Position: Program Officer

Staff Category: Project Based

Project Name: Building Youth Leadership on Pluralism & Social Harmony (BYLPSH)

Duty Station: THP Dhaka Office

Reportable to: Project Coordinator

Joining date: Immediately (1st January, 2025)

Organization Profile:

The Hunger Project (THP) is a global non-profit organization whose mission is to end hunger and poverty by pioneering sustainable, grassroots, women-centered strategies and advocating for their widespread adoption in countries throughout the world. We operate in 22 countries and have mobilized hundreds of thousands of volunteer leaders worldwide. Our programs throughout Africa, South Asia and Latin America are based on an innovative, holistic approach, which empowers women and men living in rural villages to become the agents of their own development and make sustainable progress in overcoming hunger and poverty.

The Hunger Project Bangladesh:

The Hunger Project-Bangladesh (THP-BD) is a highly-regarded, the largest volunteer-based development organization in the country, with over 250,000 volunteers, implementing strategies of gender-focused community-led development across the country since 1991 to create hunger and poverty free self-reliant Bangladesh. The Hunger Project empowers millions of women and men, youth leaders, local elected representatives, CSO to end their own hunger.

Its core program is the SDG Union Strategy which works in partnership with local governments to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. A highly committed staff supports community-led action from ten regional offices nationwide. (Please visit: www.thpbd.org).

Project Summary:

Building Youth Leadership on Pluralism & Social Harmony (Empowering youth for Citizenship) Project is funded by NED. The project’s location includes 10 districts. Democracy has declined for the past decade and a half in Bangladesh. As the recent EU Mission reported “Overall, the 2024 parliamentary election in Bangladesh did not meet some key international standards for democratic elections. Civil and political rights, including the freedoms of assembly, association, movement, and speech essential for inclusive and competitive elections, were restricted. Opposition political parties’ activities were severely limited by judicial proceedings and mass arrests.”

A long-standing undemocratic practice and faulty elections have led citizens to avoid political engagements. Currently, a large portion of young people in particular dislike being involved with politics. But from the language movement in 1952 to the restoration of democracy in 1990 in Bangladesh, all the key historical movements were led by youth who have contributed to shaping the country's culture, political processes, and institutions. Youth, therefore, are the hope and the future leaders of Bangladesh. Their unwavering enthusiasm, unlimited creativity, unbridled idealism, and boundless energy come together to create a synergy that challenges this status quo and moves forward toward democracy. Recognizing it, this action is designed to strengthen the youth networks across the country by engaging politically and socially active youth and equip them with the knowledge and skills on active citizenship, democratic process, and civic engagement. They will be encouraged to be engaged in the political process and promote democratic and pluralistic values. This will contribute to creating a culture of civic responsibility and engagement, fostering a more resilient and inclusive society.

Position Summary:

The Program Officer will be responsible for the overall facilitation, implementation, coordination, and monitoring of project activities. The role involves working closely with field teams, National Forum of Youth Ending Hunger, Regional Forum, District Forum, Youth leaders to ensure smooth execution of project activities. The incumbent will contribute to the development of training materials, provide hands-on support for field interventions, and ensure accurate documentation of project outcomes. A key aspect of this role will be managing youth engagement activities, promoting their involvement in Project Activates, and supporting youth-led action projects that address community challenges.

Key Responsibilities

  • Coordinate and implement all project activities as per the work plan, ensuring alignment with project objectives and donor requirements.
  • Facilitate Youth Leaders Training including participant selection and youth-led social action initiate support.
  • Support National, Regional, District Youth Forum, Facilitators, Youth Unit in planning and executing SAP, civic education, peacebuilding, and community engagement activities.
  • Support in developing and adapting training materials on Youth leadership training, Training of Facilitators and others trainings.
  • Regularly communicate with youth networks to encourage collaborative problem-solving and joint interventions.
  • Collaborate with the M&E team to monitor the progress and outcomes of all project activities, ensuring accurate data collection and analysis.
  • Develop and use appropriate M&E tools to track youth participation, action project results, and community impact.
  • Prepare high-quality activity reports, meeting minutes, and field visit documentation to capture key project achievements, challenges, and outcomes.
  • Contribute to monthly, quarterly, and annual reports by providing detailed inputs on the progress and impact of youth engagement activities.
  • Compile case studies, photo essays, and success stories showcasing the impact of PFG and PAVE Youth action projects on community resilience and civic participation.
  • Organize and manage project events such as workshops, training, and community dialogues.
  • Ensure that all youth engagement activities adhere to safeguarding protocols and promote a culture of safety and respect.
  • Address any safeguarding concerns in line with organizational policies and escalate issues as needed.

Qualifications and Skills Required:

Educational Background:

  • Masters’ degree in Social Science, Development Studies, Peace and Conflict, Political Science or a related field.

Experience:

  • Minimum of 3-6 years of experience in project management, youth development, or civic engagement programs.

Skills:

  • Display a strong commitment to community empowerment and civic engagement and education.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate ideas effectively and engage with diverse stakeholders.
  • Ability to effectively communicate with diverse stakeholders, including youth, community leaders, and project staff.
  • Exceptional interpersonal skills, demonstrating the ability to collaborate, motivate, and work effectively within a team and with community members and youth group.
  • Demonstrated proficiency in data collection and report writing, with attention to detail in documenting conflicts and activities for analysis and reporting purposes.
  • Previous experience in organizing and managing events, with a focus on logistics, coordination, and ensuring the successful execution of planned activities.
  • Show evidence of leadership potential through past experiences, extracurricular activities, or community involvement.
  • Strong project management skills, including planning, coordination, and implementation.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), G Suite, Google Analytics, Google Charts and relevant data visualization tools.
  • Familiarity with youth leadership and civic education frameworks.
  • Strong report writing and documentation skills in both English and Bangla.

Working Conditions:

  • Based in Dhaka, with regular travel to project sites in 10 districts.
  • Frequent interaction with field staff, youth participants, and community leaders to support project activities.

Compensation:

Attractive remuneration packages will be offered to the really deserving candidate. In addition, THP-BD offers Provident Fund, Gratuity, Festival Bonus, Group Life Insurance and Medical support etc.

How to Apply:

Please forward your letter of interest, resume, salary expectations, writing sample in English and references for immediate consideration to infobd@thp.org latest by 25 December, 2024 through the prescribed job application FORM (To download the form please copy the url: https://thpbd.org/english-2/career-opportunity). Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Please include “Program Director” in the subject line of your e-mail. Only properly complete applications will be considered for short-listing. Short-listed applicants will subsequently be called for written and interviews. Any personal persuasion/phone call will result in disqualification of the candidature.

The Hunger Project strongly follows ZERO TOLERANCE policy towards Sexual Harassment, Exploitation and Abuse (SHEA), Child Protection Policy and other relevant safeguarding policies and expects all employees to abide by the Safeguarding Policies and Code of Conduct of The Hunger Project.

The Hunger Project aims to attract and select a diverse workforce, ensuring equal opportunity for everyone, irrespective of race, gender, sexual orientation, class, ethnicity, disability, location and religion.