Program Advisor at The Freedom Fund

About the Freedom Fund

The Freedom Fund (www.freedomfund.org) is a leader in the global movement to end modern slavery. It:

• invests in those countries and sectors with the greatest incidence of slavery.
• analyses which interventions work best and shares that knowledge.
• brings together a community of activists committed to ending slavery and empowered by the knowledge of how best to do so.
• generates funding by demonstrating how effective interventions can protect those at risk of being enslaved and free those in slavery.

The Freedom Fund works to combat many different forms of extreme exploitation, including forced labour, sex trafficking, forced marriage, and the worst forms of child labour. In its first eight years, the Freedom Fund has supported over 140 organisations in Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Indonesia, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Thailand working on communities affected by slavery, and collectively they have had an impact in over 1 million vulnerable people.

About the position

The Freedom Fund is seeking a Program Advisor to support the implementation of our program in the Metropolitan Region of Recife, in Pernambuco, Brazil. The Program Advisor will work closely with the Program Manger based in Brazil, and with other Freedom Fund staff based in the UK. The successful candidate will have a range of responsibilities including managing grants to local partners working in the region, conducting site visits, identifying and managing relationships with suppliers, supporting a community of practice among grant recipients, monitoring results and reporting impacts, providing logistic support and convening meetings and events.

The position will be an independent contractor to the Freedom Fund and not an employee of the organisation. As a consultant, the position is not eligible for any employee-related benefits, plans or programs of the Freedom Fund. The consultant is expected to provide their own workspace to successfully carry out the deliverables listed below.

This is expected to be a full-time assignment. The successful candidate will be given a one-year contract which will be reviewed annually with the potential for renewal.

About the program

The commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is a vast but invisible problem in Brazil. The pandemic has further exacerbated the exploitative circumstances that vulnerable children and their families are subject to, and increased their risk of being trafficked and sexually exploited. The Freedom Fund’s long-term strategy to tackle this devastating issue is to develop a full hotspot program to reduce the prevalence of CSEC in the Metropolitan Region of Recife, in Pernambuco, Brazil. The strategy for this new hotspot program has been developed in consultation with a large range of relevant stakeholders and the program will be set-up over the coming months. A team of global experts has been conducting rigorous research on the prevalence of CSEC in the region and on including voices of survivors. Since last year, the Freedom Fund has also been working with local partners to provide emergency relief to vulnerable communities affected by covid-19, and to conduct pilot initiatives to tackle the problem.

Responsibilities

Working with the programs team in London, Program Manager and Program Advisor in Brazil, the successful candidate will manage and implement the Freedom Fund’s program in the Metropolitan Region of Recife (RMR). Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Support implementation of the program in the RMR districts, working closely with local grantee partners, local government officials, and other key stakeholders.
• Work closely with local grantee partners to ensure they are able to meet donor compliance requirements and to complete financial and narrative reports.
• Conduct regular office and program site visits of grant recipients.
• Facilitate reviews of grant recipients’ operations, processes, and policies, such as financial reviews and organisational capacity assessments.
• Contribute to the development and coordination of capacity building plans for grant recipients.
• Review grant recipients’ quarterly data and financial reports, giving feedback and supporting grant recipients to improve quality of their reporting.
• Provide financial oversight of grant recipient budgets and ensure strong financial management and reporting.
• Support the coordination of program-level research and evaluation projects among grant recipients.
• Assist in the development and facilitation of a learning community/network of implementing organisations/partners, and their outreach and advocacy.
• Identify, vet, manage relationships, and coordinate work with technical assistance providers.
• Coordinate and attend various meetings for a diverse range of stakeholders, including grant recipients, government stakeholders, and other service providers.
• Provide logistical support for Freedom Fund representatives and other donors to visit the program.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of local and national level advocacy strategies, working closely with government representatives and advocacy networks.
• Communicate progress, challenges, and lessons learned related to program deliverables with members of the the Freedom Fund team on a regular basis.
• Collaborate with other members of the Freedom Fund in other countries and headquarters, as needed.
• Carry out other relevant assignments on behalf of the Freedom Fund, as requested.

Qualifications and experience

The Freedom Fund seeks a commited, thoughtful and self-motivated junior Program Advisor, capable of working with limited supervision and of quickly establishing effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. The successful candidate will have experience working with poor and marginalised communities and a track record of successful program management and implementation.

Essential

• 2 – 3 years of experience in project management/coordination and and community development in Brazil.
• Knowledge of and experience working in the areas of human rights, violence against children, child labour, human trafficking, community development or related issues.
• Experience in managing grants and projects.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation of grants and programs, including data collection, data management, and financial monitoring.
• Experience working with vulnerable populations in a highly sensitive environment.
• Fluency in English.

Desirable

• Experience liaising with and hosting donors.
• Grant making experience on behalf of an international organisation to local civil society organisations.
• Knowledge of and experience in other key areas, such as, workers’ rights, economic empowerment, mental health, migration, environmental rights, an asset.
• Knowledge and experience working with the movement to tackle sexual violence against children in Brazil, and/or child labour, human rights, or anti-human trafficking initiatives.
• Experience managing projects funded by institutional donors (such as JTIP, EU, USAID) is highly desirable.
• Experience of victim/witness protection, safeguarding challenges, and risk management strategies.

Personal attributes

• Committed to the Freedom Fund’s values and passionate about human rights issues.
• Strong communications skills.
• Detail oriented with the ability to manage and track data across multiple grant recipients.
• Strong group facilitation skills and community organising skills.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and organisational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines.
• Ability to take initiative and work independently.
• Ability to form good working relationships with survivor groups, local grantee partners, government, INGOs, and other local stakeholders.
• A positive attitude, willingness to support team members to meet short-term needs in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven experience working effectively in a cross-cultural team.

Location

• Strong preference will be given to candidates who reside in the Recife Metropolitan Region.
• Based in Recife.

Compensation

• $39,438 – $40,475 USD per annum, dependant on experience
• 33 days of annual leave, inclusive of national holidays.
• Medical insurance contribution of up to $4,800 USD per annum.