United States of America: Local First Strategic Director - Local First / Peace Direct
Country: United States of America
Closing date: 02 Sep 2013
Local First Strategic Director – Local First / Peace Direct
New York, NY (Washington DC considered for ideal candidate), P/T $45,000
Job description online at: http://www.localfirst.org.uk/local-first-strategic-director
Please see attached PDF for properly formatted job description.
Background
Local First - www.localfirst.org.uk - is a challenge to the current donor led model of development. It promotes a development approach that encourages donors and practitioners in development, peacebuilding and humanitarian aid to look first for the capacity within countries before bringing in external expertise and resources. It asserts that much of this capacity is found outside central government, and that local people should lead in their own development. It is based on the belief that locally led initiatives are likely to be more appropriate, more cost effective and above all more sustainable than those imposed from outside, where local organisations are used simply to implement or deliver projects they have not helped to shape.
Local First was launched by Peace Direct, with Integrity Action, International Bridges to Justice and Building Markets with the publication of a set of case studies. All four organisations seek to create conditions for a greater degree of local direction in their fields of peacebuilding, accountability, justice and livelihoods. The case studies demonstrate that locally led or owned initiatives can be large scale, thus countering one of the main objections to locally led initiatives. Alongside the case studies are practical suggestions for ways that both international and local organisations can reshape their practice to reflect the ideals of Local First. This is the essence of Local First - to gather practical solutions to the blockages to locally led development, in order to change behaviour.
The commonsense simplicity of the Local First concept has attracted a lot of support – in the last seven months, events have been held in Bern, London, The Hague, Oslo, Stockholm, New York and Washington DC, organised by a wide range of INGOs and multilaterals. The momentum is being taken forward with weekly blog posts and a monthly newsletter highlighting research and practice across a number of sectors. All of this has been achieved with a huge amount of volunteer effort mainly in Europe and the US, and a single grant of £6,500.
Peace Direct, the initiator of Local First, has now secured funding to employ a part time Strategic Director to take the initiative forward by bringing organisations on board, defining in detail what Local First working is, and persuading organisations to change their behavior. The Strategic Director will have a large role in deciding how to accomplish this – current ideas include an accreditation system and/or Local First chapters in both aid receiving and aid giving countries. The Strategic Director will work closely with the Practice Coordinator, whose role will be to identify practical solutions to the issues that stand in the way of effective collaboration between local and international organisations, working with the organisations supporting the Local First initiative. Broadly speaking the Practice Coordinator’s role is to find the practical solutions and the Strategic Director’s role is to get these into use.
Overview of role
To develop and implement a two year (initial) strategy to maximise the impact of the Local First initiative by building a base of support, defining criteria for Local First ways of working through widespread consultation, and promoting and supporting the development and dissemination of practical solutions that will lead to tangible behaviour change.
Specific tasks
• Build the profile of the Local First initiative and be its main spokesperson, representing the Local First approach at key humanitarian, peacebuilding and development fora
• Drive the strategy development, working closely with the Advisory Group and other organisations committed to the Local First approach, include leading consultations/ participatory processes
• Identify and maintain contact with complementary initiatives
• Coordinate all Local First projects and programmes, including the volunteer led weekly blog and Monthly Newsletter
• Identify through consultation the most important hallmarks of a Local First approach and introduce ways in which organisations can compare their practice with these
• Support the dissemination of practical solutions through organising webinars, workshops, and other ways to consult and support organisations committed to the Local First approach, drawing on material generated by the Practice Coordinator
• Develop relationships with key individuals in multilaterals or donor agencies who have expressed interest in moving their practice towards Local First principles and work intensively to help them find ways to achieve this
• Contribute to fundraising to extend the Local First initiative and oversee expansion of the Local First initiative, including recruitment and management of new staff
• Any other tasks that may be requested by the Advisory Group
Reports to:
Advisory Group, via teleconference. The induction process will involve a visit to Europe to make contact with European supporters and gain a thorough understanding of the origins of the Local First initiative. Line management will be via fortnightly support calls from Chief Executive, Peace Direct
Location:
It is envisaged that this post will be based with other Peace Direct staff in New York, currently in shared office space. Washington DC considered for ideal candidate. Financial administration will be provided by Peace Direct.
Person specification
• passionate commitment to Local First principles and ways of working
• entrepreneurial results-driven self-starter, able to formulate a campaign strategy and execute it with energy, commitment and professionalism
• at least 2 years’ experience in the development /peacebuilding/humanitarian field, as donor, NGO or multilateral
• at least 3 years’ experience in designing and executing a comparable campaign strategy
• ability to harness enthusiasm for Local First from a wide range of organisations and individuals, and set priorities to maximise impact
• proven track record in the use of social media for movement building
• experience with participatory approaches and consultative decision making, including facilitation of workshops and/ or development of strategic or action plans
• highly organised and able to work independently
• first class written and spoken English communication skills, including demonstrated representation/ public speaking experience
How to apply:
To apply, please send a covering letter stating how you meet the criteria above, with a CV and relevant writing sample to quinn@peacedirect.org . Closing date for applications is midnight September 2nd. Initial interviews will be held by Skype on the morning of September 9th.
