Program Associate, Manila, Philippines

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

TITLE: Program Associate

LOCATION: Manila, Philippines

REPORTS TO: Senior Program Officer

START DATE: May 2022

ABA ROLI is a non-profit organization that implements legal reform programs in roughly 50 countries around the world. ABA ROLI has nearly 500 professional staff working abroad and in its Washington, D.C. office. ABA ROLI’s host country partners include judges, lawyers, bar associations, law schools, court administrators, legislatures, ministries of justice and a wide array of civil society organizations, including human rights groups.

*For more than a decade, ABA ROLI has focused on improving court efficiency, increasing business sector confidence, combating corruption, and expanding access to justice in the Philippines. By continuously working with a broad coalition of local partners — trial and appellate courts, the Supreme Court, the Philippine Judicial Academy, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, universities, law schools, and a spectrum of civil society representatives — ABA ROLI is building local capacity to champion and uphold the rule of law. **

JOB SUMMARY

ABA ROLI is seeking a Program Associate to be based in Manila, Philippines to support an ongoing USAID-funded program increasing citizens’ awareness of rights and access to legal aid services, strengthening alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, and supporting the fair and efficient administration of justice. This role will support the Senior Program Manager and other senior staff in implementing program activities, including training for lawyers, judges, mediators, and law school professors, collaboration with partners such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, the Supreme Court and the Philippine Judicial Academy. He/she will provide support in spearheading initiatives related to communications and developing strategic relations and partnership opportunities with social media for branding and project visibility. The ideal candidate will have prior experience in implementing donor funded programs, an understanding of the Philippines’ justice sector, experience with legal or civil society organizations in the Philippines, and ideally, competence in information and communications technology.

Some travel within the Philippines may be required.

I. Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

The duties of this post include, but are not limited to, the following:

· Provide support to the Program Team in planning and implementing program activities according to work plans, including helping to organize capacity building activities, and implementation of training activities, conferences and workshops, both online and in person;

· Ensure all activities are implemented to a high standard and within budget;

· Ensure that all activities and operations are compliant with local laws and regulations;

· Contribute to and help to maintain ABA ROLI’s public-facing communications and outreach information systems;

· Contribute to the drafting of social media content for webinars, blogs, newsletters, and media coverage;

· Assist in the preparation of weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports;

· Closely coordinate and maintain strong relationships with partner institutions within the Philippine justice sector;

· Assist in providing technical support to partner institutions as necessary;

· Conduct all business in a manner that respects local culture, always maintaining high ethical standards and avoiding conflicts of interest;

· Abide by all local laws, ABA ROLI policies and USAID regulations, and ensure personal and program compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws; and,

· Perform other related duties as required.

II. Selection Criteria

Education, Skills & Experience:

· Law degree or bachelor’s degree in communications, public administration, public policy, development, management, political science, social science or other related fields;

· At least one year of relevant professional experience will be an advantage

· Excellent written and oral communication skills;

· Ability to review and monitor budgets;

· Excellent communication skills in Filipino and English are essential;

· Computer literacy essential in Microsoft Word, Excel, Desktop Publishing, etc.

· An understanding of access to justice and rule of law challenges in the Philippines will be an advantage;

· Experience engaging with the justice sector and/or civil society in the Philippines will be an advantage;

· Experience organizing trainings and events;

· Experience in the implementation of donor-funded programs preferred;

· Ability to build and maintain productive working relationships with government, civil society, and other key stakeholders.

Other Competencies

· Analytical and planning skills, the ability to set priorities, and an aptitude for achieving significant results;

· Strong organizational and administrative skills, including the ability to manage priorities, work under pressure and meet tight deadlines;

· The capacity to motivate, together with the ability characterized by a teamwork mindset to establish and maintain effective communication with colleagues;

· The ability to solve problems;

· Excellent organization and interpersonal skills.

Functional Competencies Required:

Results-Based Program Development and Management:

· Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work;

· Researches linkages across projects’ activities to identify critical points of integration; Monitors specific stages of program implementation;

· Has the ability to innovate, generate new ideas, and improve efficiencies;

· Has the ability to identify bottlenecks and propose effective solutions.

Ethical & Professional Behavior

· Demonstrates integrity by modelling ABA ROLI’s values and ethical standards;

· Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of ABA ROLI;

· Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;

· Application of the ‘Do No Harm’ principle;

· Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;

· Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;

· Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;

· Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view;

· Solicits feedback from staff about the impact of his/her own behavior.

Competitive salary and benefits package offered to successful candidates.

Interested applicants may submit their cover letter and CV to *[email protected]. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Due to the high volume of applications, you will only be contacted if you are short-listed.***