Brief Description:

Role: Technical Coordinator – Project Management
Position Type: Pro-Innovator Volunteer
Project: EMBRACE
Partner: ADRA Myanmar
Location: Hpa-an Township, Kayin State, Burma/Myanmar
Travel: Position is based at the EMBRACE project office, travel to the village sites needs to be planned a month in advance due to Government restrictions
Duration: 10 months
Eligibility Requirements: Volunteer must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
Application deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis

About EMBRACE

EMBRACE is a four-year project designed to improve the maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) of vulnerable women, girls and boys in Cambodia, the Philippines and Myanmar through improving access to essential health services, building the capacity of local health workers, and providing community education programs. Funded in part by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada, EMBRACE is a project led by ADRA Canada and implemented in partnership Youth Challenge International (YCI) and the Hincks-Dellcrest Centre (HDC).

About the opportunity

The EMBRACE Burma/Myanmar project is seeking an analytical Technical Coordinator – Project Management with an ability to grasp new concepts and assignments quickly and add value to an on-going project. The volunteer will work collaboratively with the Project Manager and Program Director to analyze the project activities and in-coming results against the performance measurement framework (PMF) deliverables in order to make recommendations for improvement as well as support the development of improvement plans and actions. The volunteer will document processes, practices and new knowledge in key components of this maternal, newborn and child health project. Key components include, but are not limited to, child and maternal nutrition, community savings, WASH, sexual reproductive health and rights and the integration of cross-cutting themes of gender, environment and governance.

A Myanmar government-issued travel authorization is required for the volunteer to travel to the project communities. Travel to the communities will only be possible when the travel authorization has been approved. The volunteer will be based in the EMBRACE project office and will be working and living in Hpa-an Township for the duration of his/her placement. The volunteer will receive detailed project orientation at ADRA Canada’s Newcastle Office and Youth Challenge International’s Toronto Office for one week prior to deployment.

ADRA Myanmar is a Seventh-day Adventist faith-based organization, employing professionals from different faiths, and the volunteer will be expected to respect and reflect the values and lifestyle of the organization while in the field.

What you will be doing:

Working in coordination with the Burma/Myanmar team, the ideal candidate will:

Develop a full understanding of the EMBRACE Project Contribution Agreement;
Prepare and/or review information and reports ensuring compliance with Contribution Agreement requirements e.g. annual reports provide all needed information in correct format;
Support the Project Manager, Programs Director and Finance Director to ensure fiscal and programmatic compliance with grant requirements, e.g. all pre-requisite steps fulfilled for WASH construction;
Assist the Project Manager and Programs Director in monitoring timely and appropriate implementation of project activities against budget to ensure an acceptable burn rate;
Assist in preparations for external monitoring visits;
Oversee and support the semi-annual and annual report process by: 1) ensuring quality and accuracy of data, 2) coordinating and reviewing the country reports, 3) developing an executive summary that synthesizes key findings across the project activities, 4) submitting the report to the Project Manager for approval;
Analyse and document the key project interventions of child and maternal nutrition, community savings, WASH, sexual reproductive health and rights, health worker/volunteer training and the integration of cross-cutting themes of gender, environment and governance. community savings, WASH (which includes construction);
Ensure the cross-cutting themes of gender, environment and governance in the project proposal and baseline planning documents are effectively integrated into project reporting and are accurately documented in the outputs and outcomes;
Work collaboratively with Project Manager to jointly document project results;
Identify new knowledge and best practices and ensure project-wide knowledge sharing;
Champion the integration of new knowledge into project interventions and recommend additional monitoring and evaluation plans as needed;
Participate in gender, M&E and communications project committees;
Perform other duties as designated by the Supervisor.
What you need to have:

Bachelor’s degree in International Development, Social Sciences or any related field;
Strong report writing and analytical skills;
Demonstrated experience effectively documenting processes;
Strong understanding of the RBM framework and Global Affairs Canada reporting requirements;
Proficient budgeting and financial management skills;
Excellent written & verbal communication skills with well-developed interpersonal skills;
Highly motivated and self-directed;
Team-player;
A passion for social justice and community service;
Flexible and adaptable to a challenging and high-pressure working environment and unpredictable workload;
An ability and willingness to work in rural areas and new cultural and professional settings.
What would be awesome to have:

Master’s degree in health or social sciences with an emphasis on international development or business administration;
Certification or studies in public health, rural development, community development, project management or project monitoring and evaluation;
Experience implementing health projects, with specific MNCH experience is considered a strong asset;
Health promotion or service delivery;
Project planning and report writing experience;
An awareness of gender-sensitive behavior change strategies;
Demonstrated experience conducting successful training and coaching, particularly in a developing country context;
A strong understanding of process workflows and operating controls;
Experience living, working or volunteering abroad.
What we offer:

This is a 10 month subsidized skilled volunteer position. YCI will provide the volunteer with:

Predeparture training and debrief in Toronto (including travel and accommodation)
In-country orientation
Return airfare and visa/permit fees
Vaccinations allowance (up to $300 CDN)
Emergency medical and evacuation insurance
Support and mentorship while in country
$1,200 CAD/month stipend to cover accommodation, food, work-related communications and transportation
YCI does not cover the following:

Trip cancellation and interruption insurance (recommended)
Social activities
Personal travel
How to get involved:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. To apply for this position, please complete our volunteer application form. We thank all applicants for their interest, but will only contact those that have been selected for an interview. We will not accept any phone calls about this position.

About us:

Youth Challenge International (YCI) is a leading global youth development organization that promotes youth innovation to drive positive change. Over the past 30 years, YCI has supported youth-led initiatives and volunteer engagement with over 250,000 youth in 16 countries around the world. YCI’s programs are a unique and effective opportunity for individuals to participate in development programming. By combining the energy and skills of volunteers with local youth and partners, YCI provides volunteers with the opportunity to contribute to innovative programming while developing personal and professional skills.

Note: Program participation is completely voluntary and is by no means and shall not be construed as an employment contract and that he or she is not entitled to claim for any wages, indemnity, payment, notice of termination or pay in lieu of notice of termination, or any other benefits and agrees that he or she may not be considered as an employee under employment laws including the Act, respecting Labour Standards and the Civil Code of Quebec.

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