Summary of the type of person we are looking for…

Children of South Africa (CHOSA) is a small funding NGO that is looking for a full-time Programs Coordinator with progressive politics who speaks fluent isiXhosa. This person should understand grassroots and community-led development and should be able to facilitate in a participatory manner workshops and discussions about social, political and economic issues and how they relate to children and youth.  Please see the Job Description below for more information on the position. The deadline to apply is 19^th of November 2010.

Job Description for Cape Town Programs Coordinator

Position to begin: mid-January 2011 (six-week on-ground training; full responsibility to commence on 1 March, 2011.)

Time commitment: 80 hours/week divided by two people (Programs Coordinator and Programs Fellow)

Duration: Must be willing to commit for at least two years

Salary: R4,500/month salary plus compensation for CHOSA-related expenses (petrol, AA-determined car wear and tear, telephone, internet, printing, office supplies)

 

The following job description is intended to be split between two people who will make up the CHOSA on-ground team. They are required to collectively divide the work and determine individual responsibilities as best suites their skills and availability.

1. Work hands-on with the community-based organizations (CBO) that CHOSA supports in Cape Town. Including but not limited to:

• Liaise with Baphumelele Children’s Home, Ubuhle Babantwana, Emasithandane, Philani Family Fund, Ilitha Labantwana, Qaqambani Safe Home, and any additional projects/organizations/communities that CHOSA takes on or needs to network with.
• Hold regular meetings with each relevant project. Frequency of the meetings will depend on the organizations’ needs at that time, but should not be less than once every two weeks at each organization. The purposes of these meetings are: 1) To continue/build open and trusting relationships with the CBOs; 2) To receive updates on the progress of the CBO in general as well as any specific project underway; 3) To receive accounting for funds if there is a CHOSA grant in place; 4) To work with the CBOs to develop their organization in ways that fit with their goals for development and assist in this process of growth. This is also a time to discuss internal/external problems, and ways in which CHOSA can support/help the project either directly or through referrals should the project want this assistance.
• Participate in bi-annual meetings with each CBO’s board of directors and CHOSA’s Executive Director.
• Ensure that the CBO is able to prepare a financial report back to CHOSA. If the organization does not have the ability to prepare an end-of-the-year statement (or audit), then the coordinator is required to request more frequent (preferably monthly) engagement by the organization’s bookkeeper in order to ensure the project’s finances are in order.
• Report back to CHOSA on each organization’s finances.
• Total expected time commitment: 40-50 hours per week

 

1. Administer CHOSA volunteering/tutoring program. Including but not limited to:

• Speak at the CIEE volunteering orientation.
• Hold an informational session for all interested student-volunteers.
• Hold individual interviews with each potential volunteer.
• Liaise with CIEE and with relevant CBO(s) in order to coordinate the CHOSA after-school program.
• Coordinate the work of assistant volunteer coordinators at each project, making sure that they are helpful for the volunteers and engaged with the work. Should we need additional/new assistant coordinators, then the On-Ground team is responsible for training them.
• Support volunteers in creating curricula/lesson plans.
• Support volunteers in their classrooms, should they need help on any given day.
• Coordinate monthly ‘decompression’ sessions where volunteers are able to reflect on their experience. This includes planning agendas for these meetings including one Xhosa lesson with an outside instructor, a CHOSA information session, and an end of the semester meeting to get feedback.
• Draw up an operating budget and get it approved by CIEE administration.
• Collect receipts from students as semester progresses and get them reimbursed from CIEE on a monthly basis.
• Introduce volunteers to the rest of CHOSA and help them feel connected to CHOSA on a personal level.
• Motivate volunteers throughout the semester to stay involved with CHOSA once they return to the States, particularly by fundraising. This includes taking volunteers to visit other CHOSA-supported projects at end of the semester.
• Help volunteers organize field trips with their kids as well as a fundraiser to finance the trips.
• Attend after-school programs each day they run. Occasionally there will be conflicts with other requirements, in which case the job is to make sure that a volunteer coordinator is on-site.
• Total expected time commitment: 12-16 hours per week during UCT semester, 2-4 hours per week when programs are not running.

 

1. Communicate with CHOSA’s management and board of directors

• Attend weekly meetings with CHOSA’s on-ground representatives and long-term volunteers (in Cape Town).
• Work with CHOSA’s Executive Director toward implementing CHOSA’s mission on the ground..
• Attend board meetings as requested.
• Consult with and report to the Board of Directors on all general issues of procedure and policy.
• Communicate openly and regularly with CHOSA’s fundraisers and primarily CHOSA’s fundraising director. In particular, this is a time to share information gathered through meetings with projects, working with volunteers, events with partner projects and for CHOSA itself.
• Send monthly reports describing all major initiatives and developments of the previous month. You will also use sections of the report as blog posts for the CHOSA Blog.
• Total expected time commitment: 4-5 hours per week.

 

1. Organize networking events

• Survey organizations to determine best/most pressing need for networking event.
• Organize and put on +/- two events per year that bring together the staff and management of as many CHOSA-supported projects as possible to provide some sort of programming, and to allow them to meet and work together toward common interests/goals.

• Total expected time commitment: 1-3 hours per week

 

1. CHOSA Arts Initiative

• Solicit people to put on workshops, classes, etc.
• Coordinate and oversee the overall effort of each initiative to make sure it is accomplishing goals and best serving the children.
• Total expected time commitment will depend on whether there is an arts initiative running at that time. If so, the on-ground team is responsible for committing the necessary time to orchestrating the initiative.

 

1. Other Responsibilities:

• Show current/potential donors around to visit the projects when asked by the board and when Executive Director is unable to do so himself.
• Represent CHOSA at certain events (such as NGO forums) when requested by board or Executive Director.
• Search for and visit new projects when requested by the Board.
• Organize and deliver in-kind donations
• Connect local donors to projects they can support directly, when opportunities arise.
• Maintain office: paying bills, rent, keeping files organized, etc.
• Lead short-term student-volunteer groups, such as MSU, that we work with every year.
• Report CHOSA-related expenses to Executive Director on a monthly or quarterly basis.
• Total expected time commitment: 5-6 hours per week

 

1. What the position does not include:

• Fundraising for CHOSA (this is voluntary).
• Researching other NGOs.
• Administrative tasks in South Africa including coordinating partnerships on a non-program level.

 

 

Job Requirements for Cape Town Programs Coordinator

Languages – Fluency in isiXhosa and English

Computer literacy – fluency in use of internet, email, blogging, office programs (in particular command of spreadsheets and word processors)

Experience – experience working in communities with community-based organisations

Writing skills – should be able to write thoughtful letters, proposals, articles and other types of documents in English and ixiXhosa.

Communication skills – ability to work well with and communicate with people in a non-domineering manner. Ability to navigate and stay out of personal disputes while still maintaining open lines of communication.

Respect for others – should be able to respect and treat equally people of different cultures and ethnicities. Should not discriminate based on gender, sexual orientation, ge, origin, etc. Should treat each individual as an equal.

Independent hard worker – should be able to work independently without someone telling you what to do. Should be able to set up your own appointments and manage your own schedule. Should be able to report back on your work.

 

Instructions on how to apply

Please send the following to [email protected] by 19^th of November

1. Your CV (resume)
2. A cover letter
3. Please answer the following questions in 360 words or less:

• What your idea of community development?
• What is the role of NGO’s in the development process?
• What would you personally do to live up to this philosophy of development?