Steps Towards Development, a national level NGO, working to promote gender equality, human rights and gender responsive governance, is looking for a deserving individual to fill in the above position of Local Governance Project-SHARIQUE PHASE IV operating in the unions under Barisal district of Bangladesh.

Job Title: Field Officer

Vacancy: 01

Job Context

• Steps Towards Development, a national level NGO, working to promote gender equality, human rights and gender responsive governance, is looking for a deserving individual to fill in the above position of Local Governance Programme-Sharique PHASE IV operating in the unions under Barisal district of Bangladesh.
• Reportable to: Field Coordinator
• Based at: This position will be based at upazila office located in Barishal District, with frequent travel to the unions of respective upazila, often remote villages.
• Duration of the contract: Duration of this contract is up to October 2019 from the date of appointment (possibility of extension).

Objectives:

The overall impact hypothesis of the Project is that capacity building - promoting citizens empowerment and enabling good-quality public management - and establishing sound Union Parishad training curricula and capacities of national training institutions, will result in better functioning of Union Parishads, better quality of services to citizens more accountable and legitimate Union Parishads, and will lead to a changed mind-set, and subsequent improvements in the quality of life of citizens. Empowered citizens play in this a key role as they make and implement inclusive, gender sensitive and pro-poor collective choices about their lives and livelihoods.

Outcome from the Citizens:

A vibrant local democracy depends to a large extent on empowered citizens, who effectively claim democratic spaces, participate in decision-making and effectively hold their local government to account. Effective engagement of citizens also informs and influences Union Parishads’ decision-making. This in turn shall ensure that public service and infrastructure provision responds better to citizens’ needs. Effective participation of citizens in Union Parishad affairs signifies more than just articulating wishes. It is meant to ensure development of appropriate strategies (Five-Year Plans), plans (annual plans) and operationalization of those (e.g. formulated projects/schemes and their implementation). Furthermore, effective participation of citizens in monitoring the UPs’ performance promises to ensure that policies and plans have resulted in the expected improvement of public service delivery.

Given that Bangladesh finds itself in a situation of a non-violent crisis, with the state losing its legitimacy leading to an erosion of the social contract, empowered citizens, who hold the local government to account can play a significant role in re-establishing trust between the (local) state and the citizens. Empowered citizens have the potential to demand from but also provide support to the Union Parishads to put in place effective political processes that balance and bring conflicting interests in society, state capacities and social expectations into equilibrium. By doing so they contribute to re-establishing the legitimacy of the (local) state and building in resilience into the political system.

The current non-violent crisis also erodes social cohesion in society. Empowered citizens of majority and minority groups who effectively participate in local affairs also have the potential to strengthen social cohesion in society by the manner they interact in public meetings but also in the manner the influence the discourse and decisions of the Union Parishads to make sure that no segments of society are marginalised.

Key Responsibilities

• Participate in workshop, training and advocacy event organized by HSI and Steps
• Regular contact and coordination with the project team of Steps
• Participate different coordination meeting and discuss about the progress as well as challenge
• Accommodate feedback from BRDB, HSI and Steps staffs
• Collect data from the field and ensure entry in the HSI online monitoring system
• Any other responsibilities time to time assigned by his/her management

Key deliverables

• Facilitate formation of Ward Platforms(WPs) in respective Unions
• Facilitate LGSA and PGA exercises with WPs
• Facilitate Orientation/training with the assigned CGs (citizen group) i.e, Ward Shava, Open budget meeting, Roles and responsibilities of UP, RTI, Women Leadership development, Speak up, Social Safety net etc.
• Provide day to day accompaniment and coaching support to assigned CGs.
• Ensure the CGs mobilizes citizens to participate in UP public consultation meetings meaningfully
• Support CGs in organizing Day observation event by Union Parishad (UP)
• Prepare monthly activity report

Working Conditions

• To be based in the concerned Upazila level site office
• On a highly frequent field visit

Qualifications and Competencies

• A  Bachelor degree with minimum five years’ experience in the area of community mobilization and capacity building
• Minimum three years’ experience in the area of Union Parishad level local governance.
• Demonstrated training and facilitating skill, preferably on the issues of right to information, safety net programmes, UP roles and responsibilities, ward shavas and gender and social inclusion.
• Demonstrated monitoring skill
• Willingness to drive motorcycle and having a valid driving licenses
• Have willingness to work in geographically difficult location

Salary Range

• In between 21,000.00 to 24,000.00 BDT on monthly basis

Other Benefits

• Admissible benefits that include Festival Allowance, motorbike maintenance allowance etc.

Apply Instruction

If you are passionate to make a difference in the governance and services towards citizen, women and disadvantaged groups with more responsive and transparent manner and confident enough to meet the organization’s expectation and project goal as well as fulfill the above mentioned requirements, please apply to 'The Executive Director, Steps Towards Development, District Office Address: Khalil Mension (Ground Floor), House no-964, Altaf Hossain Mahmud Housing, Oxford Mission Road, Barisal and E-mail:steps.bd@gmail.com and cc to sharique.steps.recuitment17@gmail.com and mtsazzad@yahoo.com.

To apply, please attach the following:

1. A cover letter no more than one A4 pages with a summary of why you are applying, your skills and experience and how these are relevant to the role, and what in particular you would bring to this position.
   
2. A detail CV (maximum 3 pages) with two recent passport size color photograph.
   
3. The names, positions and contact details of at least two referees, including your current or most recent employer.
   
4. Copies of NID, Valid motorcycle driving license, latest academic certificates and local government related training certificates
   

Please mention (exactly) the name of the position applied for at subject of the letter. 

Women are highly encouraged to apply.

ONLY SHORT-LISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED 
Candidates will have to be ready to go through an extensive selection process

Application Deadline: 23 June 2019 before 5.00 p.m.

Company Information