The Movement for Community-led Development (mcld.org) seeks to hire a Coordinator for Southern Africa.
MCLD is a Majority World-led “network of networks,” comprising more than 2,000 local civil society organizations in 30 countries with the mission to transform systems so that low-income communities successfully achieve their own visions and goals. Members organize independent National Associations in each country and set their own priorities and activities within a shared global manifesto.
MCLD consistently works to transform the current development and humanitarian systems to ensure that every person has a voice and choice in decisions that affect their lives. This entails challenging the existing power dynamics through relentless advocacy and applying a decolonizing lens to policy and practice. Our National Associations co-create and lead their programs to support decentralization, greater collaboration and community-development in their own countries. The Global Secretariat of MCLD supports the Associations and also works to ensure that the Associations and their membership shape not just MCLD but policy-making and systems thinking in the local, regional and global arenas.
We intend to hire an individual with a contagious passion for equity, inclusion, social justice and a leadership style that first and foremost appreciates the leadership of others. This is a full time position, working as a member of a global, collegial secretariat and based out of Malawi.
Responsibilities:
- Network weaving: Discovering and connecting with like-minded organizations aligned with the values of Community-led Development, and co-creating a shared vision for the difference MCLD could make in Southern Africa.
- Creating National Associations: Convening collective leadership per country who wish to create MCLD in their country – orienting them to the movement and coaching them in how to build and register their National Associations.
- Supporting the Malawi National Association: MCLD Malawi has a dynamic Country Coordinator (a voluntary position) and a visionary Steering committee comprising members from various organizations. The Southern Afrcia Coordinator, as a full time team member, will support the day to day functioning of the national association, including organizing meetings, logistics and managing grants.
- Learning and Sharing: The Southern Africa coordinator will distill and share the experiences from the region with the Movement regionally and globally, advancing our collective knowledge and resources for advancing our goals.
- Influence: Reaching out to regional policy makers and experts to ensure MCLD’s priorities and focus on CLD translates into policy and practice.
- Amplifying the voice of local leaders. Our collective work in both capacity strengthening of local civil society and policy advocacy depends on identifying champions for this work among articulate community leaders and providing opportunities for them to be heard.
- Resource mobilization: Discover funding opportunities for MCLD in the region, and participate with the global secretariat to secure additional funding.
Requirements:
- Location: We prefer a coordinator based in Lilongwe, Malawi but are open to candidates from other locations in the country.
- Skills: Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills. Expertise in using powerpoint, word, excel and online meeting platforms. Facilitation skills and experience in facilitating with community groups is preferred.
- Commitment: A demonstrated commitment to gender-focused and community-led development approaches.
- Personality: A demonstrated ability to work collaboratively – to see new possibilities and create strategies to achieve them.
- Work style: Ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, enthusiasm, diplomacy and cultural sensitivity, both individually and as part of a team and adjust to shifting priorities
- Availability to travel throughout the region and occasionally globally. ● Experience: At least five years experience interacting with local and community-based civil society organizations in the region.
- Language: Native fluency in Chichewa, proficiency in English. Knowledge of another local language from the region is a plus.
- Humility: A personality that deeply appreciates the leadership of others.
Terms of employment:
- MCLD is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. An ideal candidate would be from Southern Africa and have extensive lived experience in the Majority World (“global south”). They would have profound respect for the rights of grassroots individuals to be the authors of their own development. Women and people from historically marginalized groups are particularly encouraged to apply.
- Position type: Depending on the location, this will be a hybrid or remote working position.
- Remuneration: 18,000,000- 20,000,000 Malawi Kwacha per year (negotiable) ● To apply, kindly email a cover letter showcasing both your interest in the position and your engagement with systems transformation, your resume, and a brief (2-4 page) writing sample to jobs@mcld.org. While proficiency in written English is important for this position, we recognise that people have different skills and forms of expression. If you are a passionate speaker, you can also send a clipping from any event you have spoken at in lieu of the writing sample.
- Deadline: Ongoing. The position is expected to begin on June 15, 2024.
Featured image: By Samymag – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=80904494