Program background
Over the last 15 years CSOs and NGOs in Indonesia have
been among the key drivers of political, economic and social reform as part of
Indonesia’s transition towards a democratic, middle-income country, including
on issues such as women’s rights, corruption, and freedom of information. Indonesian civil society organisations have
also made critical contributions to enhancing inclusive and sustainable
development, ensuring that those most in need are able to live healthy and
productive lives.
NGOs in Indonesia operate in all DFAT – Australian Aid
priority development areas and therefore the improved functioning of NGOs as
organisations, and the NGO sector more broadly, would support significant
development impacts.
While the NGO sector in Indonesia has considerable
strengths, it also has many challenges that cannot be addressed through donor
programs that are focused solely on project outcomes. These challenges include
dependence on donor funding, high staff turnover, poor use of research, limited
documentation of work, lack of an effective intermediary and support
sub-sector, and poor public accountability. Successfully addressing these
challenges would lead to improved NGO efficiency and effectiveness, and in turn
poverty reduction outcomes in Indonesia.
In 2012 the DFAT – Australian aid Knowledge Sector and
Tertiary Education Unit commissioned a study on the NGO Sector in Indonesia
titled the ‘NGO Sector Review’. The review was divided into two phases. Phase 1
consisted of a structured desk review, media scanning, consultations with a
wide range of stakeholders in and knowledgeable about the NGO sector and
analysis and mapping of quantitative data. Phase 2 produced a review of the NGO
Sector that proposed DFAT – Australian aid undertake further research and the
design of a facility that aims to maximise the direct and indirect work of
Indonesian NGO’s on poverty reduction.
A project is underway to design a facility for the
National NGO Study and Service Centre for Poverty Reduction and Development
(NSSC). The facility will provide
analytical and policy support to NGOs from across the country to action plan
together and address challenges in and to the NGO sector.
It is also expected that the NSSC can complement and reinforce DFAT and GOI’s ongoing programs of frontline service delivery, which will be the key feature of development cooperation between the two governments to address poverty and development issues in Indonesia for the years to come.
It is also expected that the NSSC can complement and reinforce DFAT and GOI’s ongoing programs of frontline service delivery, which will be the key feature of development cooperation between the two governments to address poverty and development issues in Indonesia for the years to come.
Research to support the design process in ongoing.
Several research activities are proceeding in parallel and to feed into common
analysis. One important research activity is review of program documents and
peer reviewed literature on key topics of interest (e.g., good practices and
example designs for NGO support programs that have been implemented in
Indonesia, leadership and accountability in the NGO sector, funding strategies
and trajectories for NGOs, regulatory impacts on NGOs’ roles and functions,
evidence on the role and impact of NGOs in Indonesian development.) The desk
review will support analysis of findings from the primary research as well as
feed directly into the design document being produced.
Duties
The Desk Researcher (Indonesia) will work with the
Senior Research Assistant and other team members as assigned to carry out
compilation, reading and analysis of program documents and peer reviewed
literature to support the design of the NSSC and development of related policy
research papers.
Key Functions
- Participate in an orientation and work planning session
- Coordinate with SRA on existing desk review load, in particular of program documents
- Conduct web and library based development of reference lists on key assigned topics (see point 1.6 above for some examples of potential topics)
- Read and summarize key relevant points from select sources, from reference lists or in coordination with the SRA
- Maintain proper bibliographical information for eventual use in reports
- Communicate routinely with the Team Leader or other team members of the Indonesia-based team as assigned
Qualifications and Experience
- The successful applicant will meet or exceed the following qualifications, experience and skills:
- Completed or in-progress S2/Masters degree in relevant field (management of nonprofits/NGOs, public policy, social work/social welfare, sociology, international development);
- Experience conducting structured literature reviews;
- Exceptional analytical, writing, and verbal ability in Indonesian, including an ability to produce high quality literature reviews;
- High level of proficiency in reading and processing English-language documents;
- The following qualifications are desirable:
- Knowledgeable on data sources and how to access targeted literature;
- Willingness and ability to make use of email, Skype, Dropbox and other online collaborative time and project management tools;
- Experience or past contributions to desk review for international development programs or other applied work;
- Applied understanding of nonprofit/NGO management and policymaking.
Timing and compensation
The position is to start in August 2014 (or as soon as
possible) and extend to mid 2015. A more specific timeline and workplan will be
developed with the selected candidate, and will be flexible to allow for
scheduling around a current class or workload.
How to apply
By no later than 20 August 2014 midnight Jakarta time,
please send a current resume or CV with a concise cover letter describing the
reasons that you are interested in the position to info@nssc.or.id and EmergingMarkets.Jakarta@cardno.com
Please use the subject line “Desk
Researcher (Indonesia)” to ensure proper processing of your application.
