Tactical Initiatives Program Manager – Africa

Position description

Thousand Currents is excited to hire a Tactical Initiative Program Manager for the Africa program. This position contributes to Thousand Currents’ programmatic efforts in Africa by focusing on partnership development and grantmaking support for our tactical initiative. By nurturing strong relationships based on respect and integrity with movement partners, the Tactical Initiative Program Manager works to advance the Africa regional strategy, and must be based in Africa.

Working in complement to our Thematic Initiative which focuses on longer term funding for movement organizing, the Tactical Initiative supports shorter-term work that is strengthening climate justice, food sovereignty and economic justice movement infrastructure through 1-to-3-year grants. The four tactics that are funded in this Initiative are: popular education, strategic litigation, cultural production (including narrative setting work) and campaigns.

Reporting to the Regional Director, Africa, the Tactical Program Manager will be responsible for working with the Grants Manager to conduct the Tactical Initiative grantmaking in the region and managing knowledge collection and research on how the four tactics are moving forward and supporting food sovereignty, economic justice, and climate justice in the region. With the supervision of the Regional Director, Africa, the Tactical Initiative Program Manager also collaborates closely with colleagues in the Philanthropic Partnerships and Influence and Global Operations teams to strengthen and support Thousand Currents on the three thematic areas and contribute to content development on the work of tactical partners in the region. The Program Manager brings to this role a strong commitment to human rights and social justice and up-to-date knowledge of the regional political, social, economic and cultural contexts that inform and shape the work in Thousand Currents’ thematic areas.

Essential Functions:

1. Partnership development and grant-making: 60%

Working closely with the Regional Director, Africa, the Tactical Initiative Program Manager will be responsible for managing knowledge collection and research on strategic litigation, popular education, cultural production and campaigns on and for food sovereignty, economic justice, and climate justice work in the region and working with the Grants Operations team to conduct the Tactical Initiative grantmaking in the region. This includes but is not limited to:

● Research and identify potential Tactical Initiative partners and make grantmaking recommendations to the Regional Director, Africa

● Conduct thorough review of open calls for group profiles and identify opportunities for improvement so as to reach and engage with most aligned groups

● Contribute to planning, and when appropriate attending in-person program meetings to meet potential and existing thematic and tactical partners in Africa;

● Contribute to Thousand Currents communications efforts by writing, editing, and contributing to our digital media platforms, including our website, email campaigns, and social media;

● Manage a portfolio of Tactical Initiative partners, including communicating with partners about their work, scheduling calls between the partner and the regional team, collecting necessary information for grant-making, managing the translation of partner documents, tracking all documentation, and implementing partnership exit processes;

● Write up Tactical Initiative partnership recommendation forms for potential partners and update partner information sheets for all current Tactical Initiative partners in the Africa program;

● Work with the Technology and Grant Operations teams to manage partner information across all internal databases;

● In collaboration with the Grants Operations team, manage grantmaking timelines and processes;

● Analyze and write programmatic reports with particular attention to the Africa’s programmatic strategy

2. Contribute to learning and evaluation and alliance building: 30%

● Manage review and learning processes between Thousand Currents and its Africa Tactical Initiative partners;

● Conduct periodic assessments of program processes, including but not limited to: partner selection criteria and indicators, learning and evaluation procedures, and in-person program meeting protocols;

● In collaboration with the Learning Initiatives team carry out learning and evaluation procedures;

● Contribute to partner information to donor reports as necessary;

● Identify and assess opportunities to build strategic alliances with allies in Africa;

● Continue to stay abreast of news, processes, policy and trends across the three thematic areas and relevant key issues in the region, and where necessary in international spaces as well;

● In partnership with pertinent staff, coordinate engagements between Thousand Currents staff and Tactical Initiative partners and also manage and coordinate partner travel to Thousand Currents events;

● Provide research on regional trends and opportunities in Thousand Currents’ thematic areas in response to requests;

● Support Thousand Currents’ fundraising efforts by providing content and input for donor communications and funding proposals and reports;

● Work with Communications staff to articulate Thousand Currents’ partnership model and to support the narratives shift work of the organization

3. Participate in organization-wide learning, cross-program partnership and administrative efficiency: 10%

Along with all other staff, this position contributes to Thousand Currents’ culture of teamwork and continuous learning and does what it takes to ensure that Thousand Currents staff collaborate and support each other within and across programs and excel in an environment where every member takes care of their own basic administrative needs. This includes but is not limited to:

o Showing up fully for learning and planning activities, including staff meetings, retreats, trainings, planning and strategy sessions;

o Pitching in when needed for organization-wide activities, such as the Thousand Currents Academy, annual events, fundraising drives, partner visits etc.;

o Supervising and project management of relevant volunteers and interns, and ensuring that they have a positive learning experience at Thousand Currents; and

o Managing your own regular administration, including timely submission of receipts, reimbursement requests, scheduling, travel planning, filing HR paperwork etc.

Note: Thousand Currents is committed to responding flexibly to changing circumstances and priorities which means that the expectations of every position are dynamic. This description reflects the assignment of essential functions, but does not proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

Key skills and experience:

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

– Demonstrated commitment to gender, racial, economic, environmental, and social justice;

– Strong communication and writing skills, including an ability to hold nuance and navigate community, organizational, and movement dynamics;

– Ability to travel internationally;

– Impeccable people skills and ability to build and maintain relationships;

– Creative, open to experimentation, and able to adapt to changing circumstances;

– Experience and clarity working around issues of power, privilege, class and wealth;

– Cultural competence;

– Strategic thinker and rigorous executer with strong attention to detail;

– Strong oral and written presentation skills;

– Strong judgment and discretion in dealing with sensitive information;

– Excellent organizational skills;

– Computer skills – MAC environment, MS office; comfortable and confident working independently and remotely as well as part of a team in a collaborative environment;

– Proficiency in written and spoken English is required and proficiency in additional

language(s), in particular French and/or Arabic, is an asset

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Experience with and deep knowledge of movement organizing, food sovereignty, climate justice and economic justice issues in the Africa region including:

– At least 5 years of experience in working with movements and movement support organizations in Africa;

– Have worked in and/or have deep knowledge in our thematic areas: food sovereignty, climate justice and economic justice;

– Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience;

– Demonstrated organizational development experience;

– Proven experience of supervising staff and volunteers

 

Application instructions

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