VSO is the world’s leading international development charity that works through volunteers to create a fair world for everyone.

At VSO we pride ourselves on doing development differently. We fight poverty not by sending aid, but by working through volunteers and partners to create long-lasting change in some of the world’s poorest regions.

We bring key stakeholders together to co-ordinate collective action, from local organisations to national governments. Our programmes in Africa and Asia focus on health, education and livelihoods, with an increasing emphasis on resilience, peace building, social accountability, gender and social inclusion. We’re not about delivering quick fixes, but instead we focus on long-lasting, sustainable change that will improve the lives of generations to come.

Role overview

Working at project location – In this role, you will provide on-site support in the project location and/or VSO office, (full-time unless otherwise specified) for a set period of time.

As the National Peace Building and DRR Advisor you will provide technical expertise, capacity building and accompaniment on conflict sensitivity, peacebuilding, social cohesion, disaster risk management and inclusion in the IPDHE project (Integrating Peacebuilding, Development, and Humanitarian Efforts) in Moyale, Kenya.

Ideal Applicant Summary

Experience:
• Previous experience of working in peacebuilding, disaster management and resilience community development projects in fragile or conflict affected contexts
• Experience of facilitating participatory, inclusive activities using a range of methodologies and techniques.
• Experience of capacity building and enabling young people and primary actors to be active citizens.
• Experience in collecting monitoring and evaluation data and narrative reporting
• Experience working in Moyale Kenya particularly along Ethiopia-Kenya border
• Experience in supporting implementation of humanitarian or development program activities.
Skills/Abilities:
• Excellent communication skills with good command of spoken and written English, Kiswahili, Borana/Gabra, Burji, Garre or and any other local languages in Moyale.
• Community development techniques and skills
• Ability to work in a team in a collaborative way
• Ability to build effective working relationships, inspiring confidence and credibility with communities, partners and stakeholders at all levels.
• Ability to support delivery project activities in collaboration with implementing partner and stakeholders
• Data and system management; IT literacy (Microsoft, finance, project management software, Salesforce system)
• Able to work professionally with a high degree of confidentiality
• Excellent coordination and planning skills with experience of working under pressure. Time management skills are essential

Competencies and Behaviour

At VSO we believe progress is only possible by working together. Whether you want to join us as an employee, or as a volunteer working in your own country, overseas or online, our selection process includes an assessment based on these core competencies:

• Ability to be open minded and respectful
• Ability to be resilient and adaptive to new situations
• Ability to facilitate positive change and build sustainable working relationships
• Ability to seek and share knowledge

Equal Opportunities

VSO promotes equal opportunities and values a diverse workforce.

Allowance

As a VSO volunteer, you will be sharing your skills with local communities on a full time basis. VSO will cover your travel, vaccinations, accommodation, and medical insurance costs, along with a local living allowance which will be paid in local currency. This allowance meets reasonable living expenses in country, but will not be enough to send money home. You will also receive some financial support to contribute to your on-going expenses at home.

Accommodation

VSO works with some of the poorest communities in the world which means accommodation varies and will be basic.

Some background about VSO

Much has changed since VSO started 60 years ago. We’ve gone from being a UK charity to a global development organisation.

In 2021/22, more than 3 thousand people from all over the world volunteered with VSO to deliver services to over 8 million people in the 28 countries where we work. Our programmes focus on health, education and livelihoods, emphasising resilience building, social accountability, gender and social inclusion. We believe progress is only possible when we work together and that strong partnerships are crucial to delivering positive change.

That’s why we work with over 500 partner organisations, from local and national governments to businesses, NGOs, funders, charities and community groups. Currently, over 40% of our people are recruited from within the country where they work, and we continue to grow the share of community and national volunteers involved in our programmes.

We also send increasing numbers of volunteers from one developing country to another. However, our vision has remained the same; to build a world without poverty.

If you’re interested in applying for this role, please download the job description for more information.

How to apply

Step 1

Complete the registration form below. When you have completed the form, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to our VSO Values self-assessment. This is a module designed to give you an insight into VSO’s ethos and provide you with an understanding of how your values align with ours, helping you to decide if you would like to join our organisation. The self-assessment module typically takes about 10 minutes to complete. 

Step 2

After completing the VSO Values self-assessment, you can opt out or proceed with the application process. You will need to upload your CV in Word or PDF format detailing your employment and educational history, and any volunteering experience. Please note that you will need to complete the full application form in one go as you cannot save it to fill at a later time.

Step 3

When you have submitted your application, you will receive an email inviting you to complete two assessments which focus on how you process information and what your work approach is. 

You will be shown instructions and example questions prior to the assessments to help you increase your familiarity with them. You will also have access to a short profile report on completion of the assessment. Your application will be reviewed by our Resourcing Team when you have completed these assessments. 

Should you require any adjustments to be made to the application process due to a disability or any other circumstances, please email us at [email protected] to discuss your requirements.