Position Description
The
OGP Support Unit is the permanent secretariat that works closely with
the Steering Committee to advance the goals of the Open Government
Partnership. It is designed to maintain institutional memory, manage
OGP’s external communications, ensure the continuity of organizational
relationships with OGP’s partners, and support the broader membership
and implementation at country level. The Civil Society Engagement team
is part of the Support Unit. It is a nimble, international team that
aims to broaden and deepen civil society engagement in OGP, both at the
national and international level.
The
active and effective participation of civil society organizations in
the Open Government Partnership is crucial to its success. Civil society
organizations around the world in OGP member and eligible countries
need to be informed about the process, opportunities and
responsibilities associated with OGP.
The
Regional Civil Society Coordinator for Asia will support civil society
in the region to use the Open Government Partnership as a platform to
advance their efforts to improve government transparency, accountability
and citizen participation. Reporting to the Director of Civil Society
Engagement, (s)he will lead in building and maintaining interest and
excitement about OGP among civil society organizations in the region.
The goal is to support active and effective engagement by civil society
actors to push for and deliver on ambitious open government reforms. The
core focus of the position will be on supporting civil society in Asia
and the Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand.
Responsibilities
- Make sure that civil society activists in OGP member countries are well-informed and better equipped to participate in the national OGP process by providing information, sharing experiences, making connections and advising on strategy;
- Build and cultivate a dynamic community of civil society partners in the region, and ensure that this community is interacting with peers in other regions;
- Lead on outreach to civil society in non-member eligible and near-eligible countries to inform them about OGP basics and/or support them in achieving membership;
- Proactively share key national and regional OGP developments and insights with the OGP Steering Committee;
- Contribute to the Support Unit’s global activities to support the development and sharing of open government tools, resources and experiences across countries;
- Contribute to or lead on OGP (civil society) events in the region, as well as participate in civil society outreach and learning activities at third-party events;
- Maintain good working relations with key regional coalitions/networks, as well as international actors in the region (e.g. funders, multi-laterals) to coordinate on OGP civil society support efforts.
Qualifications
- Advanced degree in relevant field (e.g. development, political science, or international relations);
- A minimum of 5 years experience, including building civil society coalitions, brokering technical cooperation and partnerships, and organizing training workshops and events;
- An existing network and credibility within civil society activists working on open government issues in the region;
- Track record of working on open government, transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement issues. Familiarity with technology for transparency initiatives highly desirable.
- Fluency in English a requirement;
- Ability to travel extensively for work (30-40%).
Desired Skills and Attributes
- Self starter who can work independently, but likes working as part of a (virtual) team;
- Proactive in sharing information with team members to update on both progress and setbacks;
- Positive outlook, humility, and a healthy sense of humor;
- Sound judgment, professionalism and integrity;
- Strong writing and presentation skills, articulate and persuasive;
- Understanding of multi-stakeholder initiatives and some experience working with government officials;
- Ability to patiently and diplomatically forge consensus between diverse stakeholders on strategic advocacy issues;
- Exceptional interpersonal skills, active listener who seeks to truly understand other perspectives;
- Ability to build strong working relationships across a multicultural virtual team.
Further Details:
- Position preferably based at the Hivos Southeast Asia office in Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Start date: April/May 2015
- Compensation will be commensurate with experience, details on range upon request
- Applications must be submitted by e-mail by February 12, 2015 to info@opengovpartnership.org with the headline ‘Application for Regional Civil Society Coordinator.’ Please submit an English resume, cover letter, and recent writing sample
- Questions can be addressed to Paul Maassen (paul.maassen@opengovpartnership.org )
