Switzerland: Project Assistant 100% - Sub-Saharan Africa Division

The Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) is dedicated to improving the security of states and their people within a framework of democratic governance, the rule of law, and respect for human rights. DCAF contributes 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 comprises 63 member states, the Canton of Geneva and six permanent observers. 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 please visit www.dcaf.ch

For our Sub-Saharan Africa Division, we are seeking a dynamic, organised and creative individual to be our next:

Project Assistant– (100%)

Location: Geneva

Starting date:End of February 2019 or mutually agreed date

Duration: 2 years

The role

The PA provides support in the implementation of the division’s projects and programs. He/she assists in project management and logistics, and provides ad-hoc support to administrative and financial tasks. The PA contributes to drafting project and corporate documents for internal and external audiences, contributes to the substantive design of project activities, conducts background research, supports data collection for monitoring and evaluation, and engages in general problem-solving to ensure the smooth running of operations. This is a role that is expected to progressively take on greater responsibility, including supporting the organization, facilitation and reporting on activities with partners in the field.

Project and program implementation:

• Support the preparation and organization of project activities such as workshops, expert missions and other events, logistically as well as substantively;
• Contribute to drafting documents for internal and external audiences such as concept notes, project proposals, terms of reference, budgets, contracts, summaries, reports, planning documents, etc.;
• Liaise with project-partners and consultants as requested;
• Actively participate in M&E, including support to data collection, internal or independent evaluations, course correction or iteration, including through updating project-pages on the IATI platform;
• Contribute to the measurement and articulation of project results through the DCAF Results-Based Management (RBM) system;
• Monitor the media and provide a synthesis of the most relevant articles for the assigned countries on a weekly basis.

Research:

• Conduct research in support of the division’s activities;
• Review and edit of a variety of internal and external research products;
• Assist in the coordination of external researchers;
• Any other assigned research tasks.

Administrative tasks:

· Administrate the division’s SharePoint site with the support of DCAF’s SharePoint expert;

· Ensure documents and resources are stored and organized appropriately in the division’s shared drive and SharePoint site;

· Liaise with service providers such as translators, graphic designers and printers;

· Assist in preparing background information and DCAF documents/publications, including presentations, posters, flyers, other promotional material in English and French;

· Update DCAF hard copy and online materials;

· Any other assigned administrative tasks.

YOUR EXPERIENCE

· Master’s degree;

· Bilingual French-English;

· 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.

If you think you are a good match for DCAF and the position advertised, please send your application to africa.programme@dcaf.ch by 24^th January 2019 with the subject heading Recruitment PA Geneva enclosing:

• a one-page motivational statement in English describing your relevant experience and what you can bring to DCAF;

• a concise CV (maximum two pages).

Due to a large amount of applications, please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

DCAF is committed to equality of opportunity and encourages applications from all qualified candidates regardless of sex, age, disability, gender identity, religion, or ethnicity.