JOB DESCRIPTION FOR SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER (Bilingual FR-ENG)

Organisational background

BudgIT is a civic organization that applies technology to intersect citizen engagement with institutional improvement to facilitate societal change. A pioneer in the field of social advocacy melded with technology, BudgIT uses an array of tech tools to simplify government budgets and matters of public spending for citizens, with the primary aim of raising the standard of transparency and accountability in government. In doing this, we partner with civil society, public institutions, and the media, chiefly in the areas of fiscal analysis, civic technology, and data representation.

Job purpose

BudgIT Senegal is seeking a Bilingual (English-French) Senior Program Officer. The Senior Program Officer will lead and manage the implementation of BudgIT Senegal’s projects, primarily focusing on fiscal analysis and civic engagements. They will also be responsible for developing strategic partnerships and relationships with stakeholders in Senegal. The ideal candidate will have strong project management and communication skills.  The person will be responsible for leading the implementation of the organization’s projects in Senegal. We are looking for a candidate with experience managing complex projects, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and a passion for making a positive difference in Senegal. Join our team and help make a difference!

Scope of work

The Senior Program Officer is a national-level position based in Dakar that requires frequent project oversight visits to BudgIT’s project counties. He/She will be key in ensuring timely, responsive, and high-quality integrated technical program delivery at the county level and in writing and refining written program deliverables, such as work plans and progress reports. As a member of the management team, the selected candidate will work collaboratively with the country team, project partners, government, and international teams to ensure timely work planning and program reporting and contribute to high-quality program output across all results.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage program and project planning, implementation, and assessment. This includes developing project timelines, establishing goals, and ensuring activities stay on track.
• Seek and secure funding opportunities through grant applications and proposal writing.
• Develop and maintain relationships with community stakeholders, partners, and beneficiaries. 
• Effectively articulate the organization’s mission, goals, and program impact to internal and external stakeholders. This could entail creating promotional materials, making presentations, and engaging in public speaking engagements.
• Support in the implementation of donor-funded programs in Senegal. 
• Enhancing BudgIT’s visibility as a transparency and accountability organization in Senegal.
• Institutional Engagement with the Government: Seek collaboration and offer direct support to government institutions.
• Building a coalition of civil society organizations and media partnerships for advocacy to demand budget transparency.
• Participating in donor and other critical partnership meetings and complying with all donor procedures and policies.
• Communicate frequently with the management and team members to ensure the success of BudgIT activities.  
• Advice on programmatic design of new projects, including identification of potential local partners and beneficiaries, monitoring implementation to ensure timely completion and adherence to budget, and administrative and programmatic closeout throughout the portfolio of activities.
• Work alongside stakeholders and civil society actors to ensure coherent and strategic programming as part of a unified project endeavor.
• Participates in top-level strategic planning sessions, while working with country team members and management to develop annual budgets. 
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect.
• Deliver on any other tasks requested by the Country Lead

Qualifications and experience:

Education: At least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with five (5) experience or a master’s degree in the field of governance, economics, social sciences, or project management is desirable. Key competencies required to succeed in this position:  

• Fluency in English and French communication 
• Proven ability to manage program and project planning, implementation, and assessment. This includes developing project timelines, establishing goals, and ensuring activities stay on track.
• Demonstrated experience in seeking and securing funding opportunities through effective grant applications and proposal writing.
• Strong ability to develop and maintain relationships with community stakeholders, partners, and beneficiaries.
• Exceptional communication skills (French and English) to effectively articulate the organization’s mission, goals, and program impact to both internal and external stakeholders. This includes creating promotional materials, making presentations, and engaging in public speaking engagements.
• Hands-on experience in supporting the implementation of donor-funded programs ensures successful outcomes.
• Proven track record in enhancing an organization’s visibility, specifically as a transparency and accountability advocate.
• Ability to advise on the programmatic design of new projects, identify potential local partners and beneficiaries, monitor implementation, and ensure timely completion and adherence to budget.
• Must be a citizen of Senegal. Female applicants are highly encouraged to apply. 

Application closing date:  March 19, 2024

To apply, email your letter of interest, current CV, and a sample of work to  hr@budgit.org and cc [email protected]  with the subject: “Senior Program Officer (insert your name).” Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview. No phone inquiries. BudgIT will contact shortlisted candidates. 

To learn more about BudgIT Senegal, please visit our website: 

EN https://senegal.budgit.org/ -FR https://fr.senegal.budgit.org/ 

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BudgIT is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its recruitment and employment based on race, color, religion, or sex.