ELGIZ Program Liaison: International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)

Deadline: 27 September 2018 (midday)

The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) seeks a prominent person of wide social influence to serve on a three-month consultancy as Program Liaison. IFES is an international non-governmental organization with its head office in Arlington, Virginia, and has been active in Zimbabwe since 2012. IFES is a global leader in democracy promotion, the advancement of good governance, and support for democratic rights.

IFES is implementing a project called Enhancing Local Governance in Zimbabwe (ELGIZ). Selected Community Based Organisations (CBOs) work in ten targeted rural districts distributed across eight provinces to stimulate grassroots civic engagement in the official decision-making process of the Rural District Councils. Through ELGIZ, Zimbabweans learn how concerted advocacy can produce tangible and positive results that benefit the district population, and thereby improve local government service delivery and accountability.  With this rationale the CBOs will advocate to their Rural District Councils that the priority projects be funded in the Councils’ 2019 budgets.

In parallel IFES seeks through a three-month consultancy to do all possible to secure funding from the national government, for the ten priority projects. The successful candidate will have a broad network among influential persons and extensive experience in and knowledge of parliamentary affairs and government operations. The consultant will lobby parliamentarians and authorities in relevant line ministries for funding of the district priority projects.

Deliverables
Meet with MPs representing each of the selected districts and brief them on the priority projects; Meet Permanent Secretaries and influential staff of relevant line ministries to brief them on the priority projects; Organise and conduct visits of supportive MPs and heads of provincial offices of the line ministries to priority project sites; Assist each CBO to lobby relevant portfolio committees and permanent secretaries to ensure inclusion of priority projects in the national budget; Help CBOs lobby MPs from their districts to commit funds from their Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to priority projects.

Qualifications and Experience
The successful candidate will be a socially prominent person of influence with a Masters degree in a relevant field. In addition, the successful candidate will have: Deep understanding of the political-economy in Zimbabwe; Solid knowledge of devolution as provided for in Chapter 14 of the Constitution, as well as practical expertise in both national and local governance in Zimbabwe; Proven strategic lobbying skills.

To apply
Interested candidates should send their CVs and motivational letter to [email protected] no later than midday Thursday 27 September 2018. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed on Friday 28 September 2018.