SAIH SEEKS PROGRAM ADVISOR

We are looking for a colleague who has sound knowledge of Myanmar as a country, and ideally also South or Southeast Asia as a region. You will have reflections around decolonization of higher education and aid, and experience from work with civil society networks and organisations. You should have experience from managing projects with institutional donors and preferably also from political advocacy work. It is essential that you master English as a working language.

SAIH is among few Norwegian development organisations with a strong focus on higher education and academic freedom. We can offer exciting challenges and opportunities in an environment of socially engaged advocates and campaigners. Our partners are grassroots organisations, human rights networks and civil society organisations; as well as higher education institutions, teachers’- and students’ unions, intercultural universities and research actors who all operate in politically complicated and varied contexts.

SAIH has a decolonization perspective in all our work, and you must therefore feel at home in a partnership model that is based on reciprocity, dialogue, transfer of power and local ownership. We work closely with our partners to achieve common goals of academic freedom, and the right to equitable and inclusive higher education. We work especially to further education rights for ethnic, indigenous, and LGBTQIA+ people.

In SAIH, you will be part of a program department of nine people and report to the Head of Department. The position works closely with various smaller teams, and with the Department for Communications and Politics. The position demands a high degree of independence and initiative, and you are expected to be proactive and take responsibility in your own work. There are vast opportunities to further develop the role and take the lead in various projects and processes. SAIH's values of solidarity, inclusion and co-determination are the basis of our work culture.

TASKS:

• Responsibility for following up projects in collaboration with SAIH's partner organizations in Myanmar.

• Ensure quality assurance and development of plans, budgets, accounts and audits from the projects.

• Contribute with analysis and text in applications and reports to Norad and other donors.

• Contribute to implementing and further developing SAIH's results and learning framework.

• Ensure up-to-date and in-depth knowledge of the local context in the Myanmar/Southeast Asia region, and within SAIH's thematic area; help communicate this through external channels.

• Ensure partner organisations’ participation and perspective are reflected in relevant internal processes and in SAIH's communication and policy advocacy work.

• Contribute to the further development of SAIH's work with transfer of power to partners and decolonization in in the development sector.

• Build and participate in relevant networks with other civil society actors.

• Contribute to internal work processes in the organisation. Other tasks can also be added to the position. It may, for example, be relevant to partner responsibility in other focus countries.

• The position involves some travel.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Relevant higher education. Relevant experience can compensate for a lack of formal education.

• Very good knowledge of Myanmar in particular, and South Asia or Southeast Asia in general.

• Good knowledge of higher education and the aid sector. Preferably also knowledge of SAIH's other focus countries and prioritized subject areas.

• Experience from work with civil society, education and the political context in the region, and preferably also with advocacy work.

• A minimum of three years' work experience from aid or solidarity organisations, and with rights-based work.

• Practical work experience with the management of development aid funds, including results development, learning and financial management.

• Good analytical abilities, preferably experience with risk analysis.

• Good written and spoken presentation skills in English are a prerequisite. If you can speak Burmese or another language from Myanmar, it is an advantage.

• Ability to work independently and under time pressure.

• Ability to collaborate, show flexibility and cross-cultural communication.

SAIH OFFERS:

• A committed and socially engaged working environment in pleasant, newly refurbished premises at Grønland in the center of Oslo.

• Good opportunities for personal and professional development.

• Placement in the state's salary range 53-62 and a salary range up to salary 70. Tariff agreement.

• Flexible working hours, allowance for exercise and the possibility to exercise during working hours.

• Additional holidays during Christmas and Easter.

• Public service pension in KLP.

• SAIH is certified as a Great Place to Work.

If you have questions about the position, contact the Head of the Programmes Department, Kjersti Jahnsen Mowé on phone 46 81 41 77 or email: kjersti.mowe@saih.no

Application deadline: 9 January 2024.

Submit your application via Finn.no, here.