PART-TIME (4 DAYS PER WEEK) FIXED TERM TO 31 OCTOBER 2023)
Background:
Founded in 2011, Kaleidoscope Trust works to uphold the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI+) people in countries around the world where they are discriminated against or marginalised due to their sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression. We work with British and international institutions and partners to support the work of LGBTI+ activists to bring about positive legislative, policy and social change for LGBTI+ people everywhere. We do this principally through our research- and evidence-based advocacy and our high-impact programmes. A significant result of our work was our contribution to influencing former Prime Minister Theresa May to express her deep regret for the legacy of discrimination and violence that colonial-era legislation continues to inflict on people across the Commonwealth at the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
Kaleidoscope Trust helped found the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global LGBTI+ Rights, in 2015. We are also a founding member and host the Secretariat of The Commonwealth Equality Network (TCEN), the first civil society network to sustainably advocate on behalf of LGBTI+ people in the Commonwealth. Since its foundation in 2013, TCEN members have actively participated together in Commonwealth spaces to raise the profile and mainstream the discussion of LGBTI+ people and their rights and concerns, and to engage with national-level decision-makers and policymakers on these topics. The network currently comprises over 65 member organisations representing 47 Commonwealth countries drawn from all regions, and was accredited to the Commonwealth in 2017.
Our partnerships with LGBTI+ communities across the Commonwealth have informed our approach to inclusion and equality, in the workplace and beyond. We are an open organisation, committed to having great working practices that centre wellbeing, allow us to be agile and enable all team members to have ownership over their work. We are committed to employing and nurturing a diverse range of people, and especially encourage applications from women, the vast and varied members of the LGBTI+ communities, the multiply- marginalised, and Black and minority ethnic people.
We are a charity working to uphold the human rights of LGBTI+ people, so a commitment to the freedom, safety and equality of marginalised communities is essential.
The Role:
This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate and dynamic entry- or mid-level programme management professional to join a small, creative, and influential NGO, as we deliver our activities championing the equality and human rights of LGBTI+ persons and other disadvantaged groups using an intersectional lens across the Commonwealth. The Programme Officer will support the relevant Programme Manager with the effective planning, monitoring and delivery of two concurrent programmes that Kaleidoscope Trust is implementing internationally:
1. Fighting the reversing tide Phase 2 (extension) – Safeguarding LGBTI+ rights in the Commonwealth (60%)
A six-months policy- and advocacy-focused intervention to ensure progress towards the realisation of LGBTI+ rights in Commonwealth countries is safeguarded against being rolled back. Funded by the the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) between May and October 2023, the project aims to:
- I. support TCEN’s institutional strengthening and regionally-focused practical work on network strategising and movement building,
- II. Opening spaces and generating strategic and meaningful opportunities to engage with external stakeholders, to visibilise and address barriers, priorities, and opportunities for LGBTI+ communities globally, and
- III. Assessing the needs of and providing the technical and financial tools and resources that Commonwealth LGBTI+ civil society requires to sustain and advance their local/national and regional LGBTI+ human rights work.
2. Respect, Mainstreaming and Realisation of LGBTI+ Rights in the Commonwealth Pacific (35%)
A multi-year capacity building and advocacy intervention focused on generating increased visibility and contributing to the intersectional mainstreaming of LGBTI+ rights and issues within stakeholder spaces and social movements in a selection of Asian and Pacific Commonwealth countries. Funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the programme aims to:
- I. invest in TCEN’s institutional strengthening work to ensure the network becomes an impactful and efficient resource in the fight against LGBTI+ discrimination and marginalisation in the Commonwealth,
- II. providing technical and financial support to Commonwealth LGBTI+ civil society organisations, and
- III. generating evidence, space, and opportunities for meaningful engagement between Commonwealth LGBTI+ organisations and key stakeholders, policy- and decision makers.
The Programme Officer will be essential for supporting the impactful delivery of these ground-breaking programmes. The post-holder will work in close collaboration with a variety of stakeholders in the implementation of the programme, including with Kaleidoscope Trust’s executive leadership and those leading on other programme streams, research/policy, communications and finance/compliance at the organisation; our implementing partners and TCEN’s membership and its leadership committee; and other civil society partners and actors.
The Programme Officer will report to the relevant Programme Manager.
