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Call for applications for the position of Learning Officer

Deadline: 18 June 2021, midnight

Location: South Africa or Kenya

Habitat International Coalition (HIC) is appointing a Learning Officer to its General Secretariat (GS) to coordinate and manage the collective and mutual capacity-building program and specific projects involving pedagogy for change.

HIC is looking for:

  • a creative and innovative individual with experience in grassroots and professional learning processes and pedagogic practices and techniques;

  • a passion for social justice and human rights (especially related to habitat and gender equality);

  • a commitment to sharing knowledge of human rights conditions and relevant international advocacy processes;

  • excellent writing and communication skills (in English and at least one other language, French desired);

  • the ability to impart and manage the exchange of information among diverse audiences, ranging from social movements to UN institutions;

  • the ability to work in a multicultural environment with care, sensitivity and respect.

Your communication and coordination skills must enable you to work well in collaborative processes, especially among HIC structures, and in collaboration with other international civil society organizations, networks and grassroots groups, facilitate the learning of relevant knowledge and skills, and anticipate and solve problems in a friendly and proactive manner.

This position is a 26-hour per week, part-time post (66%) based in South Africa or Kenya to start by 1 July 2021.

Habitat International Coalition (HIC)

HIC is the global, independent and non-profit network working for habitat-related rights and social justice through the defence, promotion and realisation of human rights related to habitat and the right to a safe place to live in peace and with dignity, both in urban and rural areas. Through solidarity, networking and advocacy support for social movements and organisations, influencing public policies and the international agenda, HIC works to develop and fulfil transformative practices, norms and standards across HIC Member competence: human rights related to habitat, in particular housing and land, social production of habitat, gender equality and equity; environmental justice. Visit www.hic-net.org for more information.

Functions of HIC Learning Officer

One of the General Secretariat’s core functions is to host and promote the exchange, communication and co-development of HIC Member capacities, in which the ongoing exchange of cross-regional and cross-cultural learning and pedagogic practices focus on advocacy and problem solving toward the realization of human rights related to habitat (i.e., adequate housing, land, water, environment, gender, etc.). The Learning Officer’s tasks will concentrate in this stream of the General Secretariat’s work, comprising two broad areas: (a) coordinating HIC’s learning opportunities for Members and allies, and (b) coordinating the organisation, communication, monitoring, evaluation of HIC learning practices, and where relevant programs, in cooperation with the Secretary General (HIC-GS) and reference centers in Mexico (HIC-AL), Cairo (HIC MENA) and the HIC Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN).

Responsibilities

Among other tasks, the Learning Officer will be responsible for:

  • Coordinating and convening HIC’s learning opportunities. These include ongoing 3- month-long cross-regional thematic learning encounters called “co-learning spaces” and other learning-related events that may arise, including coordination with learning officers in HIC-AL HIC MENA and HLRN, administration staff at the GS as well as coordination with curating collectives of the co-learning spaces;

  • Building, enhancing and maintaining HIC’s online learning resources;

  • Informing HIC Members of learning opportunities related to habitat, including those involving human rights, gender, social production of habitat and environmental justice;

  • Supporting HIC Members’ involvement in localised and global advocacy initiatives or actions;

  • Coordinating institutional monitoring, evaluation and learning;

  • Reporting to and updating donors on project developments.

The Learning Officer is expected to work independently and as a team player. S/he is expected to work with, respect and empower partners, colleagues and communities in a sensitive and participatory manner. HIC staff set high standards of performance for themselves and others and assume responsibility and accountability for successfully completing assignments and tasks. The Learning Officer will work in an environment that respects and promotes diversity and seeks to fully benefit from each individual’s unique qualities and diverse working cultures.

Activities

  • Work closely with the thematic “curator collectives” and, HIC-GS and HLRN/HIC-AL liaison;
  • Facilitate deliberations to collectively identify advocacy strategies that can be pursued through learning processes;
  • Lead on the production of budget proposals and work plans for various learning activities;
  • Facilitate workshops and produce materials (e.g., video interviews and panels) and platforms in the preparation of learning events;
  • Facilitate co-learning encounters, including moderation of sessions, moderation of forum activities, communication via e-mail etc.;
  • Lead on the consolidation and sharing of course materials for an online repository;
  • Lead on the development of further outputs such as a MOOC, podcasts or equivalent
  • Support ongoing action-learning and reflection processes;
  • Lead on monitoring, evaluation and learning processes in the GS;
  • Lead on the reporting of co-learning spaces.

Qualifications and competencies

Education and work experience:

Essential: An educational background in social sciences, international relations or similar fields with at least 5 years of work experience in human rights (related to habitat desired) training, and popular education or critical pedagogy, including innovative, learner-centered course design, facilitation and evaluation, mentoring and feedback. Demonstrated ability to work as part of a wider network. Demonstrated experience in project management, delegation and coordination of tasks, event planning and management, reporting, monitoring and evaluation.

Desired: Experience in online collaborations and learning processes such as remote learning and MOOCs. Demonstrated experience in international projects in organizations working in similar fields.

Computer skills:

Essential: word, excel, powerpoint, online meetings/webinars.

Desired: video editing and graphic design, online learning and collaboration tools, database management

Communication Skills: Well-developed written and oral communication and listening skills in English and French (skills in other languages, especially Arabic, Spanish and Portuguese will be valued); able to communicate clearly, sensitively, passionately and effectively with diverse audiences; able to coordinate among various HIC Reference Centers and Members located around the world.

Personal skills: creative, critical and lateral thinker, proactive and takes initiative, reflexive learner, highly organised, good time management and ability to prioritise tasks, strong interpersonal communication abilities, respectful and tolerant. Integrity, maintaining ethical and organizational norms, capacity for sound operational decision making.

Work Conditions and Location

The Learning Officer will be based in South Africa or Kenya. We particularly encourage applications from people currently based in one of these countries.

The work will be on a part-time basis (66%) for 1-year with a possibility of extension. The post holder is expected to work across different time zones and be willing to travel.

Salary commensurate with applicant’s experience and includes benefits (which will need to be organised by the post holder).

Application Details

Applicants are invited to send a (1) cover letter elaborating on their suitability, motivation to apply for the above position and salary expectation; a (2) CV outlining relevant experience and skills; and (3) the contact details of at least one reference.

Application must be submitted by 18 June (midnight) to Yolande Hendler – HIC Secretary General

secretary.general@hic-net.org

Please e-mail applications in Word or PDF format, with ‘HIC Learning Officer Recruitment’ in the subject line.

Important note: only qualified applicants will be shortlisted and contacted.