CSO Specialist – Tunisia/Libya

WORK CONTEXT

CESVI has been operating in Libya since 2011 as the first Italian NGO to take action, in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, through humanitarian projects in Cyrenaica and Tripolitania. Nowadays CESVI is one of best positioned NGOs in Libya, active in the coordination of various sector working groups – in particular protection – with a diverse donor portfolio, serving all vulnerable target populations.

In detail, CESVI has been implementing programs supporting mixed migrants, IDPs and vulnerable host communities through service provision and support to CSO. This includes centre-based and outreach protection activities (including child protection and GBV), warehouse management, non-food distributions, awareness-raising activities, psychosocial support, referrals to external services, cash assistance and non-formal education, community development and social inclusion at local level.

Current projects:

– UNHCR: Protection and lifesaving assistance to refugees and asylum seekers (Tripoli)

– ECW: Education Cannot wait consortium providing education for children in Libya (Tripoli)

– EU: PEERS II: Protection Enabling Environment and Resilience Services (Misrata)

– EU: Strengthen the capacity of CSOs and informal groups in the South and East of Libya

– EU: Youth-centred dialogue for promoting peace and justice in Libya

– AICS: Al Saha: Improving health services and psychosocial support for children in Libya (Sebha and Kufra)

JOB DESCRIPTION

The collaboration will start in July 2023.

The main duty station will be the Country Office in Tunis (Tunisia), with an average 50% of the contract duration in the relevant Cesvi field offices in Libya. The field deployments will depend on, vary, and will be adapted to visa imperatives, program needs, and security conditions.

As a CSO Specialist, you will play a vital role in strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) in Libya and building the internal capacity of our organization to effectively engage with CSOs.

Internally, the position will assess our organisation’s capacity to engage with CSOs and develop internal training programs to enhance staff members’ skills in CSO engagement. You will lead the development and implementation of SOPs for CSO partnership processes, provide guidance on their adherence, and conduct regular reviews and updates. This work will contribute to the overall growth, effectiveness, and sustainability of CSO engagement within our organisation.

Externally, you will have an active role (ideally through co-chairing) in the CSO Coordination group led by the Libyan INGO Forum (LIF). The CSO Coordination Group aims to provide a platform for international actors (INGOs, UN Agencies, IGOs) to coordinate, share information, identify, and execute opportunities, share best practices and ways of working with the common goal of enhancing the collaborative learning and capacity development of local CSOs and their engagement with the international community – ensuring that this is done in ways that abide with legal frameworks in Libya, ensuring conflict sensitivity approaches throughout every step of the process.

Key tasks and responsibilities

1) Networking and Coordination

• Active participation, ideally through co-chairing, in the Libyan CSO coordination group with the Libyan INGO Forum (LIF). Fostering strategic partnerships with other INGOs, donors, and development agencies, leveraging resources and expertise to strengthen CSO engagement and localization efforts.
• Represent the organisation in relevant forums, networks, and coordination mechanisms, advocating for the meaningful inclusion of local CSOs and promoting collaboration and knowledge exchange.
• Stay abreast of evolving trends, best practices, and guidelines in CSO engagement and localisation, and disseminate relevant information and learning within the organisation.

2) Internal Capacity Development

• Assess the organization’s internal capacity to effectively engage with CSOs and identify areas for improvement.
• Lead the development and implementation of standardized processes, procedures, and guidelines for engaging with CSOs throughout the organisation. Create a CESVI toolkit and guidance to work with CSOs in Libya
• Collaborate with regional and international teams to create SOPs for different stages of CSO partnership, including identification, assessment, selection, monitoring, and evaluation. Conduct regular reviews and updates of existing SOPs to ensure their relevance, effectiveness, and alignment with evolving organizational needs and best practices.
• Develop and deliver training programs and workshops for organisation staff on CSO engagement, partnership development, and best practices in working with civil society.
• Develop and deliver capacity-building initiatives for project staff, equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge to engage effectively with CSOs and foster localization within projects.
• Develop and implement sub-granting guidelines, procedures, and templates, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and organisational policies.

