Project Officer (Europe and Central Asia)

DCAF – Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance is dedicated to improving the security of states and their people within a framework of democratic governance, the rule of law, respect for human rights, and gender equality. Since its founding in 2000, DCAF has contributed to making peace and development more sustainable by assisting partner states, and international actors supporting these states, to improve the governance of their security sector through inclusive and participatory reforms. It creates innovative knowledge products, promotes norms and good practices, provides legal and policy advice and supports capacity‐building of both state and non‐state security sector stakeholders.

DCAF’s Foundation Council members represent over 50 countries and the Canton of Geneva. Active in over 70 countries, DCAF is internationally recognized as one of the world’s leading centres of excellence for security sector governance (SSG) and security sector reform (SSR). DCAF is guided by the principles of neutrality, impartiality, local ownership, inclusive participation, and gender equality. For more information visit www.dcaf.ch and follow us on Twitter @DCAF_Geneva.

The Europe and Central Asia Division works with governments, parliaments, security providers and civil society organizations in Southeast Europe, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and Central Asia to help ensure the efficient, effective, responsible and accountable provision of security, and to strengthen democratic security sector governance. In recent years, we have placed particular focus on parliamentary and civil society oversight, cross-border police cooperation, police reform, border management, defence and intelligence reform issues, judicial control of the security sector, and cybersecurity.

For our Europe and Central Asia Division Unit we are looking for a for a dynamic and highly motivated individual to be our:

Project Officer (PO 100%)

• Location: Geneva, Switzerland with occasional travel
• Starting date: 1 May 2022
• Duration: Permanent

THE ROLE

Reporting: The Project Officer will be assigned to the DCAF Europe and Central Asia Division.**

Tasks and responsibilities: The Project Officer will be responsible for supporting and implementing security sector governance capacity building projects in Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia. Under the supervision of the program manager, the Project Officer is in charge of ensuring logistical, reporting and administrative tasks and carries out research on request.

Key areas of responsibility include:

• Support the development of DCAF’s programme related to security and justice sector reform in Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia, including support for conceptualizing, designing, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating small scale projects;
• Support to donors’ relations, including budget monitoring and programme and project reporting;
• Support fundraising activities, including the development of country strategy documents, planning sheets, concept notes, etc.;
• Draft project related documents such as contracts and agreements, progress reports, factsheets, project proposals, analytical evaluations, etc.;
• Help to identify project opportunities and develop project ideas and proposals;
• Contribute to the design, organization, management and implementation of activities with partners;
• Organize events and carry out administrative tasks;
• Contribute to the financial management of projects;
• Conduct research on issues relevant to security sector governance and reform in Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia;
• Provide any additional support across the ECA division and team as may be necessary and determined by line manager.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS

• University degree in a relevant field, such as law, international relations, conflict resolution, history, development, security, peace studies, or political science;
• Excellent proficiency in English, both written and spoken; knowledge of Ukrainian or Russian language is an asset;
• A minimum of 3 years work experience in security sector, public reform sector, or project management, ideally in the countries of transition;
• Prior experience in financial management of projects, editing complex texts and development of project proposals is an asset;
• Strong communication skills, flexibility, respect for discipline and experience of working as part of an international and multicultural team;
• Cultural sensitivity, ideally familiarity with Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia;
• Swiss or EU citizenship or a valid work permit for Switzerland at the time of application is a pre-requisite.

WE OFFER

• a rewarding, dynamic and challenging work experience
• the chance to be part of a multicultural team of supportive, hardworking and values-driven people
• the chance to contribute to improving security of states and their people within a framework of democratic governance, the rule of law, and respect for human rights