Pact is an international nonprofit that works in nearly 40 countries building solutions for human development that are evidence-based, data-driven and owned by the communities we serve. Founded in 1971, Pact works with partners to build resilience, improve accountability, and strengthen knowledge and skills for sustainable social impact.
Department Programs - Pact strives for a world where all people are heard, capable, and vibrant. The Programs Team helps realize this objective by bridging program management, technical support, and business development, enabling Pact to achieve its global strategy. We ensure program excellence through continuous learning, monitoring and evaluation and provide organizational and industry-wide thought leadership by leveraging a complementary set of cross-functional, multi-disciplinary skills, expertise, and experiences. The Programs team: influences progressive change through the development and implementation of global and regional strategies and business plans; supports advancement of innovative solutions; pursues new business opportunities; and drives effective internal and external engagement to maximize Pact’s impact across the globe. Across all aspects of its role, the Programs Department adheres to and promotes a culture of inclusion, accountability, and respect.
Position Overview
Pact seeks an experienced Capacity Building & Advocacy Advisor for the anticipated USAID-funded Gir’Ijambo (Have a Say) Activity, an Associate Award under the Civil Society and Media-Strengthened Together and Advancing in New Directions (CSM-STAND) Africa & Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Leader with Associates (LWA) Cooperative Agreement. This five-year activity will focus on strengthening civil society organizations’ (CSOs) institutional capacity and sustainability, issue small grants to select CSOs to carry out advocacy work, and support the formation and bolster existing CSO networks. The activity will focus on four separate priorities and will target youth and women CSOs engaged in human rights, individual freedoms, governance, justice, and reconciliation: (1) support capacity strengthening and issue sub-grants to local organizations engaged in civic education and advocacy for positive political engagement; (2) strengthen CSOs dedicated to promoting accountable, transparent, and responsive governance; (3) respond to trafficking in persons (TIP) and other human rights issues; and (4) support livelihood opportunities for women and youth members of select CSOs.
The position will be based in Bujumbura, Burundi, and reports to the Chief of Party. This is a Burundi-based local position open to Burundian nationals and individuals with legal authorization to work in Burundi without employer sponsorship only. This position is contingent upon award.
Key Responsibilities
The Capacity Building & Advocacy Advisor will serve as the in-country technical lead for the Activity, focusing on high-quality technical and organizational capacity development for core partners. This role includes developing materials and processes for capacity strengthening, such as training, mentoring, coaching, and peer learning. The Advisor will also support advocacy efforts to improve legal and normative environments for CSOs by analyzing frameworks and engaging in local initiatives to address their needs.
The specific duties to be carried out by the successful candidate are listed below:
- Coordinate with CSOs, government officials, private sector stakeholders and other civil society actors to advocate for accountable governance that supports sustainable development.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key activity stakeholders to ensure opportunities for trusted learning exchange and collaboration.
- Develop and implement advocacy strategies with key stakeholders to enhance Burundian CSO voice and representation at the grassroot, national and sub-national levels, to inform policy reforms.
- Enable and facilitate Burundian CSO participation in advocacy, networking, and campaigning activities.
- Manage the development, implementation, and monitoring of capacity development (CD) activities in close alignment and coordination with activities across the project and across teams to ensure integration.
- Implement or coordinate the implementation of organizational capacity and performance assessments of identified Burundian organizations.
- Ensure that capacity development strategies are evidence-based and in line with Pact’s best practices.
- Support the identification of Burundian organizations who meet the criteria to receive funding directly from USAID and provide assistance in developing transition preparedness plans.
- Coordinate with the project management team - Technical, Finance, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) - for integration of capacity building approaches, targets and reporting into grant management processes for identified Burundian organizations.
- In collaboration with the M&E team, regularly collect, analyze and report on data derived from the capacity development process in the Pact capacity solutions platform.
- Contribute to the preparation of work plans, quarterly and annual reports, and other reports and documents that summarize the results and evidence of the project.
- Prepare periodic reports that document processes, outputs and results of activities related to the capacity development process.
- Employee complies with all company policies and procedures, including completing all compliance training topics by the deadline to satisfy each and receiving the corresponding acknowledgment statement that the training has been completed.
- All other duties as assigned
Basic Requirements
- Bachelor’s and 8 years of experience or Master’s degree and 6+ years relevant experience in the disciplines of international development, social sciences, business, law or communication, or related field.
- Demonstrated experience working on donor-funded programs, including civil society, civic engagement, or advocacy; experience with USAID-funded programs a plus.
- Experience in community-based capacity development projects, such as experience in community mobilization and civil society development and USG grant management processes.
- Strong understanding of civil society organizations in Burundi and its development context.
- Strong understanding of CSOs alliance/networking in Burundi and in the region.
- Strong communication, interpersonal, negotiation, and relationship management skills and experience.
- Demonstrated experience in building and maintaining relationships and networks with individuals, communities, development partners and other relevant stakeholders.
- Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with governments and civil society partners.
- Professional working proficiency in Kirundi and French; English proficiency a plus
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working with media actors in Burundi and/or in the Great Lakes Region
- Ability to travel within Burundi, as required, to support trainings, peer learning events, and other networking activities.