3) Project Support

• Provide guidance and mentorship to staff members involved in CSO-related activities, supporting their professional development and expertise in the field.
• Provide guidance and technical support to project staff on effective CSO engagement strategies, including identification, assessment, and selection of suitable local partners.
• Support project teams in building and maintaining strong partnerships with CSOs, government entities, local authorities, and other stakeholders, ensuring alignment with project objectives and promoting collaboration and coordination.
• Provide training and support to staff members in understanding and adhering to the established SOPs, promoting consistency and quality in CSO engagement across the organisation.
• Provide capacity-building to project staff in supporting subgrantees to meet their organisational requirements for grants.
• In coordination with external service provider (Tatweer) in charge of capacity building to CSOs, review training package modules and capitalise on the work done at project individual level . Create a CESVI-TATWEER ‘training to CSOs’ package

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

– Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., international development, social sciences, or a related discipline)

– Proven experience (at least 5 years) working in civil society strengthening, organizational development, or related areas, preferably in conflict or post-conflict contexts.

– Strong understanding of civil society dynamics, community engagement, and the challenges faced by CSOs in fragile contexts.

– Proven experience in developing and implementing capacity-building initiatives for organizations, particularly in the context of CSO engagement and partnership development.

– Strong knowledge of SOP development and implementation, with the ability to translate complex processes into clear and user-friendly guidelines.

– Experience in training and facilitating workshops on organisational capacity building and SOPs as well as on project grant implementation.

– Understanding of monitoring and evaluation principles and their application in tracking the effectiveness and impact of CSO engagement strategies

– Familiarity with relevant industry standards, guidelines, and frameworks related to CSO engagement and organisational capacity building.

– Demonstrated experience in managing subgrant programs, including the ability to design subgrant guidelines and monitor their implementation.

– Previous involvement in coordinating or leading working groups, task forces, or committees within the sector.

– Flexibility and adaptability to work in a dynamic and challenging environment, including the ability to manage competing demands or change approaches to best fit a situation.

– Flexible and able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.

– Demonstrated ability to work in diverse cultural contexts with sensitivity to, and respect for, cultural norms, promoting inclusivity and collaboration.

– Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders.

– Demonstrated experience in remote management and training.

– Self-motivated, able to take initiative, resilient and able to work independently.

– Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to think strategically and contribute to program design and development.

– High level of IT skills (Office package)

– Fluency in English (written and spoken)

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

– Familiarity with Libya’s political, social, and cultural context and an understanding of the challenges and opportunities for civil society engagement in the country

– Able to mentor and provide in person and remote technical support to programme staff

– Proficiency in Arabic is highly desirable.

1. GROSS SALARY RANGE € 2.800 – € 3.300 PER MONTH
2. € 550 MONTHLY HOUSE ALLOWANCE
3. FULL HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE
4. ONE ROUND-TRIP FLIGHT EVERY 12 MONTHS OF COLLABORATION

SAFEGUARDING

CESVI has a zero-tolerance approach to any harm to, or exploitation of, a child or a vulnerable adult by any of our staff, related persons or partners. CESVI’s commitment to being a safe organization begins with the staff recruitment process which includes meticulous checks, such as criminal records checks or check disclosure of previous convictions, to ensure children and vulnerable people are safeguarded and abuse is prevented. Safeguarding checks are part of the selection process performance.

HEALTH SAFEGUARDING CESVI pays particular attention to safeguarding the health of all the human resources of the Organisation. Therefore, in order to protect its staff, an assessment of their suitability for the position in each mission is carried out before departure.

Please note: due to the high number of applications we receive, we cannot provide feedback if unsuccessful at the applicant stage. Only short-listed candidates will be updated on the status of their applications.