JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Local Governance and Capacity Building Officer

Oxfam GB’s Azerbaijan programme has recently been awarded funding by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and has a number of vacancies that we are looking to fill in our Barda office.

This project will focus on employment and income generation of the rural poor through development of vegetables and crops production, as well as processing and the establishment of marketing value chains in the Barda, Tartar and Agdam districts of Azerbaijan.  This project will be applying the Making Markets Work for the Poor approach with a view to fostering pro-poor growth within the sub-sectors of vegetable and crops.

The main scope of this project will be to facilitate and catalyze incentives, capacity development and improved interaction between private sector, government players and associations.  In delivering this project Oxfam GB will be working closely with Unilever to link farmers to Unilever’s global supply chains through the Knorr brand in Azerbaijan.  Oxfam GB is really excited by this opportunity and look forward to applications from suitably qualified, experience and highly motivated individuals.

Key activities:
• Provide guidance and interaction between farmer small holders and local municipalities, institutional capacity of producer groups
• Providing institutional capacity building for producer organisations and partners, promotion of participatory decision making processes in the communities, mobilise women, build capacities around governance and sensitize men and local leaders on gender issues thereby paving the way for women’s participation in local government.
• Assess and improve the capacity of local governments to effectively engage with community-based organizations and private sector players;
• Establish networks, working groups and centers of excellence to address problems or share best practices in the governance domain
• To act as a link between Oxfam, civil society partner organisations and the communities in which we work to ensure that marginalised people are involved in the decision-making processes that affect their lives
• To work closely with the Gender Officer to ensure that all governance projects and activities are gender mainstreamed in accordance with Oxfam GB Azerbaijan's strategy and policies

Key competencies:
• Five years of experience in development work with NGOs and proven effective programme experience in the area of civil society strengthening, advocacy and good governance.
• Demonstrated ability to engage in advocacy / lobbying activities to affect change at local levels;
• Experience in capacity building and designing / facilitating capacity development;
• Experience of liaising with a variety of sectors, including government, NGOs (national and international) and civil society groups
• Excellent written and spoken English/ Azeri and demonstrated ability to prepare documents and presentations that exhibit strong analytical ability.
• Commitment to equal opportunity, gender equity and the principles of diversity

Applicants are required to complete an attached Oxfam job application form ( Application Form.doc ) and send by e-mail to gismailova@oxfam.org.uk specifying "Oxfam-SDC project Job Vacancy" in the subject line by 17:00 on the 3rd August 2010. Only those applicants selected for interview will be contacted.  All successful applicants will need to be available for interview week commencing the 9th August 2010 Baku.

Oxfam strives to be an equal opportunity employer and therefore encourages applications from women and the disabled.