Program Officer Job at Freedom House

Position Summary

Freedom House is seeking a Program Officer for a Department of State funded project to support civil society in Kenya. The Program Officer will be responsible for conducting an ongoing assessment of civil society landscape and outreach to human rights defenders, journalists, and other governmental and non-governmental actors working on human rights and democracy promotion. This position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya and will report to the Project Director.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree; Master’s degree preferred - in human rights, political science, law or other social sciences;
• A minimum of 5 years of experience working with civil society in Kenya;
• Two years of technical experience in dealing with multiple stakeholders including the media, judiciary, CSOs, and youth activists in a developing country;
• Knowledge of governance and human rights issues in Kenya required;
• Strong interpersonal skills, demonstrated ability to create and maintain effective working relationships with local partners, government officials, media houses, as well as in-country and foreign experts;
• Demonstrated experience in developing activity work plans, budgets, implementing programmatic activities, and providing short-term technical assistance;
• Strong knowledge of human rights principles and mechanisms, and democracy promotion;
• Strong ability to communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing preferred;
• Ability to use productivity software such as MS Word, Outlook, PowerPoint; and Microsoft Excel.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day management of project activities
• Manage, track and report on all project expenses
• Assist with drafting detailed reports on program activities for USG funded projects
• Manage extensive correspondence with potential and actual program participants, service providers, FH headquarters, and other project contacts
• Plan and organize logistics for all training interventions
• Develop and maintain up-to-date files of program information and materials including but not limited to: information sheet handouts, brochures, communication templates, evaluation sheets, course plans etc.
• Provide weekly updates on project activities to team members, and bi-weekly updates to FH headquarters staff
• Ensure that all financial reports and expenditure sheets are completed, verified, and promptly forwarded to the finance department
• Conduct periodic assessment on the political situation, the operational space for civil society and the media and provide reports on significance developments;
• Conduct regular outreach to civil society in the Kenya to identify needs, opportunities for engagement and initiatives to be supported by Freedom House;
• Assist in the facilitation of trainings, workshops, roundtables and other capacity building events supported by Freedom House;
• Facilitate meetings with civil society representatives and other partners for visiting Freedom House staff;
• Monitor and evaluate processes, and write program reports to ensure completion of program objectives;
• Required to travel regularly to locations outside of Nairobi and occasionally to regional states and to the U.S.;
• Other related duties as assigned.

Work Environment And Physical Demands

Essential functions are typically performed in an office setting with a low level of noise. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Disclaimer: This job description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job. It is not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks and duties. The responsibilities, tasks, and duties of the jobholder may differ from those outlined in the job description and that other duties, as assigned, may be part of the job. Freedom House may add, change, or remove essential and other duties at any time.