Tajikistan: Communications and Development Officer - Tajikistan

This position is at 75% FTE

PROGRAM/ DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps' strategy in Tajikistan focuses on innovative and sustainable solutions to local problems. Mercy Corps Tajikistan's overarching goal is to empower Tajikistan's communities to become healthy, productive, and resilient. Our strategy includes four key objectives in support of this goal:

1. Facilitate private sector and community-led economic growth by encouraging practices that create opportunities for increased employment and income, such as household budgeting, diversifying income streams and developing value-added chains.
2. Increase the capacity of communities to better manage their natural resources, reduce disaster risk, and adapt to climate change through trainings, skills development and tools to translate improved knowledge into action.
3. Improve access to, and the quality of, health products and services and facilitate sustainable behavior change in communities towards better health, nutrition, family planning, hygiene and sanitation.
4. Build youth resilience and leadership skills to help them respond productively to natural, economic and political stresses in order to prevent internal instability and/or conflict.

Mercy Corps' strategy in Tajikistan focuses efforts in three key regions: the remote and fragile Rasht Valley, Sughd Oblast (Ferghana Valley in Northern Tajikistan), and Western Khatlon Oblast. In addition to being areas where Mercy Corps has traditionally worked in Tajikistan, thereby leveraging years of community trust, these regions each have particular needs which are in line with Mercy Corps Tajikistan's (MCT) strategic objectives.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

This position will be responsible for managing various resources and working with different teams as well as being involved in establishing new techniques and ideas. Mercy Corps seeks a self-starter with confidence and enthusiasm who can work collaboratively in a cross cultural environment. The position will have two main aspects: first, to lead or contribute heavily to new program development efforts for all strategic objectives outlined above; and, second, to improve external and internal communications and reporting for the country program.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Staff Capacity Building:

• Work collaboratively with national and international staff and mentor national staff to improve and develop communications skills in written, spoken and visual reporting and media.

Program Development and Design:

• Oversee or coordinate program design and proposal development.
• Responsible for ensuring proposals are responsive to donors and stakeholder requirements, in line with MC principles, values and strategic plan and following MC compliance procedures.
• In coordination with the Country Director / Chief of Party (CoP), the Senior Management Team, and HQ team members, play an active role in identifying and obtaining support for new initiatives.

Program Implementation Support:

• Provide advisory and ad hoc support to projects and programs falling under the SOs, as assigned by the Country Director/ CoP.
• Provide visibility and brand compliance support to all projects and programs

Communications and Reporting:

• Directly manage the online presence of MC Tajikistan and all aspects of social media, including Facebook.
• Play a role in ensuring that the communication of Mercy Corps Tajikistan's strategic framework, studies/ assessments, and other knowledge products are disseminated in a visible manner to key audiences (both internal and external).
• Help draft, edit, coordinate and prepare program and other reports in line with country program standards and donor requirements.

Coordination and Representation:

• Assist with the coordination of the Mercy Corps country program with international and local agencies, Government of Tajikistan Ministries and donors
• May represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events in the field and in Dushanbe, in coordination with the Country Director/ CoP and the Senior Management Team.

Security

• The position holder will be required to adhere to and promote any country program-level safety and security procedures.

Organizational Learning: As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve - we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries: Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: None

ACCOUNTABILITY:

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Country Director/ Chief of Party

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Country Director/ Chief of Party, Finance Manager, Country Operations Manager, DIPECHO Project Manager, HQ Senior Program Officers.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• BA/S or equivalent in agriculture, economics, natural resource management, international development, conflict studies or another field relevant to Mercy Corps Tajikistan's Strategic objectives ; MA/S strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain excellent team and interpersonal relationships, especially in a cross-cultural setting.
• Ability to communicate program objectives and represent Mercy Corps to international donors, government officials, local groups and community members.
• Exceptional proposal and report development, writing and editing skills are essential, as is the ability to produce high-quality written products efficiently and regularly.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work both independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Previous experience working in Central Asia and/or knowledge of the region is an advantage but not essential
• Russian and/or Tajik language skills an advantage but not essential

SUCCESS FACTORS:

A successful Communications and Development Officer will apply a strong combination of team membership, proposal development and communications abilities, tempered with a sound technical understanding of one or more technical fields relevant to the strategic objectives of the Mercy Corps Tajikistan country strategy. They will develop a strong understanding of the function and implications of both relief and development programming in Tajikistan.

LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

The position is based in Dushanbe and is an accompanied post. Mercy Corps Tajikistan currently has offices in Dushanbe, Qurgonteppa (Khatlon) and Garm (Rasht Valley); as stated above, our hope is to re-establish a Sughd Oblast presence as well. The position is based in the Mercy Corps Tajikistan Dushanbe office, located in central Tajikistan, with expectation of regular travel to all field offices and sites. Dushanbe has access to basic amenities with both individual houses and apartments available, although the city does suffer from electricity, gas and water cut-offs at times. There is an active community of expatriates in Dushanbe.

Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

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