties:

• Contributes to the design, implementation and reporting of the project work plans and budgets according to International IDEA procedures and as required by the Project Manager;
• Participates and contributes to the Haiti team activities by providing substantive input to the conceptualisation and planning of programme activities, including proposal preparation and budgeting;
• Provides ideas and inputs to the Project Manager into possible funding approaches and sources, for agreed project components; Participates as required by the Project Manager in fund raising activities and/or initiatives and/or negotiations;
• Contributes to the drafting of regular progress and annual reports of the project as required (progress against planned activities, expenses against estimated budget, etc.) and to the gathering and appropriate filing of documentation to be made available for internal and external evaluation purposes;
• Provides support to the regular monitoring and impact assessment of the project activities;
• Actively integrates a gender perspective in the activities under his/her responsibility;
• Contributes to the drafting of baseline analysis and background papers and documents regarding the outcomes of the project as required;
• Within the scope of his/her project responsibilities and assignments, supports the democratic reform agenda in Haiti in one or several of the defined project components: dialogue and participatory processes to enhance representation and democratic governability, constitutional reform, enhancing the effectiveness and integrity of elections and Election Management Bodies; citizen-driven democracy assessments at national and local level;
• Liaises and maintains working contacts and relationship with relevant counterparts in Haiti and in the region, including practitioners, policy makers, academics and the international community, relevant local, national and international governmental and non-governmental actors, International IDEA Member States and partner organisations as required;
• Contributes to the dissemination of project results and information on International IDEA activities;
• Supports the preparation of periodic reports and updates on the political developments, trends and challenges for democracy in Haiti;
• Provides input for the updating of the project website and/or the website of the Latin America and the Caribbean Programme as pertinent;
• Advises and supports the Project Manager on all matters and developments relevant to the project within the scope of his/her responsibilities and assignments;
• Cooperates, as necessary and as advised by the Project Manager, with other relevant International IDEA thematic/regional units and teams;
• Organizes, within his/her responsibilities and assignments, events, conferences, meetings, seminars, workshops, etc. and supervises their logistics;
• Undertakes short-term international missions as directed by the Project Manager;
• Carries out other duties as assigned by the Project Manager or any person designated by him/her.

Qualifications and skills

Level and type of formal education:

• University degree in Political Science, International Relations, Public Administration, Business Administration, Economics, Social Sciences, Law, Human Rights or other relevant discipline.

Professional experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience, preferably in developing similar initiatives, ideally with experience in analytical and practical work in democracy support at national, regional or international level in multilateral and intergovernmental institutions;
• Specific field experience, knowledge of the country and familiarity with democracy support initiatives in Haiti as well with comparative experiences are highly desirable;
• Experience in handling research tasks and analysing information, writing, reporting and conveying knowledge;
• Work experience with project administration and logistics in particular for conferences, meetings, seminars, workshops, etc. and other field events.

Functional competencies:

• Excellent problem solving, conflict resolution, and organisational skills as well as an efficiency-driven perspective;
• Ability to set priorities, to work under pressure with accuracy and dedication and to meet deadlines;
• Ability to provide inputs for conceptualising strategies and designing programmes of work, execute ideas and transfer knowledge and skills;
• Political maturity, personal initiative and creativity;
• Research, analytical and communication skills, both oral and written;
• Ability to coordinate with colleagues and team members, project partner organisations, donors and other interlocutors, and to contribute to developing and maintaining efficient and proactive cooperation with all relevant project stakeholders;
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment;
• Gender sensitivity;
• Excellent interpersonal skills;
• Knowledge of the country and familiarity with democracy support initiatives in Haiti and knowledge of major trends and developments in the field of democracy support;
• Ability to work both independently, with minimum supervision and in teams;
• Willingness to work towards continuing personal learning and development in areas relevant to the project;
• Capability for travelling internationally and field work;
• Commitment to International IDEA’s mission, strategic goals, values and ethical standards.

Languages:

• English: Fluency written and oral;
• French: Fluency written and oral;
• Creole: Proficiency highly desirable; otherwise, ability and desire to learn Creole in the short term;
• Spanish: Shall be considered an asset.

Computer skills:

• Good command of Microsoft Office applications, databases, Internet and web search tools.

Criteria for Professional Performance

The incumbent of this post is expected to act according to a set of principles when carrying out her/his responsibilities and, as appropriate to her/his role, display the following characteristics:

• Be a Facilitator of Change;
• Get Results/Be Accountable and Proactive;
• Lead By Example;
• Be a Model of Integrity;
• Celebrate Diversity;
• Be a Team Worker/Builder;
• Strive for Success and Excellence;
• Plan and Organize.

Terms of contract: 1 Year Fixed Term Appointment with possible extension.

Deadline for applications:

Applications should be submitted no later than 20 May 2012. Please note that all applications must be made in English.

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

Should internet not be an option, applications can be submitted to International IDEA by fax: +46-20 24 22 or by post: International IDEA, SE-103 34, Stockholm, Sweden

Click here to apply!