Key Responsibilities:
Programme Management
- 1. Support the Programme Manager with the effective, timely and on-budget implementation of the programme, following donors’ requirements and rules and regulations
- 2. Contribute to the update of monthly and quarterly plans and support in tracking programme deliverables against objectives and outcomes
- 3. Monitor and feed into regular programme risk assessments and reviews
- 4. Contribute to the management and lead on the monitoring of partners’ sub-grants, ensuring technical, financial, and administrative compliance with Kaleidoscope Trust’s and the donors’ sub-grant management/reporting procedures and requirements
- 5. Support the Programme Manager with drafting Terms of Reference for and recruiting/ managing the work of short-term consultants under the programmes, in line with Kaleidoscope Trust’s procurement procedures, and support the Programme Manager in the commissioning of said consultants
- 6. Provide expert input into the development and deployment of research tools and assist with delivering communications outputs produced as part of the programmes
- 7. Maintain a close working relationship with other programme staff across Kaleidoscope Trust, our implementing partners and TCEN at the technical level to ensure cohesion, consistency and the successful delivery of the overall project
- 8. Actively support and participate in other Kaleidoscope Trust programmes and events, as required
Logistics Management and Administration
- 1. Support the Programme Manager and delivery partners to facilitate and monitor the organisation of programme activities in line with the project’s overall goal
- 2. Support in the organisation and delivery of programme logistics, including: researching, negotiating and arranging accommodation and travel; securing visas; and inviting and assisting external guests, presenters and resource people
- 3. Assist with drafting relevant, detailed documents and communications for various stakeholders in a timely fashion
Financial Management and Reporting
- 1. Contribute to the proper implementation of finance processes, administration and procurement relating to the programme, ensuring compliance with contractual and legal obligations
- 2. Support the Finance and Operations Officer to process and track accurate financial and narrative inputs for reporting on the secured grant, in line with standards agreed with the programmes team and to meet overall programme monitoring and evaluation needs
- 3. Support the Programme Manager and Kaleidoscope Trust’s Finance staff to prepare and update budgets, track and monitor spend, and develop financial reports (including forecasts and expenditure reconciliations) on a quarterly and annual basis, that meet both Kaleidoscope Trust’s internal requirements and the programmes’ requirements
- 4. Carry out other tasks as necessary to ensure the successful implementation of the programme
Skills and Competencies:
We are looking for someone with demonstrable experience working in a relevant sector in an international context who can demonstrate:
Experience with:
- Planning and successfully delivering complex, high-value projects, programmes or campaigns relating to human rights, international development, humanitarian response or social change
- Grant-making—development and/or management—and the processes of due diligence and monitoring associated with grant-making
- Working in cross-cultural environments with a range of partners with different backgrounds and at different levels. Experience in different Commonwealth contexts is desirable
- Activity-based budget development, management, and reporting
- Delivering multi-stakeholder meetings/convenings in a strategic and meaningfully consultative manner
- Developing results frameworks/log frames or other reporting frameworks and supporting the identification and gathering of appropriate evidence
- Successful management of safeguarding considerations, especially as relating to vulnerable adults
Knowledge and understanding of:
- How a human rights and/or development organisation operates in an international context
- Appropriate approaches to working in partnership with organisations and activists— and carrying out interventions in countries—in the Global South, for an organisation based in the Global North
- The root causes of exclusion, especially with regard to LGBTI+ people, from a development and/or human rights perspective
- Programme/project management methodologies
- Managing grant funding to a high standard and in line with contractual obligations
- Analysing data/inputs and writing detailed and evidence-based narrative and financial documents (including reports) to a high quality
- Risk management and mitigation, relating to both activities and finances
- Microsoft Office Suite and/or Google Workspace programmes, to an advanced level
Personal qualities/skills:
- Commitment to Kaleidoscope Trust’s mission to advance the human rights of LGBTI+ people
- An open, adaptable and detail-oriented approach to delivering high quality programmes in collaboration with others
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, and able to convey complex issues to audiences with differing levels of knowledge
- Strong interpersonal skills, confidence working as part of a team and a proven track record of effective stakeholder relationship management
- Good time management and problem-solving skills
- Willingness to “pitch in” and support colleagues outside the parameters of the job description where necessary
Terms and Conditions:
- This role is part time, 4 days per week, on a fixed-term basis until 31st October 2023
- The full-time equivalent salary is £33,000 p.a. which will be paid pro rata plus pension contributions (i.e. the actual annual salary equivalent will be £26,400.00 per annum before deductions)
- The post-holder is entitled to standard annual leave plus bank holidays
- The post-holder will be managed by the relevant Programme Manager
- The post-holder will be based out of Kaleidoscope Trust’s offices in Cambridge Heath, London
- Staff who are part-time, and/or based outside of London, may be permitted (with the agreement of their Line Manager) to work from home predominantly, with the occasional requirement to travel to the office for appraisals and key meetings or events
- Standard core hours of work are 9:00am – 5:30pm with possible requirement to work very occasionally at evenings and weekends (which will accrue Time Off In Lieu)
- The post-holder must possess the right to live and work in the United Kingdom for the period of the contract
- Start date: As soon as possible
How to apply:
Kaleidoscope Trust is committed to equality and diversity and we particularly encourage applications from all sections of the LGBTI+ community and people from Global Majority communities.
Please submit your CV and a two-page maximum covering letter explaining:
- (i) your interest in joining Kaleidoscope Trust, and
- (ii) your relevant experience as per the skills and competencies outlined above.
Please either upload your application to our web portal on the Kaleidoscope Trust website, or email the documents, along with a completed Recruitment Monitoring and Analysis Form, to [email protected], titling your communication: “Vacancy: Programme Officer (RtT / DFAT)”.
Closing date: 9am, Thursday 1st June 2023
Interviews: Week commencing 5th June 2023
DISCLAIMER: The filling of this position is contingent on confirmation of funding. Kaleidoscope Trust reserves the right to retain the position as vacant until funding is confirmed.