Deadline: 18 March 2011
Open to: graduates in law, social work, sociology, psychology, public health or other relevant field
Salary: not stated
The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens. To achieve this mission, the Foundations seek to shape public policies that assure greater fairness in political, legal, and economic systems and safeguard fundamental rights. On a local level, the Open Society Foundations implement a range of initiatives to advance justice, education, public health, and independent media. At the same time, we build alliances across borders and continents on issues such as corruption and freedom of information. The Foundations place a high priority on protecting and improving the lives of people in marginalized communities.
About Project
The Public Health Program (PHP) has been supporting Roma health programs since January 2001 through the Roma Health Project (RHP). The mission of the Roma Health Project is to advance the health and human rights of Roma persons by building the capacity of Roma civil society leaders and organizations, and advocating for accountability and a strong civil society role in the design, implementation and monitoring of policies and practices that most impact on the health of Roma. To advance its mission, the RHP pursues the following goals:
1. Build the capacity of Roma NGOs that address health and health-related issues.
2. Promote the human rights of Roma and combat discrimination faced by Roma in accessing and receiving health care.
3. Support the development and implementation of health related laws, policies and practices that ensure just and equitable treatment for Roma.
4. Hold authorities accountable for their health and health related responsibilities to Roma under local/ regional/ national/ international laws and policies.
RHP pursues these goals and objectives through both grant-making and operational efforts, including fostering activist leadership, capacity building of civil society, advocacy and information sharing activities. Its geographic mandate covers primarily:
Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and to a lesser extent, Ukraine.
Responsibilities
The RHP Program Assistant will provide comprehensive organizational, secretarial and administrative support to the RHP program staff. The Program Assistant is expected to develop extensive knowledge of the organizational structure of the Open Society Foundations including knowledge of the key personnel in support departments and knowledge of the aims and objectives of the Foundations. The successful applicant will demonstrate high-level organizational and computer skills, and strong interpersonal and communication skills, both oral and written, in English. The Program Assistant will report directly to the Program Officer of the Roma Health Project and will have the following responsibilities:
1. Provide ongoing financial and legal administrative support to the RHP Budapest office, including the following:
· Draft legal contracts for consultants, service providers, and grantees.
· Ensure high quality administration and tracking of grants; maintain regular communication with grantees and with Public Health staff and other members of the Open Society Foundations with regard to project development, implementation and reporting.
· Process grant, vendor and consultant payments.
· Maintain and file copies of Budapest-based contracts and payments.
· Maintain a database of Budapest-based program expenditures (budget update).
· Support the project staff by facilitating project logistics either locally or abroad; manage office systems including travel related arrangements.
· Prepare and track pre- and post-conference budget in case of meetings and events organized by RHP; reviews monthly financial reports and produce updated spending reports.
· Process payments for service providers
· Prepare/compile necessary conference documents, including taking minutes of meetings.
2. Serve as RHP’s contact person with the support departments of the Open Society Foundations; assist with effective information sharing and communication between the various Roma initiatives within the Open Society Foundations and other Public Health Program initiatives through participation in relevant meetings and effective information dissemination.
3. Assist with maintaining ongoing communication with the partners on the Roma Health Scholarship Program (RHSP) and other tasks related to RHSP as assigned by the program officer in charge.
4. Assist with monitoring of grantees to ensure compliance with grant procedures and program agreement.
5. Assist with developing information for internal Open Society Foundations documents (reports, program updates, Public Health Program newsletter updates) on the Roma Health Project.
6. Continuously update the RHP website to maintain it as an effective information tool on grantees, initiatives, events, publications, and partners.
7. Other tasks as assigned.
Requirements
· Graduate degree in law, social work, sociology, psychology, public health or other relevant field.
· Excellent English language skills; spoken and written fluency.
· Attentive to detail and able to work well under pressure.
· Excellent computer skills (expertise with Microsoft Office, Excel, Access and databases required).
· Excellent organizational skills and ability to listen and communicate clearly and effectively with people from diverse cultures.
· High level of self-motivation and ability to work independently.
· Near native fluency in spoken and written Hungarian is a strong plus.
· Demonstrated high level of enthusiasm and commitment to Roma Health issues.
· In depth knowledge of the situation of Roma from Central and South Eastern Europe a strong plus.
· Romani language is an advantage, other languages from the region is a strong plus.
How to Apply
Please send curriculum vitae and cover letter in English, including gross, annual salary requirement, to applications@admingroup.hu indicating “Program Assistant – Roma Health Project” in the subject line. No phone calls, please.
Application deadline: March 18, 2011.
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