Organization Overview

VSO is the world's leading development organization that works through volunteers to fight poverty. We are unique in the way we bring people together to share their skills and experience, generate insights and ideas and, most of all, take action against poverty and exclusion. It's a highly effective approach that works, and today is helping millions of people in some of the world's poorest communities lift themselves out of poverty.

Role overview

VSO Tanzania is recruiting a technical adviser to grow and develop VSO’s work on social accountability and youth engagement at the country level. The role will provide technical support to VSO’s Programme Managers, Project Managers and Volunteers in participatory approaches and transformational programme design, and methodological support in social accountability analysis. Additional support in other areas may be needed, such as power, stakeholder mapping, resilience and systems approaches to development. The role will involve some training and capacity building of key staff, volunteers and Primary Actors specifically youth in line with VSO’s global social accountability approach and People First Principles.

Skills, qualifications, and experience

• Experience of social accountability/ governance programme design, implementation and Monitoring, and Evaluation
• Policy, Social Accountability & Governance Knowledge of policy, governance, and social accountability issues which are common to communities in developing countries. 
• Commitment to community-led development processes of social change. Understanding of participatory approaches to working with communities
• Strong understanding of rights-based approach to development. Recognition of the role of power and politics (vested interests) in constraining locally-led change. 
• Direct and substantial experience of working cross-culturally and able to communicate to a range of audiences and promote sharing and learning between cultures.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English; experience of developing compelling, high-quality documentation: guidance and practice notes; concept notes; case stories, presentations for different audiences. Strong representation skills.
• Leadership experience at senior levels, building effective inter-organizational relationships, and working collaboratively with other organizations.
• Able to develop clear and realistic plans to deliver agreed objectives within deadlines, involving key individuals in the process. 
• IT (MS office) proficiency.
• Able to travel, including work away from the home base for up to 50% of the time, both within the country and occasionally internationally and some weekend and evening work. 
  
  

Qualifications 

• Master’s degree in Public Policy, Governance, Law, Development Studies or other relevant subjects
• Training in Policy/Advocacy, fundraising, or M&E 
• 4 years+ experience of community development /social accountability, or policy/governance work 

Desirable

• Knowledge of Political economy analysis would be an asset. 
• Experience of preparing compelling, high-quality documentation; concept notes & proposals, presentations, budgets, reports, etc.) for different partner and donor audiences 
• Volunteering experience and working cross-culturally
  
  

NOTE: THIS IS INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER ROLE, NOT FOR TANZANIANS.

Allowance

As a VSO volunteer, you will be sharing your skills with local communities on a full-time basis. VSO will cover your travel, vaccinations, accommodation, and medical insurance costs, along with a local living allowance which will be paid in local currency. This allowance meets reasonable living expenses in the country, but will not be enough to send money home. You will also receive some financial support to contribute to your on-going expenses at home.

Accommodation

VSO works with some of the poorest communities in the world which means accommodation varies and will be basic.