Position: Project Coordinator Jekhipe
ERGO Network is hiring a Project Coordinator on a 100% basis to join its
team in Brussels (80% on Jekhipen and 20% on other ERGO advocacy activities)
ERGO Network
ERGO Network (www.ergonetwork.org) brings together 30 members from across Europe and supports organisations with a common perspective on Roma grassroots empowerment and equal citizenship to challenge stereotypes and combat stigmatization. We mobilize and connect organisations and individuals that share and express our values – active citizenship, shared responsibility, and passion to strengthen Roma civil society involvement in decision-making at local, national and European levels and to address existing shortcomings of policies targeted at Roma.
Jekhipe Project
Under the Jekhipe project, ERGO Network, together with its partners from Czechia, Germany, Italy, Romania, Spain and Sweden, undertook to address some of the key structural and institutional obstacles in achieving justice and equality for Roma in practice by tackling the lack of acknowledgement of Roma as victims of historical injustices such as slavery or the Holocaust and the set-up or adequate compensations and reconciliation processes; or the lack of access to services and rights; the lack of Roma museums and institutional representation of Roma in arts and culture; the lack of Roma history teaching etc.
The project is built on the assumption that to achieve Roma equality, inclusion and participation, priority needs to be given to restore the humanity and dignity of Roma and give value to Roma identity in ways that Roma was never granted since the moment they entered today’s Europe. Roma annihilation policies and practices, including portraying Roma in dehumanising ways have solidified negative perceptions and treatment and targeted actions by both state and non-state actors against Roma that have been justified and perpetuated since the beginning, feeding into a perpetual cycle of marginalisation and victimisation of Roma in society.
This is why JEKHIPE focuses on multiple and complementing levels of policy making, including research and evidence-building, monitoring and advocacy, networking and alliances building, awareness raising and capacity building and empowerment to address what we view as core obstacles and concerns hindering Roma equality. It attempts to engage with national and European institutions and relevant stakeholders, including academia, politicians, justice mechanisms, state authorities, civil society and Roma communities themselves and challenge the status quo on approaching Roma issues, particularly antigypsyism and propose mechanisms that can create increased accountability by national governments.
More specifically, the project aims to achieve the following objectives:
- Build transitional justice processes and mechanisms at the EU, national, regional/local levels, including by setting up expert and/or truth commissions on antigypsyism.
- Develop policy recommendations for EU and national policymakers on transitional justice approaches to address antigypsyism.
- Raise awareness of the manifestations of institutional antigypsyism and policy and legislative developments in the fight against antigypsyism.
- Promote Roma identity, history and culture as a tool to prevent and fight antigypsyism, and include Roma history and culture in school curricula.
- Empower Roma communities and NGOs to recognise and fight antigypsyism.
- Capacitate local Roma civil society and key stakeholders in countering antigypsyism.
Task description
The project coordinator will be hired under the Jekhipe Project and will report directly to ERGO Network Senior Advocacy Officer on Anti-racism and Antigypsyism. The project coordinator will have the following responsibilities:
Project management Jekhipe:
- To ensure that project tasks are implemented timely and correctly
- To ensure regular open coordination between all consortium partners
- To develop and maintain strong relationships with project partners and stakeholders, fostering a culture of partnership and collaboration
- To provide regular project updates to senior management and project partners, as advised by the senior management.
- To ensure financial management of the project, including budget tracking and reporting together with the Senior Programme Manager of ERGO Network.
- To identify and manage project risks, implement appropriate mitigation strategies where necessary, and ensure compliance with EU regulations and reporting requirements.
- To ensure timely and correct reporting of all partners.
- To regularly monitor progress and conduct internal interim evaluations.
- To prepare online, hybrid and on-site events and meetings (venues, catering, billing, planning, contact with suppliers).
Contribute to the implementation of activities under the project and beyond:
- To raise awareness of the manifestations of institutional and structural antigypsyism and policy and legislative developments in the fight against antigypsyism.
- To promote the development of national data and indicators on antigypsyism under the EU Roma framework.
- To develop policy recommendations for EU and national policymakers in areas focusing on but not limited to transitional justice, environmental racism and the fight against antigypsyism and racism more broadly.
- To organise events, including drafting agendas and organising logistical aspects of events.
- To organise and/or contribute to training events on capacity building of CSOs on issues of non-discrimination, racism and antigypsyism.
- To represent ERGO in public events and in multi-stakeholder platforms; prepare public presentations and defend ERGO’s positions.
Requirements
Experience:
- University degree – preferably in a relevant field such as public social sciences or law.
- At least 3 years working on Roma policy issues at national or European level, particularly on human rights aspects, including non-discrimination.
- Previous specific policy experience targeting racism and discrimination is desirable.
- At least three years of demonstrated professional experience in project management (EU project management is desirable).
Skills:
- Excellent project management skills, including planning, budgeting, risk management and stakeholder management.
- Good knowledge of discrimination or antigypsyism issues related to Roma in Europe.
- Good understanding of the functioning of EU institutions.
- Legal background and knowledge of transitional justice processes are an added value.
- A good understanding of EU project rules and financial regulations is desirable.
- Fluency in English (written and spoken) is essential; proficiency in Romanes and other European languages is an advantage.
- Strong experience with Microsoft Office (Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships with project partners and stakeholders;
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Strong organisational skills with attention to detail
- Ability to work independently and responsibly in an international team
- Ability to organise work assignments, set priorities and meet deadlines
- Creative, forward-thinking and proactive attitude
- Gender awareness
- Ability to work effectively in a team environment and manage multiple tasks simultaneously
- Genuine interest in the values and mission of the ERGO Network
Conditions
- The job location is Brussels. This is a full-time position (37,5 hours/week)
- The successful candidate will start as soon as possible.
- Salary: gross monthly salary starting from € 3,200 gross depending on the level of experience, coupled with various legal and extra-legal benefits: 13th-month salary, holiday bonus, luncheon vouchers (8€ per working day), transport allowance (49€ per month)), hospitalisation insurance, additional 7 days of holidays per year.
- A 2-year full-time work contract with an intention to extend, subject to funding;
- An organisation committed to values of democracy, fairness, integrity and sustainability;
- A friendly and respectful work environment.
Location
We offer Belgian contracts under Belgian law. The candidate must commit to officially registering in Belgium and working partially from our office in Brussels. This currently entails a structural teleworking scheme (with at least 2 days in the office per week, depending on the position) and will work under the supervision of the ERGO Senior Advocacy Officer on Anti-Racism and Antigypsyism.
Application procedure
Interested and qualified candidates should complete the application form and submit it to info@ergonetwork.org by 6 February 2024, 23:59 CET, indicating in the subject of the email “Application Project Coordinator Jekhipe”. This email address can also be used for further information and questions.
Successful candidates will be invited for interviews online or in Brussels on February 12th.
ERGO is an equal opportunities employer. We respect our employees’ private lives, including where they take care roles. We strive to be an inclusive organisation and encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates.
