Organization Overview

Tostan, a US 501(c)(3) organization founded in Senegal in 1991, is an international nonprofit organization headquartered in Dakar, Senegal and currently operating in six African countries. Our vision is human dignity for all. Our mission is to empower African communities to bring about sustainable development and positive social transformation based on respect for human rights. Tostan’s core values include the following: “communities first,” learning and innovation, partnership and dialogue, passion and pride in our work, and respect and humility toward others. Our organization is rapidly scaling its successful model across Africa.  For more information, please visit: www.tostan.org

Summary

Tostan is seeking a skilled Project Officer to support its Grants management. The position is at the heart of the coordination of proposal development, monitoring of projects, and reporting to donors. You will be playing a crucial role in the flow of information between countries and the headquarters office in Dakar. We are a team of young and dynamic professionals and we are looking for an efficient and solution-oriented colleague who has a flair for communicating with our supporters in both French and English. 

Reporting to the Senior Grants Manager, the Project Officer is responsible for supporting and tracking the progress of all projects falling under his/her portfolio—which would include several projects in multiple countries, French and/or English-speaking. The Project Officer will support the development and writing of new proposals, write/edit project reports, and review financial reports to ensure consistent communication with all supporters. He/she will ensure deadlines are met and proactively identify any delays or issues.

Duration of the contract: 1 year renewable

Roles & Responsibilities

  • Key liaison between the field offices and the international headquarters promoting effective two-way communication
  • Lead the proposal development process for all assigned proposals and ensure an effective and timely contribution from the field offices and various internal stakeholders
  • Ensure that new projects are launched in an efficient and timely manner, and that the field staff has the relevant materials, finances and support needed to stay on track
  • Track project budgeting, action plans and reporting and ensure that any deviation is proactively identified and follow up on the appropriate corrective actions
  • Overall responsibility for writing/editing project reports–while some original writing will be required, many first drafts will originate from staff reports and volunteers in the field
  • Collaborate with field staff, volunteers and/or the senior management team to develop content for reports and proposals
  • Maintain a reporting tracking system to ensure that responsible staff members are aware of upcoming deadlines for reports and proposals
  • Ensure that relevant staff members of all departments are informed of donor requirements; work closely with all departments to ensure compliance 
  • Provide technical support to assess donor eligibility of planned expenditures and identify related compliance requirements
  • Ensure National Coordinations and field staff are provided with the information they need in order to perform good grant management practices and follow donor guidelines
  • Conduct regular visits to field offices and project sites
  • Maintain and manage the grant filing and retrieval system to ensure that it provides easy and immediate access to information on these grants 

Qualifications and Selection Criteria

Education

  • Master’s degree preferred

Language Proficiency

  • Fluent in both English and French (written and spoken)

Knowledge & Experience

  • At least 2 years of project management and report writing experience in a non-profit or development sector

Characteristics

  • Highly self-motivated and detail oriented, you are an asset to the team and are depended upon to track and communicate all project deadlines and to manage the delivery of accurate, high-quality reports and proposals
  • Ability to build strong working relationships, both in-person and virtually
  • A team player, you are comfortable working with multiple deadlines, under pressure, and in a multicultural environment 
  • Believe strongly in Tostan’s mission to empower African communities to bring about sustainable development and positive social transformation based on respect for human rights
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Key Relationships

  • Direct supervisor: Senior Grants Manager
  • Direct colleagues: Two Project Managers and one volunteer
  • Works closely with senior staff members at the Tostan International headquarters in Dakar, as well as in Washington, DC
  • Works closely with the National Coordinators and senior management in field offices
  • Coordinates work from a number of staff and volunteers in the field who write the first draft of proposals and reports from the field

Location

The position is located in Dakar, Senegal, at Tostan’s international headquarters.

How to Apply

If you are interested in this position, please submit a cover letter and resume to: hr@tostan.org and aureliadonnard@tostan.org with the subject line reading: “Project Officer Application” by August 22, 2016. 

Tostan is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate all applicants without unlawful considerations of race, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.