Job Description

ROLE PURPOSE: The CSO develops and monitors strategies and policies to meet employees and beneficiaries needs by following organization vision. S/he makes important decisions that affect the organization’s direction and it’s employees for the development and sustainability of organization.

LOCATION: Yerevan, Armenia

SALARY Band: A

CONTRACT: Fixed term, Part time, with probation of 4 months

DEADLINE:December 31

About Society Without Violence

Vision: Society where all women and girls enjoy equal rights and opportunities, a society where there is no space for gender based violence and discrimination.

Mission: Our mission is to educate and empower women and girls, increase their participation in decision making and peacebuilding processes, contribute to the elimination of gender-based discrimination and violence, increase the responsibility and accountability of duty bearers to protect and fulfill women’s rights.

History: The organization was founded in 2001. Since its establishment, the organization is implementing projects focused on women’s empowerment, young girls’ public awareness and participation raise, promotion of social activism and leadership skills as well as the contribution to the formation of women human rights defenders’ institutional system.

Society Without Violence NGO /SWV/ is women human rights defenders’ organization and currently widely recognized not only in Armenia, but also outside of it due to advocacy work on national, regional and international levels.

SWV has 3 main pillars:

• Gender education
• Women in politics
• Anti-discrimination

Responsibilities

1. Leadership, Governance and Compliance

• Direct the organization in keeping with the vision outlined for the organization by the Board and organization’s policies

• Work on development of new strategic plans and policies
• Advise the Board with regard to organization strategy
• Oversee quality control throughout the organization, establishing goals for each project in partnership with Head of programs and project coordinators
• Share within the team the lessons and knowledge of thematic approaches, trainings attended, particularly experience on civil society strengthening within NGO sector
• Ensure SWV follows best practice in all areas of its work
• Make other strategic decision on behalf of SWV

2. Representation

• Represent the organization as required, including attendance of important functions, events and public meetings

• Work closely with Communications Officer to strengthen existing partnerships with a wide variety of civil society organizations and networks and build new strategic alliances and partnerships.
• Partner with relevant stakeholders to grow the company, strengthen it and ensure its sustainability

3. Learning, monitoring and evaluation

• Work with Board, Head of Programs and Communication officer to ensure that there are regular mechanisms for SWV to reflect on its work and develop its culture as a learning organization.

Person Specification

Absolute essentials

• The ability to provide leadership

• The ability to adopt vision of the SWV
• A feminist/activist with experience of practical management challenges that women’s grass root organization faces

Knowledge and experience

• At least 7-year experience in the NGO sector in the global human rights and ideally women’s rights movements.

• Strong experience in a senior leadership position, including leading cross-organizational processes, strategic financial management (including budgeting and monitoring), and people management.
• Strong experience of leading senior management teams/staff in an inclusive and supportive way
• Strong experience of managing and implementing strategic change and of maintaining staff morale, particularly in the context of an evolving organization
• Significant Knowledge and understanding of the Labor Law and all relevant legislation
• Strong Experience of interpreting and making decisions on numerical, statistical and financial information.
• A formal qualification in Women’s Rights, Human Rights, Gender Studies or another relevant discipline would be desirable, but a significant experience of the field would be a substitute.
• Experience of working with a diverse staff 

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent organizational skills
• Ability to see a big picture
• Strong ability to think strategically, and to undertake and lead participatory strategic planning processes and reviews
• Ability to analyses complex data requiring high levels of judgment to assess information and integrate development thinking and/or current social policy issues into the strategy and work of the organization
• Ability to create a collaborative and supportive working environment where people are encouraged to raise issues and contribute to decision-making processes.
• Thorough understanding of key policy issues relating to international development and the Millennium Development Goals, international Human Rights Framework
• Ability to travel
• IT proficiency including knowledge of MS Office, website content management software, and an ability to learn new software
• Proven ability to manage a varied and heavy workload and to work under pressure, making difficult decision when necessary.

Personal Qualities

• Empathy, understanding and passionate commitment to the ethos, values and philosophy of SWV to the advancement of women’s rights in Armenia. A track record of activism and women’s rights work would be a significant advantage.

• Approachable and a good listener
• Outstanding communication skills with a proven ability to inspire, support externally, engage effectively with, and influence diverse audiences across cultures, including experience of liaison with a range of stakeholders, including national and international government officials, media and potential and existing funders. 
• Ability to respect the confidentiality
• Ability to undertake occasional evening and weekend work
• Politically and culturally sensitive
• Ability to work on own initiative, and be proactive, with a “can do” attitude
• Comfortable working independently and as part of a small team
• Experience of working with geographically dispersed team