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The Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria is hiring a program officer for Civil Society and Youth

admin September 14, 2023

4 minutes read

DEADLINE: 03 October 2023

The Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria is hiring a program officer for Civil Society and Youth

The Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria is looking to hire a program officer to the Embassy´s development co-operation section. The development cooperation section consists of a regional hub for democracy and human rights and a regional Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) team for Africa.

The Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria is responsible for representing and promoting Swedish interests in South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, and Botswana. The Embassy also has a mandate for regional development cooperation. The overall tasks of the Embassy include supporting business and trade, development cooperation as well as consular services, and has approximately 30 employees.

The Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria is looking to hire a program officer to the Embassy’s development cooperation section. The development cooperation section consists of a regional hub for democracy and human rights and a regional Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) team for Africa.

The strategy for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Africa 2022–2026 is focused on two main areas:

Human rights, democracy, the rule of law, and gender equality
Health equity.

The development cooperation section is both thematic and regional in its outlook and set-up. We work closely with partners and other Embassies in Africa as well as with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden.

The Embassy is inviting suitable qualified candidates to apply for the position of Program Officer with focus on Civil Society and Youth. We are looking for a person that has good ability to collaborate and build trustful relationships with colleagues and external partners. You should also be able to lead yourself by self-sustaining, taking initiatives and pushing issues forward. To succeed in your role, you should have the ability to communicate effectively, be flexible, solution-oriented and capable of handling the unpredictable. The position will also require travel.

The position involves contributing to the Regional SRHR strategy with the following main tasks:

Conduct an active policy dialogue at sector and contribution level and, if necessary, lead groups of actors to mobilize commitment/capital and drive universal standards and Sweden´s values
Give advice and support to team members and other employees in the SRHR perspective in development cooperation and contribute to learning internally and externally
Contribute to portfolio analysis, operational planning, implementation, follow-up, and reporting within the Regional SRHR strategy
Contribution management with special thematic focus on civil society and youth
Active participation in Sida´s thematic networks

To succeed in this role, we would like you to have:

Very good experience in development cooperation
Solid knowledge of SRHR
Very good knowledge of English in speech and writing
Good administrative ability
Experience in driving policy dialogue

Qualifications:

Master degree in relevant field
Minimum five (5) years of professional experience with Embassy or international organisation
Minimum three (3) years of working with SRHR

Merits:

Experience working in the region
Knowledge of additional languages (such as Swedish, French, Portuguese)
Knowledge of the link between SRHR and Environment and Climate Change

Personal qualifications:

Ability and willingness to internalise innovative ways of working, while fulfilling the role as a Swedish civil servant and respecting ethical and professional considerations
Ability to reach and report on agreed results and to seek the support needed to accomplish tasks
Ability to lead and positively influence the Embassy colleagues in applying new knowledge
Ability and willingness to share information, competence, and knowledge with others
Ability to deliver and prioritize during stressful situation.

Applicants who are not South African citizens must hold a valid transferable residence and work permit or have Permanent Residency status in South Africa

Applicants must have a clean criminal record. Security clearance from relevant Swedish authorities will have to be obtained based on a South African police clearance

The successful candidate will embrace the Embassy core values of equality, tolerance, and openness, and enjoy the idea of representing Sweden and Swedish interests.

The position is a full-time employment with a probationary period of 6 months.

How to apply

Application: An application including a motivational letter of one page and a CV should be sent to the Embassy at [email protected], with the subject title “Vacancy: Program Officer Civil Society and Youth”. Deadline for applications is 3rd of October 2023. Starting date is as soon as possible.

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants who do not hold a valid transferable residence and work permit or have Permanent Residency status in South Africa are kindly asked not to apply.

Contact: For more information you may contact development Analyst ([email protected]) or Head of Development Cooperation Section, ([email protected]).