About Sonke
Founded in 2006, Sonke is a women’s rights organisation that is committed to feminist principles, using a rights-based and gender-transformative approach to achieve human rights and gender justice. Our vision is a poverty-free world in which women, children, men and gender non-conforming individuals enjoy equitable, caring, healthy and happy relationships that contribute to the development of gender-just and democratic societies. Sonke strengthens governments, civil society and citizen’s capacity to advance gender justice and women’s rights, prevent gender-based violence, and reduce the spread of HIV and the impact of AIDS, and in this way contribute to social justice and the elimination of poverty. (http://www.genderjustice.org.za/)
About the position
Sonke seeks to recruit a project manager based in Mpumalanga. The Project Manager will be responsible for the project management and implementation of a project working on transformative feminist leadership in South Africa. They will be responsible for tracking project activities against the budget and ensuring timely project deliverables. The Project Manager will also be responsible for managing stakeholder relations related to the project, developing content and supporting the overall success of the project at Sonke – including aligning the project to Sonke’s strategic priorities and supporting cross-unit collaboration of the project. We are seeking dynamic, feminist and goal-oriented professionals with project management, community mobilisation and leadership experience. The ideal candidate has extensive experience managing multi-year projects, working with partners at different levels, and with an intimate knowledge of the women’s rights landscape of South Africa. Specific experience with transformative feminist leadership and gender-responsive budgeting is advantageous.
Specific responsibilities include:
1. Coordinate Sonke’s Global Affair Canada Project
- Oversee the implementation of a multi-year project focused on women’s leadership in the province, including the co-creation of the implementation plan for the project.
- Track project activities against the implementation plan and troubleshoot or problem-solve for delays or gaps.
- Manage Sonke’s stakeholder relations under the project at the local, provincial and national levels, ensuring that stakeholder coordination contributes to the project goals and objectives.
- Develop content and support the development of content related to the project goals, including writing reports, editorials, policy briefs and other knowledge outputs to facilitate shared learning.
- Ensure that project development and implementation are responsive to communities and partners, and is consistent with the relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and overall programme and organizational strategic plan.
- Manage a team of Community Mobilisers and Community Action Team volunteers (CATs).
- Oversee the planning of events related to the project at a provincial and local level.
- Ensure the adequate and effective implementation of RMEL tools on the project, supporting the data collection process and the analysis of data to feed into the projects learning and impact agenda.
- Streamline the project into the broader organizational plan and effectively engage other teams/units on the project to foster cross-unit collaboration.
- Co-create advocacy plans and campaigns in partnership with the PDA and Communications Unit Managers and the Provincial Managers.
- Other responsibilities include budget management and oversight, as well as supporting resource mobilization as needed.
2. Budget management
- Ensure adherence to the donors’ guidelines, Sonke’s internal control procedures, as well as financial management guidelines during the utilisation and management of organizational resources;
- Ensure resources are used only for the intended purpose with maximum efficiency;
- Monitor budgets, making sure prior authorization is secured from respective Sonke and donor officials in the case of over and under-expenditure.
3. Resource Mobilisation and grant management
- Provide input and comments into funding proposals to ensure the sustainability of the project and the unit more broadly.
- Participate in Fee for Service events as requested.
4. General
- Attend staff meetings, staff retreats, staff trainings and international meetings as required.
- Contract with consultants to assist with the strengthening of the unit as required.
- Attend stakeholder meetings, donor meetings and conferences where necessary and when required to do so.
- Ensure the continued development of relationships with stakeholders and potential and existing partners to further the work of the unit.
- Network strategically with existing community networks, educational institutions, NPOs and government
- Assist with the writing of funding proposals when necessary.
- Serve as a member of Sonke’s full management team.
Qualifications and experience
- An advanced degree in a relevant field, including at least an Honours degree or a law degree (LL.B. or foreign equivalent). Studies should have provided a strong grounding in gender, health, and human rights law.
- At least five years of proven experience in civil society, with a content focus on gender and human rights law and advocacy, including experience in legal analysis and running advocacy campaigns.
- 5 years of proven experience in efficiently managing bilateral-funded projects including multiple consortium partners across South Africa.
- Experience in feminist thought and praxis, with a demonstrated commitment to principles of feminism and feminist leadership.
- Experience in implementing projects with a focus on gender-responsive budgeting, gender-sensitive policymaking and advocacy.
- Experience with managing multiple stakeholders, with knowledge of community mobilization and education. Experience of working with community-based stakeholders will be an advantage.
- Significant experience with at least two of the technical areas of the unit’s work, i.e., gender justice, health and human rights, and penal and criminal justice reform. The candidate should have the ability to work collaboratively and provide credible strategic guidance to colleagues with and without a direct supervisory relationship.
Application Process
- Interested applicants should submit their CV, a motivational letter that details their experience, and the contact details of three referees, to Sonke’s Human Resource Unit at hiring@genderjustice.org.za. closing date 28 August 2023.
- For non-South Africans, it is the responsibility of the applicant to attain a work permit from the Department of Home Affairs, and employment will depend on a valid work permit being in place.
- Sonke is committed to racial and gender transformation and encourages previously disadvantaged individuals to apply.
- Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. If you do not hear from us by 30 September 2023, please consider your application unsuccessful.
- The organisation reserves the right not to make an appointment.
