Location: London, UK
Last Date: November 21, 2010
POSITION AVAILABLE –BASED IN LONDON
PROGRAM OFFICER – SUB-NATIONAL (SN) CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS OF NATURAL RESOURCE EXTRACTION (SN PO):
REVENUE WATCH INSTITUTE (RWI) AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SECTOR REFORM INITIATIVE (LGI)
REVENUE WATCH INSTITUTE
The Revenue Watch Institute (RWI) is a non-profit policy institute and grant-making organization that promotes the transparent, accountable and effective management of oil, gas, and mineral resources for the public good. RWI provides expertise, capacity building and funding to help countries maximize the long-term economic benefit of their natural riches. Revenue Watch is the only organization exclusively dedicated to helping oil, gas, and mineral-producing countries harness extractive revenues for development. We take a comprehensive approach to improving governance and development along the resource value chain—from the decision to extract, through the organization of production, revenue generation and management, to the expenditure processes. Revenue Watch Institute works in Anglophone and Francophone Africa the Middle East and North Africa, Latin America, Central Asia and Caucusus and Asia/Pacific.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE
The Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative (LGI), a program within the Open Society Foundations, promotes, among other things, transparent and accountable governance, improved public finance and intergovernmental fiscal relations, better management of multiethnic communities, and participation in public local development planning. Most of LGI's activities are in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, with more recent initiatives taking root in such places as Afghanistan, Indonesia, Mongolia, Peru and West Africa. In pursuit of its mission LGI acts as a grantmaker, a think tank and a direct operator of educational courses, fellowships, trainings and technical assistance to civil society and government. To learn more about LGI please refer to: http://lgi.osi.hu/
PURPOSE AND CONTEXT OF THE POSITION:
Resource extraction often brings large and specific opportunities and threats to local governments and communities in areas from which oil, gas or minerals are being extracted. But revenues from extraction also have the potential for economic and social development. This is especially the case where local areas are allocated a proportion of the revenues generated by extraction. Local governments and other actors need the capacity to manage these revenues well and to work appropriately with companies.
OVERVIEW OF THE POST:
A. Joint project between RWI and LGI: until June 2012
To develop practical insights and approaches to strengthening local governance and accountability in extractive areas, RWI and LGI launched a sub-national (SN) pilot program in 2008. Together, we have supported projects in Indonesia and Peru, whilst RWI is supporting additional projects in Nigeria and Ghana. All have worked with both local governments and other actors to improve the transparency and accountability for extractive revenues flowing to local areas, and to build understanding and skills in the use of these resources for long-term development.
RWI and LGI now want to distill lessons learnt from these pilots and combine it with understanding generated by other actors and work, in order to generate a series of policy and practice tools. The aim is then to promote their use by, and build a ‘Community of Practice’ amongst local governments, companies, national governments and other practitioners through a series of seminars, workshops and virtual debates to raise momentum around work in this crucial area.
The post holder will spend 70% of their time working on this joint project of the Revenue Watch Institute (RWI) and the Local Government and Public Sector Reform Initiative (LGI) until at least June 2012.
B. Support RWI’s sub-national projects beyond the project
The post holder will spend the remainder 30% working on the following additional sub-national (SN) work for RWI. In 2011, this will include managing the final evaluations of the four projects outlined above. In addition RWI is scoping the development of new work in Niger, DRC and the possibility of the expansion of work in Indonesia and Nigeria. In the longer term, it will be the role of the SN PO to help strategise on the development of this global portfolio, to provide practical inputs in the scoping and design of new projects, as well as providing technical and capacity building inputs to support implementation. (Regional offices will be responsible for the management of projects.)
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
A. Joint project between RWI and LGI: until June 2012 (70%)
• Writing short ‘basic briefings’ on the program as whole and the four pilots.
• Clarifying the overall content of a series of Policy Briefings on key topic areas, and managing their production.
• Creating an international ‘Community of Practice’ that links key thinkers and practitioners from the worlds of local development, local government, extractive governance and extractive corporations to share ideas and promote the work.
• Running a series of seminars with real and ‘virtual’ participants to discuss the draft Policy Briefings and other key topics and organise an international workshop to promote the project’s products.
• Supporting the Capacity Building Director in the development and refining of training modules and materials.
• Other relevant duties as required.
B. Support RWI sub-national projects (30%)
The Program Officer will support the establishment and implementation of existing and new SN capacity development projects and the overall coherence of RWI’s SN portfolio. Detailed responsibilities include the managing the final evaluations of the first four pilot projects at the start of 2011.
The balance of time in 2011 and 2012 spent on the following areas will depend on how the different existing and new projects evolve:
Supporting regional coordinators and partners in establishing new interventions targeting sub-national resource governance.
Developing training modules, curricula, manuals and courses. This includes researching and designing new courses on budgeting, and expenditure monitoring for legislatures.
Streamlining SN capacity development in the portfolio of RWI-supported knowledge hubs (in tandem with the PO for Knowledge Hubs).
Leading monitoring and evaluation of impact of SN work.
Identifying opportunities to scale up RWI SN capacity development work through coordination and fundraising.
Representing RWI with external audiences on issues related to SN work.
Progressive updating of RWI’s SN development strategy.
QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:
Requirements
Around five years experience in managing capacity building projects in an international development and advocacy environment – including support of local partners at a distance, monitoring and evaluation, financial management.
Experience in capacity development of local governments in relation to planning and financial management in low income countries, ideally in more than one continent (Africa, South East Asia, Latin America).
Network of contacts across: local government capacity building experts, extractive governance experts, international and national policy makers, extractive companies and representatives from local implementing organisations.
Knowledge of extractive industries and experience in improving their impact on local communities in producing areas.
Experience of working with a range of stakeholders at the local level in low income countries, e.g. local parliaments, local traditional authorities, local grass roots organizations.
Experience in writing and managing the production of policy and practice tools, briefings, seminars and workshops.
Experience in developing ‘Communities of Practice’ including the use of web-sites and virtual discussion spaces.
Qualifications/Skills
Post-graduate degree in a relevant field (public administration, political science, economics, international affairs).
Fluency in at least one additional language to English (especially Arabic, French and Bahasa although other languages would also be an asset such as Russian, Portuguese, Spanish etc.)
Experience in adult learning and teaching/teacher training is desirable.
Effective communicator & proficiency in writing skills.
Ability to manage several simultaneous projects in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to use Microsoft office
Integrity and professional discretion.
MANAGEMENT OF THE POST:
In relation to the joint RWI/LGI project: For day-to-day operations, the SN PO will be managed by RWI’s Program Manager of Capacity Development and Training. Strategic guidance will be provided by a management team of LGI’s Deputy Program Director and RWI’s Capacity Building Director.
In relation to other areas of RWI’s SN work: For day-to-day operations, the SN PO will be managed by RWI’s Program Manager of Capacity Development and Training with strategic guidance from RWI’s Capacity Building Director. The SN PO will also work extensively with the rest of the capacity development team.
POST DURATION & LOCATION:
This is a permanent post. It will continue beyond the joint project between RWI and LGI currently slated to run until June 2012. The job holder will be based at RWI’s London office.
START DATE; January 2011
COMPENSATION: Salary Range commensurate with skills and experience. Excellent Benefits package.
TO APPLY: Please send a cover letter and CV; with ref: SNPO/RWI in the subject line to: recruitment-RWI@osf-eu.org by 21 NOVEMBER 2010
Please note: We regret to inform that only selected candidates for interview will receive notification. The job-holder will be seconded to RWI with the host employer being the Open Society Foundation, London.
No phone calls, please. The Open Society Foundation/RWI is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
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