Strategy Development Advisor

Assignment Type:

Canadian E-volunteer

Eligibility Requirements:

Open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada only

Assignment ID:

VA-107333

Assignment Title:

Strategy Development Advisor

Partner:

Participatory Development Associates Ltd.

Country:

Ghana

Duration:

Six months (with the possibility of extension)

Time Commitment:

5 to 35 hours per week (flexible)

Assignment Context

Are you passionate about organizational strategy and impact-driven development? Do you have strong skills in strategic planning and analysis? If so, this could be the assignment for you!

As the Strategy Development Advisor with Participatory Development Associates (PDA) in Accra, Ghana, you will play a key role in finalizing PDA’s new 5-year Strategic Plan and supporting management to implement key recommendations from the previous year’s closing report. You will help shape the organization’s future direction, strengthen its strategic systems, and ensure that its programs continue to drive meaningful change.

Apply today to contribute your expertise in strategy and organizational development to one of Ghana’s leading social development organizations!

Roles and Responsibilities

• Review, refine, and finalize PDA’s draft 5-year Strategic Plan in close consultation with management and key stakeholders.
• Analyze findings and recommendations from the previous year’s closing report and incorporate relevant insights into the new strategy and implementation framework.
• Develop a practical roadmap and performance monitoring framework to guide effective rollout of the strategic plan.
• Work with PDA’s leadership team to strengthen their capacity for strategic oversight, performance tracking, and adaptive management.
• Facilitate a validation session or workshop to ensure organizational buy-in and alignment with PDA’s mission, values, and external context

• Participate in pre-assignment training
• Participate in at least 3 public engagement initiatives with Canadian audiences before, during, or after the assignment. Volunteers will be equipped with the tools, training, funds, and support to achieve these goals. Volunteers will also have to report on each of their public engagement activities through our Volunteer Information Portal. Virtual chats and individual check-ins can be booked with the Senior Public Engagement Officer throughout the course of their assignment and up to 2 years after to seek guidance and support with their public engagement activities
• Canadian volunteers are required to do at least one activity that contributes to meeting a fundraising target of $1,500. The minimum requirement is met by each volunteer using our Volunteer Information Portal to report having sent one message to their network about their volunteer assignment that includes the link to the WUSC Shared Impact Fund webpage. This message also counts as one of their three required public engagement activities. Volunteers will be supported with the tools, training, and support to achieve the fundraising goal
• Submit reports as required by the partner organization and by WUSC.

Experience and Qualifications

• Degree and/or training in Strategic Management, Organizational Development, Development Studies, or a related field.
• At least 5 years’ experience in strategic planning, organizational development, or management consulting.
• Proven ability to facilitate strategic reviews, stakeholder consultations, and implementation planning.
• Strong analytical, writing, and communication skills, with the ability to synthesize and present complex information clearly.
• Experience working with development organizations or NGOs in Africa is an asset.
• Flexibility, adaptability, excellent interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity
• Experience with group facilitation and trainings, including content development considered an asset
• Written and oral fluency in English

Project Description

Volunteering for development is one of the important ways in which WUSC pursues its mission. The IGNI+E project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, supports over 70 partner organizations to advance gender equality and the economic empowerment of 1.2 million youth around the world. IGNI+E harnesses the knowledge, capacity and expertise of skilled Canadians through volunteer assignments and public engagement activities to assist partners in improving their performance, advocating for gender equality, and implementing more sustainable, innovative and inclusive initiatives and services for poor and marginalised youth, particularly young women. Overseas, our volunteers collaborate with a wide variety of partners, including enterprise and social enterprise development incubators, skills training centres, women’s organizations, and youth groups. In Canada, WUSC works with institutions and individuals to identify, prepare, and support volunteers who travel overseas to support our partners. Our network in Canada also works with WUSC to raise awareness among Canadians to inspire greater action on global development issues. Our collective focus is on sustainable and inclusive changes to create a better world for youth.

Partner Description

Participatory Development Associates (PDA) supports the processes of empowerment and self-determination in communities, organizations and individuals. PDA works with government, non-government and private organizations, as well as multilateral and bilateral organizations in areas such as decentralization, policy analysis and advocacy, poverty and social assessments, reproductive health, including gender and development, issues of governance in education, health and forestry, organization development with NGOs and other civil society organizations, and monitoring and evaluation. Their approach is to work with people, in groups and as individuals, to help them build their awareness of their situation, see it in a wider context, explore options, make decisions and then move towards a chosen future.

Support Package

• Support and guidance from the WUSC Volunteer Mobilization Team prior to assignment and from the WUSC Country Team while on assignment
• Pre-assignment training where you will have the opportunity to learn about the program, gain practical skills for e-volunteering in an intercultural context and meet other e-volunteers
• Country orientation to better understand the cultural context of the country
• Debriefing after completion of assignment
• An incredible opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to global development, enhance your professional skills and participate in an experience of a lifetime!

WUSC’s Safeguarding Policy

WUSC’s activities seek to balance inequities and create sustainable development around the globe; the work ethic of our staff, volunteers, representatives and partners shall correspond to the values and mission of the organization. WUSC promotes responsibility, respect, honesty, and professional excellence and we will not tolerate harassment, coercion and sexual exploitation and abuse of any form. Successful applicants will be required to sign off on the WUSC Code of Conduct and the Self-Disclosure Form. International and national volunteers will also be required to submit a criminal record verification.

WUSC is a signatory to the Cooperation Canada Leaders’ Pledge on Preventing and Addressing Sexual Misconduct. The pledge represents the shared commitment as Canada’s global development and humanitarian leaders to ensure the full implementation of practices and policies that will protect and respond to our own staff, volunteers and the communities we serve. We are committed to creating safe and respectful workplaces and programs that promote gender equality and are free from gender-based violence, including by addressing and responding to all abuse of power, holding people to account, and protecting the vulnerable. Read the full pledge.