Project coordinator

1. Background

Forus is a global network empowering civil society for effective social change. It brings together 66 National NGO Platforms and 7 Regional Coalitions from Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Pacific.

In the framework of its 2021-2025 strategy, Forus is strengthening its activities on the Financing for Development agenda. As part of this workstream, Forus currently develops advocacy activities aiming at fostering the engagement of civil society with Public Development Banks (PDBs), in order to strengthen the CSO/PDB dialogue and promote more people-centred and rights-based approaches in financing for sustainable development and ecosystem protection.

Public Development Banks (PDBs) globally have built a coalition called “Finance in Common” (FIC) and opened a dialogue with civil society. Forus has engaged in the first two Finance in Common Summits (FICS), seeking to coordinate joint CSO messages, in collaboration with the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and other CSOs gathered in a global “CSO coordination group”. The project aims to increase civil society engagement in the FIC processes in order to strengthen CSO/PDB dialogue and promote rights-based development financing and more inclusive processes that better address the needs of the ultimate beneficiaries of projects funded by development banks.

In the framework of this project, Forus seeks a Project coordinator. The Project coordinator will report to the Forus Advocacy Coordinator. As a member-led network, Forus is also committed to working closely with its members in all activities.

2. Responsibilities

Main responsibilities and tasks

Contribute to advocacy leadership, lead stakeholder coordination and engage in key influencing spaces.

● Maintain knowledge of the latest developments in development financing, PDB activities as linked to the project, and identify opportunities for Forus to create positive change.

● Scope, plan, and implement strategies for achieving that impact, in close collaboration with Forus members and partners.

● Support/Lead (as appropriate) the facilitation of the CSO coordination group: online meetings, intelligence gathering, identification/development of common strategies and plans, drafting of documents, liaison with PDBs and other stakeholders, preparation of the FICS, awareness raising of other civil society actors, etc.

● Support the engagement of Forus in the FICS Executive Committee (facilitating the organization of the annual PDB summits).

● Facilitating the engagement of CSO representatives in FICS events and dialogue spaces & the organisation of parallel events to the FICS by the CSO coordination group.

● Consider the impacts of policies and investments of PDBs, including as they pertain to Human Rights and as to their impacts on local communities, and explore environmental and social justice questions and implications.

● Supporting exchanges between CSO representatives & PDB directors and representatives on human rights and rights-based approach issues and possibly on some thematic priorities to be defined.

● Produce policy insights and recommendations based on research, analysis as well as data gathered from members and partners. Craft messages strategically and collaboratively to maximize desired outcomes and expand impact.

● Support campaigning, the creation of innovative communication material (articles, podcasts, videos and other external communications…) & engagement with media.

● Excel in relationship-building and stakeholder management, strategy development, and policy and advocacy.

● Represent Forus in key spaces related to the project theme and by communicating insights to target stakeholder audiences.

● Serve as a recognized subject-matter expert on development finance both within Forus and to key stakeholder audiences.

Facilitating CSO capacity strengthening, network-level activities, and peer-sharing.

● Organize and facilitate webinars and peer-sharing workshops on diverse topics: financing for development, role of PDBs, advocacy and campaigning, human rights-based approach, climate & ecosystem protection, best practices on capacity-development for advocacy towards PDBs, etc.

● Coordinate with 5 partners (Forus members) implementing local project-related activities in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Supporting a coordinated monitoring of local activities of PDBs and CSO-PDB relations. Creating and facilitating a capacity-development module on monitoring & evaluation.

● Supporting the facilitation of the Forus ‘Financing for Development’ working group. This is an internal Forus working group (constituted of Forus members) that was created in 2020.

● Liaise with experts and consultants working on the project (mapping exercises, research on lessons learnt…) and support the selection/recruitment processes.

Project coordination

● Manage and implement the project in collaboration with staff, members and partners. Reporting to Forus Advocacy Coordinator.

● Ensure effective and timely implementation of project deliverables according to funder requirements, grant agreements, and project scopes of work and support funder communication, including required reporting.

● Ensure regular coordination with FIDH (project co-applicant) as well as other project partners.

● Supporting the dialogue with the main donor (French development bank) and other institutional donors/stakeholders in collaboration with Forus Director and the Finance & Administration manager.

Other responsibilities

● Support fundraising efforts by engaging with funders, identifying opportunities, drafting proposals, and cultivating funder relationships.

● Actively engage and contribute to the smooth functioning of internal processes and activities, and to team and network-wide discussions and engagement processes.

3. Required qualifications and skills

Education/Training & Minimum Professional Experience required:

● Relevant academic degree or evidence of continued professional development relevant to the position

● At least 5 years of working experience in an international setting, in an advocacy function.

Skills and knowledge:

● Recognized expertise and track record of successful advocacy work in development finance or sustainable development in national and international settings.

● Specialized knowledge in the area of development financing as well as the processes related to FFD, Agenda 2030 and the Paris Agreement, and of the landscape of multilateral and public finance actors and their work at national and international levels.

● A strong network of relationships and partnerships with governments, donors, civil society, and other stakeholders engaged in development finance, sustainable development and human rights.

● Commitment to Forus’ mission, vision and values with solid understanding of global development issues, and understanding of the socio-cultural, historical, political and economic global context.

● Demonstrated experience and skills of working with diverse stakeholders, and facilitating platforms of cooperation, networking, building partnerships and broad alliances across a large spectrum of topics, cultures and tactics.

● Great ease in communicating in a formal way with high-level stakeholders at national and international level.

● Experience planning and organizing events.

● Excellent proficiency in English & French in speaking and writing required. Working knowledge of Spanish is an additional asset.

Personal qualities/interpersonal skills:

● Thrives in cooperative work environments in which the collaborative pursuit of shared objectives is the priority.

● Prioritizes and manages multiple projects simultaneously and follows through on issues in a timely manner with excellent attention for detail.

● Proactively seeks and provides feedback, strong emotional intelligence.

● Creative thinker with a “can-do”, outward-looking and problem-solving attitude, willing to guide others with confidence and take risks when appropriate.

● Highly organized independent worker, including in remote work settings with a decentralized team.

● Clear and sharp communicator able to bring across often complex and conceptual ideas in a down-to-reality and simple manner. Structured and engaging public speaker. Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with highly diverse stakeholders and excellent cross-cultural sensitivity and ability to work effectively taking into account different socio-cultural contexts and global timezones.

● Ability to work under pressure and towards tight deadlines maintaining effective performance in high pressure environments.

4. Conditions

Starting date: as soon as possible

Contract type: Part-time (60-% minimum) – 1-year fixed-term contract (under French law) or consultant contract.

Location: flexible, the Project Coordinator can be located in Forus’ offices in Paris or work remotely. International travelling is to be foreseen from time to time.

Salary/compensation: dependent on experience.