The Assistant to the National Coordinator has for a general goal to assist the National Coordinator with assuring deliverables, furthering donor relations, completing administrative tasks, tracking deadlines, and liaising with both national staff and international Tostan offices.

Start Date: January 2011

Minimum commitment: 1 year        

Hours per week: 40 hours/week, but must also be flexible to work/travel on weekends depending on tasks

Location: Bamako , Mali with travel to field office and villages (50%)

Responsibilities

• Assist National Coordinator with various tasks, ranging from organizational to administrative to linguistic, etc.
• Research, write, and deliver quarterly reports to project funders and partners, in coordination with National Coordinator, Assistant National Coordinator, and Executive Director
• Write and send reports/work group minutes, and periodic status reports to Executive Team
• Assist staff to professionally present Tostan’s work, including during donor and partner visits, with local and national media, in the office space, etc.
• Collaborate with local and international staff to produce public relations materials (in French and English), such as PowerPoint presentations, brochures, films (if qualified)
• Represent Tostan Mali at local and national conferences, interact with visiting donors and project partners, etc.
• Serve as primary liaison between Tostan Mali and the International Communications Team ( Dakar , Paris, and Washington , DC ), including preparation of written documents for internal and external communications such as articles/stories for intranet, website, newsletters, and other Tostan communications vehicles
• Participate in strategic reflection and planning for project as program progresses
• Synthesize monthly Regional Coordinator and Supervisor reports for entry into Tostan Mali database

• Investigate and communicate impacts and effects of Tostan programs in the field through village visits, participating in program evaluations, and writing and sharing reports
• Write village portraits and collect anecdotes to share with Tostan Mali staff and the International Communications Team
• Initiate capacity-building activities for staff in ICT skills, report writing, statistical data collection and analysis, and English through trainings, workshops, and collaboration/critique
• Help to develop an organization and communications system within Tostan Mali to ensure that information is shared with the Executive and International Communications Teams
• Write and edit reports, proposals, articles, etc. for Tostan Mali, including translation when necessary

• Electronic copies of all documents produced, edited, etc. to National Coordinator, incoming volunteer, and Volunteer Coordinator
• Final narrative report of individual activities for internal distribution and adaptation for external use
• Completed “Request for Volunteer” forms, submitted to the Volunteer Coordinator, as needed
• Other activities, as requested by Executive Team, Volunteer Coordinator, and other immediate supervisors and collaborators

• Bachelors degree or current enrollment in Bachelors program; studies in International Development, Education, Gender Studies, other social sciences, Business, Management, or related field
• Experience working with a non-governmental organization / non-profit   OR prolonged experience in a developing country/region
• Thorough understanding of Tostan’s programs and methodologies
• Strong written and spoken proficiency in French and English (writing samples required)
• Capable of working with external stakeholders on planning and program implementation
• Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; Experience with Access or other database software preferred
• Knowledge of Gmail, Google Groups, Google Documents, Google Calendars, and other Internet programs preferred
• Project management experience preferred
• Ability to work independently, self-motivate, and to manage multiple tasks at once
• Strong communication and organizational skills
• Flexible to adapt to a multicultural environment, to work in varied conditions, to be considerate of limited resources, and to adapt work priorities to the immediate needs of the project or donor

• Hands on experience with an internationally recognized NGO
• Development of curriculum vitae/resume
• Opportunity to develop highly sought-after skills in project management, training, and written and oral communication in a multicultural, multilingual environment
• Opportunity to collaborate and interact with communities, Tostan staff, international volunteers, and a variety of donors and partners

• Common volunteer housing and utilities
• Lunch Monday-Friday
• All work-related travel covered by Tostan
• Internet access in office during business hours

• Week-long volunteer orientation with other volunteers
• Short introduction to software
• Other training, as deemed necessary and appropriate by supervisors 
  

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