Job Purpose
Core Functions:
Represent ISF in the country of operation:
Programme management:
Partnership management:
Institutional fund raising:
Reporting to: Programme Director
Key relationships: ISF country teams, Programme Team, implementing partners, donors, local authorities
International Solidarity Foundation
The International Solidarity Foundation (ISF) is a Finnish development NGO established in 1970. ISF aims at creating a world where women and girls are empowered to build their own future, their self-determination is fully realised, and their right to bodily integrity is respected. Its vision is to “be a pathfinder in empowering women and girls in East Africa by 2030”.
The goal of ISF’s 2022 – 2025 programme is to strengthen the bodily integrity and livelihood resilience of women and girls in Kenya, Somaliland, Puntland, and Ethiopia. It has five expected outcomes
The programme consists of long-term development projects that are implemented by local partners. Partners are local civil society actors such as NGOs, community-based organizations, and women’s own businesses. Partners have the primary responsibility to plan, implement, and monitor the projects. ISF works closely with partners to find solutions to local problems in a systemic way. It strengthens their capacity to learn and innovate and supports them to mainstream gender equality and women’s empowerment in their work. ISF monitors projects closely to ensure that funds are used for their intended purpose and necessary adjustments made.
ISF’s operating model is designed to strengthen local civil societies by empowering women and their organizations, capacitating judicial and moral duty bearers, and strengthening local CSOs. Learning and innovation are at the heart of the model.
ISF’s annual budget in 2023 will be some 4 million euros. Its main donor is the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Finland. Other current key donors include the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women and Girls (Somaliland) and the EU (Kenya), as well as thousands of Finnish private individuals. Country offices are closely involved in institutional fundraising.
ISF headquarters is in Helsinki, Finland, where in addition to the programme team, the communications and fundraising teams operate. ISF has country offices in each programme country.
Ethiopia is a new programme country for ISF. The Somali region was selected as ISF’s target area. Initially, ISF wanted to start operations in 2022 but the plans were delayed because of the armed conflict and delays with the registration process. Finally in October 2022, ISF received a formal approval to start operations in the country. It is now preparing for the recruitment of a local team. The team will be led by a locally recruited Country Director and include a Finance and Admin Coordinator (both based in Addis Ababa) and two thematic coordinators based in the Somali region.
ISF will publish a call for local partners in early 2023 to implement projects in the Somali region. The preliminary country programme includes four projects, which will be planned with the newly selected partners during 2023. The projects will address the above-mentioned five programme outcomes with a particular focus on the prevention of FGM. The implementation of the projects will begin in 2024. The indicative country budget is 430,000 euros in 2023, gradually increasing to 800,000 euros by the end of the current programme period in 2025.
More information about the requirements of the job
ISF has no presence or experience of operating in Ethiopia, and therefore no office nor existing partners or projects in the country. The Country Director together with the Finance and Admin Coordinator will start operations from scratch, including recruitment of a local team and selecting local implementing partners in the Somali region, and taking care of all administrative arrangements for starting a country operation, such as finding offices, setting up banking and accounting systems, acquiring necessary equipment (laptops, telephones) etc., as well as taking care of all requirements with the local authorities. This requires a great capacity to take initiative and work independently with limited support from HQs, good problem-solving skills, and an ability to tolerate incompleteness. Previous experience from similar situations and good networks are an advantage
The Country Director, reporting to the Programme Director in Finland, has the main responsibility for starting operations in Ethiopia. She/he is responsible for ensuring that all national regulatory requirements are considered when starting operations. She/he will have key role in setting up field office, recruiting Thematic Coordinators and in the local partner selection process in Somali region. She/he will oversee project planning and implementation. ISF headquarters and other country offices will support the processes, including through visits to Ethiopia.
After the start of operations, the Country Director leads the design, development and implementation of the ISF programme in Ethiopia. In addition, she/he is responsible for relations with the authorities, local implementing partners, as well as current and potential donors. Previous experience of the main themes of the ISF programme, women’s right to bodily integrity and economic empowerment, will be an advantage at work.
Required Skills and Experience
Education
General
Personal qualities
Language requirements