Engineers Without Borders Australia Timor Leste Field Officer

EWB Australia has had volunteers in Timor Leste since 2009 and currently has four community partners and several field volunteers in country. Timor Leste has had a field officer based in country since Jan 2012. The role is primarily responsible for supporting EWB's Field Volunteers, partnerships and programs throughout Timor Leste.
EWB are looking to continue to expand and strengthen their partnerships with local NGOs, educational institutions, government bodies and community partners in Timor Leste, particularly in the areas of WASH, education and construction; as well as engage with Australian engineering groups operating in the area. The Field Officer (FO) will also be responsible for maintaining EWB relationships in Indonesia. While the program is growing, the core duties of this role may leave the FO with additional time to provide ad-hoc support to one of EWB local partners, the Dili Institute of Technology, in terms of organisational management capacity building.

On a day to day basis, the FO will be required to liaise with a range of other regional, international and local NGOs, explore new opportunities for EWB program development and keep abreast of local and regional security concerns and volunteer well-being. You will also act as a vital link between EWB’s in country programs and a range of Australia based initiatives, enabling the integration of EWB’s South East Asia Program activities into university curriculum and member education activities.

This role provides the opportunity to work in a broad, interesting and challenging role, with a fun, dynamic and very fast growing organisation which has incredibly positive social outcomes. The Timor Leste SEA FO will be based in Dili, Timor Leste and will be required to travel to the Districts and to Indonesia.

Role Required

The Timor Leste Field Officer will be responsible for managing EWB volunteers and liaising with our local project partners in Timor Leste and Indonesia. They will be responsible for the following activities:

• Maintaining regular contact with volunteers and providing social and work-related support together with South East Asia Program Coordinator during their placements - Collect administrative and reporting material from volunteers - Regularly visit EWB project partners in the region to monitor current activities and encourage further strengthening of the partnership - Search for and continue to lay develop the groundwork for new partnership opportunities for EWB with local NGOs, community groups, educational institutions and social enterprise in Timor Leste - Work with the EWB Research and Curriculum Coordinator and field volunteers to develop research topics and support undergraduate research students - Assist with the organisation and running of Development Experience activities working in conjunction with EWB staff in Australia - Continue to develop and strengthen relationshipsEngage with Australian engineering companies working in Timor Leste such as Worley Parsons to to form new partnerships and networks, and explore collaboration opportunities for our partners and the communities with which they work - Work closely with the EWB Field Volunteers at DIT, and the DIT management and administrative staff to build their knowledge and skills in organisational management and administration, in support of other programs.

  Timing

The role consists of three important phases beginning October 2012, including a 12-24 month field placement in Timor Leste commencing on approximately 2nd January 2013.

Phase 1: Pre-departure - October 2012

• Pre-departure preparation (medical clearances, training, administrative)

  • Linking with the Australian based EWB project team if required for the project - Linking with a local EWB chapter to enhance your resources and support networks and create opportunities for sharing your experience with members - Identifying additional resources and support for the project - Communicating with the Partner Organisation to discuss and clarify the project and role requirements

Phase 2: Field placement – January 2013

• Departure to East Timor - Hand over from current Field Officer in country - Working alongside with volunteers, partner organisations and EWB staff in Australia to meet your position objectives to assist volunteers in their assignments and help develop and strengthen EWB partnerships in Timor Leste

Phase 3: Post field alumni – 2014

• Return to Australia to collaborate with the project team, knowledge hub (if relevant) and with an EWB chapter for a minimum period of 12 months - this is on a casual volunteer basis – e.g. one evening a fortnight - Participate in various EWB events including the National Conference and intake presentation evenings - Participate in the development and dissemination of ‘Learning & Change’ materials within the EWB community - Mentor future field volunteers preparing to work with the partner organisation

To fulfill this role, the volunteer will receive an allowance for living and basic accommodation while overseas, airfares to your host country at the commencement and completion of the placement, travel and emergency evacuation insurance, technical and personal support from EWB staff and chapters.

Selection Criteria

We are looking for people who want to make a difference through a challenging cross-cultural experience, who are committed to having positive impact in overseas communities through all aspects of their placement, and who are willing to share their experiences with others to create change within the engineering sector in Australia. The applicant must be either an Australian or New Zealand citizen or resident, or have a formal and ongoing connection to Australia.

It is important that our volunteers understand that they will be working to build local capacity, rather than manage and deliver a project themselves, and this should always be their key focus.

For this particular role, it is essential that the candidate has:

Background study and/or experience in organisational and people management Proven experience in networking and liaising between stakeholders Prior experience of living overseas, preferably working, studying or volunteering in a developing country Excellent knowledge and understanding of EWB activities in Australia and overseas Excellent oral and written communication skills, particularly in an inter-cultural context Ability to work effectively independently without direct supervision or guidance, and as part of the larger EWB team remotely

The ideal candidate would also have meeting the following desirable criteria:

Experience in community development, capacity building or adult training Tetun and/or Bahasa language ability, or a willingness to learn and aptitude for languages (an intensive Tetun course will be provided at the start of the placement)
Knowledge or experience with engineering projects, ideally WASH, construction, energy or technical education community development projects Pro-active, creative and flexible

Our field volunteers are expected to demonstrate the following personal attributes:

Humility Cross-cultural communication skills Empathy and caring for others Enthusiasm and passion Creativity Willingness to learn Adaptability and ability to deal with ambiguity Good understanding of capacity development and current development issues Leadership skills and experience in a leadership role Ruggedness and ability to live in harsh conditions

How to apply:

Please complete the volunteer application form (download fromhttp://www.ewb.org.au/resources/download/2748P2012-08-14_17:36:47) and include a detailed statement addressing how you meet the essential and desirable selection criteria. We cannot assess applications that do not address the selection criteria.

Please complete and return applications to k.axworthy@ewb.org.au