Under the direct supervision of Project Manager, in close cooperation with the Policy Officer and Community Support Officer, the incumbent will be responsible for promoting civic engagement activities and grant scheme among civil society organizations (CSOs) and citizens. This includes facilitation of community forums to foster dialogue and collaboration, and the promotion of citizen participation in civic spaces. Mentoring will also be provided to CSOs during public calls, helping them navigate the application process and improve their project proposals. Moreover, the Community Support Associates will take an active role in the evaluation commission for public calls for CSOs, where they will assess proposals and ensure that donor interests are represented and addressed. Through these efforts, the relationship between CSOs and local communities will be strengthened, enhancing the overall impact of civic engagement initiatives.

The incumbent will be based in UNDP BiH office in Sarajevo.

Summary of key functions:

• Support the implementation of the field activities in partner local governments
• Support the management of day-to day cooperation with partner local governments in greater civic participation
• Fostering cooperation between civil society organizations and local governments
• Mainstreaming gender equality and ensuring knowledge management

• Support the implementation of the field activities in partner local governments
  • Assist in the selection of partner LGs in accordance with the criteria and selection process approved by the Board of Partners;
  • Assist in preparing all relevant documentation to be signed between UNDP and LG, such as Memorandum of Understanding, Letters of Cooperation, etc;
  • Directly support partner LGs to understand and achieve project objectives and effectively participate in the project implementation;
  • Prepare necessary documents to be signed between the UNDP and CSOs (Letters to CSOs, Law Value Grant Agreements for CSOs);
  • Participate in bilateral meetings with representatives of selected local governments and, where possible, CSOs to familiarize them with the project approach and the benefits of financing CSOs in a transparent manner;
  • Ensure that LG representatives and CSOs are aware of the benefits of the project training and ready to participate;
  • Participate in the Evaluation Commission for public call for CSOs to assess project proposals and ensure that donor interests are represented and addressed.
• Support the management of day-to day cooperation with partner local governments in greater civic participation
  • Assist in the comprehensive mapping of the existing civic organizations to identify experienced and renowned CSO that support civic participation in partner communities enhancing the overall impact of civic engagement initiatives;
  • Facilitate the establishment of community forums to foster dialogue and collaboration actively promoting citizen participation in civic spaces;
  • Assist in strengthening local networks to foster partnerships and collaboration between local governments, civil society organizations and community groups;
  • Rising awareness of citizens about their rights and responsibilities;
  • S/he will serve as liaison among LGs, CSO project and community groups;
  • Assist in fostering trust and inclusivity by organizing different meetings and forums to gather feedback from diverse community members to address barriers and include marginalized groups;
  • Ensure that information about local decision-making processes is comprehensive and widely accessible;
  • Ensure active participation of local governments in capacity-building workshops designed to enhance their skills in advocacy and public speaking;
  • Ensure networking by connecting less experienced local governments with seasoned mentors;
  • Assist LG to involve citizens is co-designing and implementing small scale project like park clean-ups, cultural events, or urban gathering;
  • Assist the local governments to encourage citizens to participate in decision making process on local level.
• Fostering cooperation between civil society organizations and local governments
  • Assist in comprehensive mapping of existing forums in partner local government making sure to have a strategic approach that build trust, promote mutual understanding, and encourages collaborative action;
  • Organize forums as a tool to share ideas, challenges and progress made. Use tools like websites, and newsletters to keep each other informed, making sure that both partners have nominated designated contact persons for communication;
  • Involve CSO in local government budgetary planning and policy making, ensuring that CSO provide input on policies and funding priorities;
  • Ensure that citizens and civil society organizations (CSOs) have access to clear and transparent information about the funds allocated by local governments to CSOs;
  • Facilitate workshops to share best practices that enhance collaborative efforts and emphasize the importance of partnership among LG and CSOs;
  • Ensure that successful partnerships among CSOs and LG are recognized through awards, public acknowledgments, or media coverage;
  • Establish mixed committees at the local level, comprising representatives from both civil society organizations (CSOs) and local governments (LGs), to monitor and evaluate the progress of their cooperation;
  • Ensure that inputs from both local governments (LGs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) are systematically gathered and documented to refine practices and enhance partnerships with the community.
• Mainstreaming gender equality and ensuring knowledge management
  • Supports the Project Manager, Policy Officer, Community Support Officer and CSOs in mainstreaming gender equality in the project implementation;
  • Ensures gender is effectively mainstreamed throughout the projects’ activities, work plans, budgets, reports, research, analyses, and, where specifically relevant, analyzed in detail;
  • Ensures that all the data, when collecting and compiling inputs relating to programme are gender disaggregated;
  • Ensure knowledge on gender equality is incorporated in project knowledge products.

Institutional Arrangement

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

• Effective Decision Making:    
  • Take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential wider implications.
• Knowledge Generation:
  • Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
  • Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches.
  • Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.
• Knowledge Facilitation:
  • Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas.
  • Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.
• Communication:
  • Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
  • Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.
• Digital Awareness and Literacy:
  • Ability to monitor new and emerging technologies, as well as understand their usage, potential, limitations, impact, and added value.
  • Ability to rapidly and readily adopt and use new technologies in professional activities, and to empower others to use them as needed.
  • Knowledge of the usage of digital technologies and emerging trends.
• CSO engagement: 
  • Knowledge and understanding of CSOs and the ability to engage with CSOs.
• Relationship management:  
  • Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements