District Project Coordinator
 Rural Development Institute (RDI)
 Location: Jalpaiguri, West Bengal
 Last Date: June 10, 2011
 Email: jobsrdiindia@gmail.com (Reference: DevNetJobsIndia.org)

Rural Development Institute (RDI) was established as a Trust on 18 May 2008 in order to carry out various programs related to the alleviation of poverty particularly through issues related to land. Its goals are to provide secure land rights to the poor. Its theory of change incorporates field research in order to inform and assist in policy, legislation and implementation of schemes and projects related to land and the poor. It works in support of the national and state government offices that are responsible for the implementation of these programs. Currently, RDI is working in four states: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal and has the National office in New Delhi. The National Office facilities the development of new programmes , undertakes research and has the oversight role in program management.

Job Title: District Project Coordinator

Employment Status: 2 years Contract Fulltime, with possible extension

Place of Performance and based at: Jalpaiguri, West Bengal

Travel Requirements: Local and regional travel.

Supervisor: Project Manager

Project Description: RDI has initiated a pilot project namely “Security of Girls through land” to explore the potential of land ownership / access and land based livelihood skills in reducing the various vulnerabilities adolescent girls face in rural India. Adolescent girls are subject to multiple vulnerabilities: Malnutrition, early drop out from school, early marriage, trafficking in the garb of marriage, dowry, dowry related torture at in-laws place, other domestic violence, abandonment, etc. Despite clear entitlements in law, girls do not get inheritance of their parental and or in-laws property including land. All these relates to societal outlook at girls as a lesser being.

There are excellent government programmes running in various states for girls’ empowerment that address issues of awareness generation, legal literacy, building social network supports, skill building and income generation, to make the girl feel confident, empowered and be sure about her own future. RDI believes that access to land, land based skills and asset creation in the name of girls together with adequate discussions among girls groups, boys groups and among community, including the parents of the girls can add significant value to these schemes and play a vital role in reducing girls’ vulnerabilities from paternal home onward. In rural areas, assets like land or any other assets in the name of girls can give them more confidence and footing when they move to in-laws family and can provide a fall back mechanism for girls in situations of distress. Again, land based livelihood skills can help girls to easily gain such skills, improve their own food security and nutrition and use the same for generation of supplementary income. These types of skills are portable and can be used with little investment either at paternal home or at in-laws. This requires a lot of behavioral change at family level, community level and the way girls rights are prioritized in various asset related support schemes etc.

This project over a period of three years intends to work with L&LR Department in two districts namely Coochbehar & Jalpaiguri on prioritization of daughters-only families as beneficiaries under land gift schemes and with the ICDS on the behavioral aspects and engagement with community, girls and boys groups. The pilot will help understand how girls who get all these supports are greater chances of overcoming difficulties faced by adolescent girls. The project will help advocate replicable processes and steps for wider application along positively through the SABLA / other schemes of the Women and Child Development Department.

Basic Description of the Position

Core Duties: The District Project Coordinator will guide the overall process at the community level and implement activities with adolescent girls and the related stakeholders to achieve the behavioral change goals of the project.

Program Implementation:

1. Facilitate community level activities needed to achieve goals and objectives of the project including the facilitation of community conversations
2. Formation and Nurturing / guiding partners in effective facilitation of girls’ groups and boys groups along themes of Life skill education, land based livelihoods skills, education and ownership and access of assets
3. Liaison and engage with ICDS administration / AWWs, community leaders, opinion makers and opinion influencers on issues of behavioral change towards Girls.
4. Manage given NGO partnerships for program achievement
5. Coordinate with other NGOs and provide training as required
6. Organize and facilitate participatory activities
7. Assist in the documentation and collection of information needed for process documentation
8. Provide referrals for specific cases requiring additional services
9. Coordinate/conduct various survey works
10. Preparation of training/workshop materials
11. Assist/facilitate Monitoring & Evaluation process
12. Assist to design and organize field visits for the Govt.officials and other important personnel
13. Collaborate with staff to foster ongoing relations with donor representatives,
14. Support RDI resource mobilisation strategy and plans in consultation with in the leadership team and State Directors

Administrative Coordination
1. Submit all reports and data on a timely manner
2. Attend all staff meetings as required
3. Provide work support to the other district coordinator and the team

Required Qualifications

Education: Preferably a post graduate degree in Social Sciences, Rural Development or related field.

Experience: Minimum of 7 – 10 years of field level experience. Should have experience in the following areas: Adolescent Girls empowerment, rural community development, and government relations. Demonstrated ability to work with government officials and other stakeholders in rural area is desirable. Training, particularly PRA type training skills and counseling skills will be an added advantage.

Work Habits: Include but are not limited to accuracy, efficiency, thoroughness, regularity, timeliness and punctuality. A strong drive for excellence in work product and personal performance is called for.

Interpersonal & Language Skills: Fluency in English and Bengali required; proficiency in Hindi preferred. Ability to work in support of and collaboratively with a range of people at all levels, including RDI employees both foreign and domestic, the management team, donors, visitors, contractors and subcontractors, outside vendors and services suppliers, and other administrative staff members.

Teamwork Skills: Ability to both lead and work as a member of teams, including consensus building, communications, and leadership skills.

Communications Skills: Ability to communicate well in writing, orally, and non-verbally. Ability to talk and or understand local dialects would be an advantage. Includes an ability to make and use distinctions as to types, frequency, tenor, and levels of communications, depending upon the circumstances, audience, recipient, and content.

Software Skills: Ability to proficiently use Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other software.

Salary will be determined by the experience of the candidate.

RDI is an equal opportunity employer. Women candidates are encouraged to apply.

Interested persons may send their application and updated CV to the following email id with the position applied for marked in the subject line latest by June 10th 2011
jobsrdiindia@gmail.com