Africa Regional Coordinator for Publish What You Pay (PWYP)

Department: (Outside Oxfam)

CONTEXT OF WORK

Publish What You Pay (PWYP) is an international coalition of more than 300 non-governmental organisations (NGO), which is seeking to ensure that extractive industries publish the payments they make to all national governments and authorities.

PWYP aims to build greater accountability between governments, extractive (oil, gas and mining) companies and civil society for the management and allocation of extractive industry revenues which can provide the basis for successful growth and poverty reduction in some of the least developed countries in the world. Mining, gas and oil companies cannot and should not control how governments spend taxes, royalties and fees, but they do have a responsibility to disclose the payments they make so that citizens can hold their governments accountable for the revenues from assets which the government manages on behalf of its citizens.

The campaign was launched in mid-2002 by groups such as Global Witness, Save the Children, CAFOD and the Open Society Institute. Internationally, the campaign has its own Coordinator and an Information Officer based in London. A Strategic Advisory Group comprised of representatives from each region of operation provides strategic guidance to the campaign. In addition, several “thematic contact groups” are in place to develop and implement the campaign’s policy and advocacy goals.

PWYP has made significant progress in promoting resource revenue transparency in Africa. PWYP coalitions are actively engaged in The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and several governments have already begun to disclose some information on revenues, volumes and contracts. With civil society support and input, other governments have engaged in renegotiating detrimental contracts and agreements. Many PWYP member organizations are expanding their research and advocacy efforts to include budget monitoring and expenditure tracking, with an emphasis on poverty reduction and service delivery.

Overall, PWYP members are active in approximately 25 resource-rich African countries, and there are currently 13 established coalitions affiliated to PWYP in the following African countries: Cameroon, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. National coalitions in additional countries are on the horizon. Several international member organisations are providing support to PWYP coalitions in the form of financial assistance, capacity-building programmes, information resources and advocacy advice.

For the past 2 years, a regional coordinator based in Cameroon has supported African coalition members in developing and implementing regional action plans, providing guidance and assistance on regional advocacy and communications, capacity-building, liaising with the international donor and policymaking community and developing mechanisms for protection of campaigners’ human rights. More recently, and with support from key member NGOs, the campaign has established a long-term regional capacity-building programme which will have its own dedicated regional PWYP Capacity-Building Coordinator.

The coalition is now looking for a new regional coordinator to maintain campaigning momentum in Africa, working closely with the new PWYP Africa Capacity-Building Coordinator and with the International PWYP Coordinator to ensure that progress thus far achieved is consolidated and continued, and that coalitions are adequately supported in their work.

JOB PURPOSE

To support and help facilitate the PWYP campaign in Africa in collaboration with national coalitions, the International PWYP Coordinator, the PWYP Africa Regional Capacity-Building Coordinator and other NGO partners.

TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES

Support coalitions and member organizations in their participation in national EITI processes, including ensuring EITI process compliance, analysis of EITI reports, and identification of advocacy levers.
Facilitate the flow of information and lessons learned in campaign implementation and strategy between African coalitions and international PWYP partners, and across language barriers.
Help organise events including strategy meetings at the regional and sub-regional level in conjunction with other members of the coalition in Africa and abroad.
Facilitate donor NGO coordination and intervention at the country and regional levels.
Support the development and implementation of workplans by African coalitions.
Monitor international developments and provide strategic advice to coalitions and members on advocacy opportunities in relation to the extractive industry, national authorities and international financial institutions.
Facilitate the implementation of regional advocacy goals by drafting position statements, letters and press releases on issues of regional relevance and when appropriate organizing follow-up visits by delegations of African campaigners.
Coordinate strategies to anticipate and/or address harassment of PWYP campaigners in coordination with the Campaigns’ “thematic contact group” on protection, African member organizations and external allies.
Support the implementation of the regional PWYP Africa capacity-building programme in collaboration with the Programme Advisory Group, the NGO hosting the programme, African members and the Regional Capacity-building Coordinator (to be appointed).
Draft briefings, internal newsletters, and any other information material in conjunction with the International Coordinator, the Information Officer, and African coalitions.
Reach out to organizations interested in joining PWYP in relevant resource-rich African countries not yet covered by the campaign.
Support and help strengthen new PWYP coalitions as they form.
Update a database of coalition members in Africa and maintain the Campaign’s regional internal website.
Provide occasional support to PWYP Information officer in elaborating effective communication and dissemination strategies.
When requested, offer strategic advice to coalition members on lobbying with government, industry and/or regional/international institutions and donors and accompany them to lobbying and other meetings

BUDGET RESPONSIBILTY

The regional coordinator will manage 2 budget lines:

A “translation” budget for translation of large documents across key regional languages (English, French, and, if possible, Portuguese)
An “advocacy and strategy” budget for the co-financing of regional and sub-regional strategy meetings, the organization of joint regional advocacy visits and, where appropriate, organizing exchange visits.

STAFF RESPONSIBILITY

The coordinator will hire and supervise one full-time program assistant and will work closely with the Africa Regional Capacity-Building Coordinator.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Essential:

Fluency in French and English (oral and written communication).
Ability to assimilate and understand complex technical data.
Highly developed verbal and written communication skills to inform, advise and deal with a wide range of people, situations and languages.
Excellent writing skills and the ability to produce summaries of documents, edit drafts and initiate and compose a wide range of documents
Highly effective administration skills including computing, good word processing skills and ability to use the Internet
Excellent organisational skills in order to manage a complex and demanding workload
Proven capacity for time management and for meeting deadlines.
Pro-active, fast-thinker, ability to work with minimal supervision.
Ability to manage numerous tasks simultaneously and effectively prioritize and delegate responsibilities.
Experience in advocacy with a variety of stakeholders (e.g. NGO, government, international financial institutions, and the private sector) at local, national and/or international levels.
Experience of working for NGOs in a policy or campaigning capacity.
Experience in working in culturally diverse environment and with a variety of stakeholders.
Sound knowledge of the corporate sector and of the processes of international financial institutions (e.g. HIPC, PRSP, CAS and ROSC) and other international anti-corruption initiatives such as EITI.
Broad knowledge of political, economic and social policy and development issues in Africa.
Experience and understanding of the extractive sector and energy issues.
Interest in and understanding of civil society and of network building in developing countries.
Integrity and professional discretion.
Willingness to travel frequently, mostly within Africa.
Experience of living, working or travelling in a developing country context and familiarity with the challenges that this entails.

Desirable:

Post-graduate degree in relevant field (political science, economics and finance, public administration, international affairs). Exceptional undergraduate-level candidates are also encouraged to apply.
Ability to communicate in Portuguese and Spanish.
Experience of working in government on fiscal policy measures.
Knowledge and understanding of the EITI process.
Knowledge of web development tools.

Nationals from African countries are strongly encouraged to apply.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

SALARY:

To be determined based on candidate's experience.

OTHER CONDITIONS:

The initial contract is for one year and renewable. There will be an initial probationary period of 3 moths.

LOCATION:

To be determined.

RESPONSIBLE TO:

a management committee comprised of the PWYP International Coordinator and representatives from African and international NGOs that are PWYP members (presently, CRS Cameroon, ISODEC, Global Witness, and Revenue Watch Institute).

APPLICATION PROCESS

If interested, please send your completed application in English to Radhika Sarin, International Coordinator of PWYP, at rsarin@publishwhatyoupay.org. The application form is available at www.publishwhatyoupay.org.

No phone calls please.

DEADLINE

Completed applications will be accepted until 31 January 2008.

Please see our How to Apply page for application information. Oxfam America is an Equal Opportunity Employer.