Vacancy: Country Coordinator
Country: North Macedonia
Introduction of the Scholarship Program
The (REF SP) offers scholarships for Roma students at the university level and consists of four scholarship schemes available on a yearly basis: Roma Memorial University Scholarship Program (RMUSP), Law and Humanities Program (LHP), Roma International Scholar Program (RISP), and Roma Health Scholarship Program (RHSP). The schemes are currently implemented in the following countries (“the Program Countries”): Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo*, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey, and Ukraine.
Description of the Country Coordinator’s role
The Country Coordinator (CC) shall work in close cooperation with the REF SP Program Officers. In its respective country the Country Coordinator shall be responsible for the overall implementation of the administrative and program-related tasks, as well as with the organizing and unfolding of the Program’s Outreach and Information campaign. The Country Coordinator shall be responsible for the task of reviewing the applications and performing the Eligibility Check, as well as for maintaining and regularly updating -as accurately as possible- the information and data in the Scholarship Program’s GMS and Online Application System (OAS).
The Country Coordinator’s main responsibilities:
- Co-operation with REF SP in organizing and preparing the annual Program’s materials, such as the scholarship Application Guidelines, announcements, brochures, flyers, and in the arrangement of making occasional translations, upon request;
- Closely liaising with the NSBs during the evaluation process, and regularly monitoring their progress, in order to ensure compliance with the set schedule and deadline, and provide assistance in the process, when necessary;
- Conducting accurate check and evaluation of SP grantees’ Intermediary Reports;
- Systematically checking and updating of graduation status in the data base; reaching out to former beneficiaries and collecting information and evidence about the status of graduation of REF SP beneficiaries;
- Regularly providing assistance and support to REF SP for the development and implementation of its REF Alumni and Beneficiary Network;
- Preparing and providing support for the NSB Selection Meeting and for the individual interviews with applicants; Preparing the minutes and report of the NSB Selection Meeting, and of other events organized within Program’s framework;
- Managing expenses related to the country coordination activities and directing respective payments, as requested, to the Finance Department for processing;
- Organizing in-country trainings and conferences with scholarship beneficiaries, in accordance with the annual plan and guidelines of specific scholarship schemes;
- Assisting in all implementation stages of REF SP professional development components addressed to ongoing beneficiaries (e.g foreign language courses; computer courses, conferences, internships; small-scale project grants, etc.);
- Follow regularly the developments of the legal and policy framework of the higher education academic environment in the country;
- Learning about the existence of other (national or international) scholarship schemes /programs in the country, both state-sponsored and private, as well as about available student mobility schemes, students loan schemes, and promptly sharing such information with REF SP;
- Exploring regularly the funding opportunities, both national and international available for the concerned country, and sharing the information with REF SP, and assisting the Program in fundraising activities;
Necessary Qualifications:
- BA/BS or MA degree in social sciences and humanities and/or other relevant disciplines;
- Fluency in English (written and spoken);
- Relevant experience and sound understanding of the higher educational programs and relevant policy frameworks and their implementation;
- 2-3 years of work experience in academic program administration /coordination;
- Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, as well as ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities;
- Computer literacy with practical experience in Microsoft applications;
- Extensive program administration and planning skills, experience in operating with databases and data specific software;
- Experience and competencies in working in a multicultural environment;
- Knowledge of Romani language is considered an added value;
- Excellent communication skills.
Core competencies:
- Initiative: Actively seeks to improve programs or services; Seeks challenging experiences and approaches them with passion, enthusiasm and professionalism;
- Planning and Organization: Develops clear goals and achieves results that are consistent with agreed strategies; Adapts and reacts in a flexible manner when necessary;
- Communication: Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed;
- Teamwork: Works independently and collaboratively with others to achieve organizational goals; Shares knowledge and insight with others;
- Ownership: Accepts personal responsibility (including shortcomings) and ownership of actions (including for work unit, where applicable) for achieving results; Understands organizational vision, mission and values, and leverages this knowledge when making decisions; Makes tough decisions when necessary;
- Development: Actively seeks to develop oneself professionally and personally and to contribute to the growth of the organization; Seeks feedback to learn and improve the organization;
Organizational Values
In order to develop and deliver our education programs that provide quality, inclusive education for Roma children and youth, we believe in five core values that join us together and that mirror the work, actions and ideals of our organization and its culture:
- Tenacity; Integrity; Justice; Accountability; Inquisitiveness
How to apply
Qualified candidates are invited to send their Cover Letters, CV`s (both in English) and contact details of three Reference persons by November 7, 2019 via email to recruitment@romaeducationfund.org with the subject line: Country Coordinator North Macedonia.
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Individuals identifying themselves as Roma and fulfilling the above-mentioned profile and requirements are particularly encouraged to apply.
Roma Education Fund is an equal opportunities employer.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
