ThaiNGO

THE ASIA FOUNDATION

Position Description

TITLE:    Program Officer – Gender and Women’s Empowerment

REPORTS TO:  Senior Program Officer

CONSULTS:  Program Manager ASEAN, Senior Program Officers, TAF Country Offices in ASEAN                   

CONTRACT TERM:  1 year initially, with possibility of extension

SUMMARY OF JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

The Asia Foundation’s (TAF) Thailand Office is seeking qualified, talented Thai applicants for the position of Program Officer for gender and women’s empowerment.

TAF is exploring new program options for programs to promote gender-sensitive policy reform and development, and empowerment of women and girls. TAF is also implementing a project that promotes the protection of the rights of women and girls, LGBTI community, and people with disabilities, through inter-sectional approaches that support collaboration between organizations representing these communities. TAF’s approach to gender sensitive programming also includes LGBTI people, men and boys.

This Program Officer role will primarily be responsible for developing new gender and women’s empowerment programs in Thailand. These new programs will be closely linked to the Foundation’s Women’s Empowerment Programs (WEP), which are managed from TAF’s San Francisco and Washington offices.  This position will focus extensively on identifying promising new programs for gender and women’s empowerment, lead fund-raising efforts, and manage programs in these areas. The Program Officer will manage the current project to protect the rights of women and girls, LGBTI community, and people with disabilities. Possible new program areas may include:

• Support to women’s organizations or networks for purposes of dialogue, research, or advocacy.
• Organizing policy dialogues that bring together researchers, policy-makers, civil society and private sector, on issues that affect women and girls.
• Lead proposal development and fundraising initiatives on these and related issues.
• Extensive engagement with embassies and potential donors.
• Provide advice or technical support for Thai leaders and government agencies, as needed.
• Analysis of key related trends in Thailand, and impact of government programs and policies on women and girls.

QUALIFICATIONS

The Foundation’s philosophy is to hire the most capable and talented people as first priority. Successful candidates will have work experience and academic qualifications in any of the following fields:  gender studies, economics, political science, development, public policy, and social science research. Furthermore, the Foundation is particularly interested in candidates who are comfortable with public speaking, publishing, and engaging with government.  Key qualifications include:

• Extensive knowledge of gender and women’s empowerment issues.
• Experience working for (or engaging with) networks and organizations advocating for the promotion of the rights of women and LGBTI people.
• Experience conducting research, and publishing research outputs
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Ability to work in a fast-paced team environment
• Entrepreneurial, with a track-record of building new programs or initiatives
• Thai citizen (required)
• Advanced university degree (masters or doctorate) preferred but not required.

JOB FUNCTIONS

Intellectual Leadership:  The person in this role will shape program direction, lead intellectual and policy discussions, and strengthen partnerships with research organizations, civil society, Thai Government, and the international community. The position will also play a key role in raising the Foundation’s influence and profile, through contact with the media, influential stakeholders, and the international community.

Flexible, Response Program Management:  This position will play an important role in managing flexible programs that respond to opportunities and requests. The successful candidate should have experience in managing advocacy programs that encourage policy reforms, and improvements in government programs.

Relationship Building:  This position will play an important role in building relations with experts, and officials in Thailand, and around the region. The person in this role will be the Thailand office’s key person in maintaining relations with government officials, embassy officials, civil society leaders, and related experts in Thailand. This relationship-building must be done in close collaboration with key partner embassies/donors, in a way that is complementary and supportive to donor diplomatic efforts.

Please send a cover letter specifying the position to which you are applying with your resume by email to:  poonsook.pantitanonta@asiafoundation.org  by Monday, April 22, 2019. (Only short-listed candidates will be notified).