Program Manager Walking the Talk

Region:    Europe

Office:      The Hague, Netherlands

Hours:      36

Level:       Medior-Senior

Application deadline: January 5th 2025

We’re looking for an inspiring and experienced program manager and campaigner to lead the Walking the Talk program. In this unique program, you’ll bring together four European organizations to collectively advocate for inclusive and feminist foreign policies and practices and increased financing for feminist organizations.

Background

European countries have a tradition of contributing significantly to advancing gender equality worldwide. But there is increased pressure on Official Development Aid (ODA), and other funding streams, especially on funding for gender equality and feminist values. At the same time, when decisions are made about Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP) or ODA for gender equality, (young) feminists and LGBTIQ+ persons from the Global South are not structurally engaged, even though these decisions directly affect their lives and work.

About the program

The Walking the Talk consortium brings together five European organizations: Equipop in France, Restless Development in the United Kingdom, the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy in Germany, ODI Europe in Brussels and Hivos in the Netherlands, which leads the consortium. Together, we leverage our extensive collective experience to embed gender equality and feminist approaches in foreign policies, practices, and funding — both through Official Development Assistance and other funding streams. Equally important in our three-year program (started in September 2023) is to ensure that the perspectives and ideas of (young) feminists from the Majority World are meaningfully included in decisions about gender equality ODA, alternative funding, and Feminist Foreign Policy. Within Feminist Foreign Policy and Gender Equality, we particularly focus on (financial) resources. The fundamental aim is to advocate with a stronger, united voice for more flexible, long-term resources to flow into the feminist ecosystem (funds, organizations, movements, academia, etc.) predominantly in the Majority World.

The collective approach aims to build momentum to fund strong, independent feminist movements that strengthen democracies, advance peace, address climate change, and drive economic, political, and social equality. By consolidating these demands into one document and narrowing them down to 12 asks, we aim to draw the attention of political decision-makers and advance funding for gender equality ahead of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) and other key international processes, including our own conference Financing for Feminist Futures.  More information can be found at: https://hivos.org/program/walking-the-talk/

Job context

The program manager (PM) leads and guides Walking the Talk strategically and operationally. You are responsible for delivering program results and for their quality, and for sound financial management, human resources, and upholding shared values and principles. You are the first point of contact for the donor and represent the program’s policy, advocacy, expertise, and lessons learned, both internally and externally. As the linking pin between all stakeholders you ensure a conducive environment for collaboration and cross fertilizations. You report to the Director of Hivos’ Global Office Hub.

Responsibilities

Leadership and management

• Provide strategic and inspirational guidance and promote teamwork across the consortium towards fulfilment of the goals of Walking the Talk.
• Manage, inspire, mentor the Hivos program staff in the Netherlands as well as on overarching program level.
• Enable effective teamwork towards agreed objectives.
• Facilitate and ensure coherence and excellence in national and overarching program advocacy and activities.

Project implementation and accountability

• Guide and oversee timely, participatory and qualitative project planning, budgeting and implementation.
• Ensure that Global South feminist organizations and groups, and consortium members actively participate.
• Oversee and ensure compliance of Hivos, consortium members and sub-contracted organizations with agreements made, and promote dynamic and mutual accountability.
• Ensure timely and meaningful reporting against the theory of influence and planning, including financial and progress reports, and evaluations.
• Maintain and update learning across the project and the partnership, stimulate generation of knowledge, sharing of results and lessons learned. Integrate learning into practice.

Networking, advocacy and campaigning

• Successfully drive the campaign around the Common Ask Framework and financing for feminist development.
• Ensure strategic participation and visibility of _Walking the Talk_in relevant fora to positively influence the agenda and debate on gender equality in ODA and FFP. Create space in such arenas for voices and ideas of Global South feminist actors.
• Engage with bi-, multilateral and private donors to position the program and especially advocacy asks.
• Proactively pursue and secure financial and strategic sustainability for the Walking the Talk work and program.

Requirements

• Five years’ knowledge/experience in management of advocacy programs and consortia with national and regional partners and networks.
• A masters’ degree (or equivalent work experience) in international development, gender or feminist studies, political science, public administration, or another relevant field.
• Proven track record in campaigning and/or targeted advocacy.
• Strong project management skills.
• Track record in forging conducive collaboration between Global South and North actors, working to generate access for Global South voices to directly influence policy agendas on gender equality ODA and FFP.
• Experience in resource mobilisation and program development.
• Professional expertise and up-to-date knowledge of gender equality, feminist foreign policy and financing for development.
• Excellent skills in external relationship management, including with donors, government and the wider governance and accountability sectors.
• Energetic and tenacious.
• Full professional proficiency in English with excellent written and verbal skills; fluency in Dutch; with proficiency in French or German would be a pre.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly, in Europe and beyond.

What we offer

In this position you will work at Hivos’ Global Office in the city center of The Hague, where a part of the program team is located. Other team members are based in the UK, France, Germany, and Brussels. You will also be part of an international community of highly motivated and dedicated people working to advance gender equality, diversity and inclusion in a wide variety of contexts.

We offer a contract for 36 hours per week based on Hivos Global Office labour conditions. The gross salary ranges from €4.626,14 to €5.888,07 per month based on background and experience, plus a 3% year end bonus

We provide a laptop and travel expenses according to our commuting policies, as well as participation in our pension fund. Hivos additionally works according to a 50/50 schedule, which means you may work from home during half of your contract hours.

Want to apply?

Please submit a cover letter and CV by January 5th 2025 at the latest, by clicking on the ‘Apply for this Job’ button at the top right of the vacancy. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Please note that only candidates with valid work permits for the Netherlands are eligible.

We will be reviewing candidates on a rolling basis.

Candidates are highly encouraged to provide a clear track record in their CV and description in cover letter that matches the requirements of the position elaborated above.

About Hivos

Hivos is an international development organization guided by humanist values. Together with citizens and their organizations, we aim to contribute towards just, inclusive and life sustaining societies where people have equal access to opportunities, rights and resources. We work in partnership with others in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America on three impact areas: Civic Rights in a Digital Age; Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, and Climate Justice.

Keywords

Program ManagerWalking the TalkProgram LeadershipCampaigningAdvocacyGender EqualityFeminist Foreign PolicyResource MobilisationProject ManagementNetworkingSustainability