We’re Hiring: South Africa-based Project Managers

UPDATE (7/1/2011): The application process for these positions is now closed.

UPDATE (8/15/2011): These positions have been filled. Thank you to all who expressed interest.

We’re hiring again. And, by the way, opening an office in Cape Town, South Africa (more on that to come). Interested in working with us? Read more and apply below.

Organizational Description

Global Integrity (https://globalintegrity.org) is one of the world’s leading independent information providers on governance and corruption trends globally, generating original, bottom-up data and journalistic reporting through a network of more than 1,200 local experts in 120-plus countries.  Its information on national-level anti-corruption systems is used regularly by aid donors (World Bank, UN, Inter-American Development Bank, Millennium Challenge Corporation), civil society advocates, and reformers within government to design and implement evidence-based governance reform strategies.  The organization has won an Ashoka “Changemakers” award an “Every Human Has Rights” award from The Elders and Internews; its methodology for assessing the existence and effectiveness of anti-corruption mechanisms is described by the World Bank as “best practice.”

Global Integrity is known in particular for its expertise in developing quantitative indicators to assess the existence, effectiveness, and citizen access to accountability mechanisms at the national, sub-national, and sector levels.  It also has significant experience working on sub-national accountability reforms under the auspices of its Local Integrity Initiative (see http://local.www.globalintegrity.org), and regularly blends qualitative journalistic reporting with its data gathering efforts.  Across all of its fieldwork at the national, sub-national, and sector levels in more than 100 countries, the organization has designed, fielded, and published more than 80,000 quantitative indicators of accountability, transparency, and anti-corruption mechanisms.

Beginning in 2007, Global Integrity began to seek out opportunities to convene governments with our local research teams to discuss and debate the results of Global Integrity fieldwork in an attempt to stimulate consensus around next steps on the governance reform agenda in particular countries.  That model, which we eventually dubbed our “Global Integrity Dialogues,” has proved successful and more than a dozen highly-specific, intensive workshops have been carried out in countries as diverse as Brazil, Timor-Leste, and Rwanda. 

Our focus on providing technology to bolster the capacity of like-minded groups is a key priority going forward.  One of the reasons Global Integrity has been able to scale its work so efficiently without increasing overhead is our heavy reliance on (and investment in) a low-bandwidth web-based platform that allows researchers and reporters anywhere on the planet to collaborate on data gathering and reporting from anywhere they can find an internet connection.  The third generation of our global fieldwork platform is currently being developed to allow external, third-party partners to use the system to design, execute, and publish their own governance and corruption assessments with little to no involvement by Global Integrity staff (see http://getindaba.org for details).

Job Description

Project Manager – Global Integrity is embarking on a new five-year collaboration with the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to generate original data on a range of governance issues across all 54 African countries; that data will then feed into future iterations of the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, which helps to shape the debate on the continent around governance reform priorities. To support that fieldwork (which will formally begin later in 2011), Global Integrity is recruiting two experienced project managers based in South Africa to help recruit, coordinate, and manage a team of researchers across the continent.

With support from other colleagues in Global Integrity’s Washington, DC office and the Global Integrity International Director (based in Durban, South Africa) these managers will lead the organization’s collaborative fieldwork with the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, including (but not limited to): recruiting and managing field teams of researchers in 54 African countries; in conjunction with the International Director, developing new methodologies and indicators for gathering data to feed into the Ibrahim Index of African Governance; performing analysis and quality control over the resultant data; and designing and leading outreach and dissemination activities, including public workshops as well as capacity building and training activities with the research teams.

Like all colleagues at Global Integrity, this position will have the creative space to conceive of and lead new and innovative initiatives on a regular basis. While these positions (and our small newly-established Cape Town-based office itself) will initially be focused solely on Global Integrity’s collaboration with the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, we hope to expand the local office’s purview to other projects and initiatives in the future.  We encourage good ideas and risk-taking.

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Ideal Skill Set

Global Integrity attracts employees from the most distinctive professional and academic backgrounds. There is no cookie cutter ideal candidate for any position at Global Integrity.  We are instead more interested in an individual’s drive, professionalism, and entrepreneurial energy.  For this particular position, the following factors will strengthen an applicant’s candidacy:

•  3-10 years of relevant project management experience working in public policy, international development, journalism, and/or international politics.  Experience working on issues of governance and/or anti-corruption is helpful but not required.

• At least a graduate degree in a relevant area of study, including, but not limited to, public policy, international relations, journalism, comparative politics, or development studies.

• Demonstrated experience in an entrepreneurial role, whether within an organization or as an independent social or private entrepreneur. Familiarity with an international non-profit environment is helpful but not required.

• Comfort in a perpetual start-up environment requiring extensive “self-starter” skills with minimal bureaucratic safety nets or backstopping.

• Strong writing and verbal communication skills: this means the ability to write a press release, policy summary, or op-ed with minimal guidance and the ability to speak comfortably to an expert audience or on camera. Experience with news reporting or blogging (on any topic) is helpful.

• Proficiency in a widely spoken second language (French will be especially valued); working English is also required.

Our Culture

Our office environment (now spread between Washington, New York, Chicago, and Cape Town) requires openness, collaboration and flexibility. Our staff has an uncommon diversity of responsibilities: from high level strategy to online messaging to logistics issues (we book our own travel and fix our own computers), everyone contributes. You will develop new skills in this job; expect to learn and adapt constantly. We are very much a learning organization.

We have a “no jerks” policy; you will be supported by results-oriented yet frequently cheerful coworkers whose primary mode of social engagement is based on trust and respect.

International literacy and cross-cultural sensitivity are considered core competencies.

Compensation

For these positions, Global Integrity will provide a total cost to company package (no fringe benefits), The salary will be dependent on a candidate’s experience and demonstrated skills, and we anticipate a final compensation package ranging between R250,000 and R350,000 depending on the candidate.

How to Apply

We will only be accepting applications for this position online via the following web form:

http://www.tfaforms.com/207189

After reviewing submitted applications, we anticipate calling back a small number of potential candidates for individual interviews via phone or in-person (if possible). A final short-list of candidates will ideally be interviewed in person in Cape Town in late-July by both the Global Integrity Managing Director and International Director.  We are happy to answer additional questions directly (see Contact Information below), but all interested applicants must use the online form to apply for the position.

Deadline for Application: 27 June 2011

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I am not a South African citizen but I’m interested in applying for this position.  Will you sponsor a work visa for me?

A: We are looking for candidates who have the ability to begin working immediately in South Africa without the need for additional work permits.

 

Q: I’ve read about the Indaba platform you’re building; it sounds exciting, but do I need to be a techie?

A: No; in fact, we’re building Indaba so that we can eliminate the need for dedicated programming and database management skills on staff. If you can use a mouse on a computer, you can use Indaba.

 

Q: You use the word “data” often in describing your work.  Do I need to have statistical and/or econometric skills to apply for this position?

A: No, though familiarity with and/or command of basic statistical and econometric skills is welcomed.  We tend to view the data we generate as an entry point to what are often highly political, qualitative discussions and policy choices around governance reform.  We have less faith in the ability of multivariate regressions or factor analyses to shed meaningful light on those discussions in practice.

 

Q: Do I need to be an anti-corruption “specialist” to apply for this position?

A: No, though familiarity with issues of governance, transparency, and corruption are welcomed.

 

Contact Information

Marianne Camerer, International Director

Office +1-202-449-8121

Mobile: + 27 83 266 8316

Skype: micamerer

marianne.camerer@globalintegrity.org

— Photo credit: daniel.berlin