Background
The Somalia Stability Fund is a multi-donor1 fund working towards a peaceful, secure, and stable Somalia. It offers Somali stakeholders a source of multi-year funding that can respond to local needs and opportunities. Its aim is to provide sustained support over the longer term to local process of building stability in Somalia, and to help areas become stable over the medium-term whilst building their linkages to a national framework. The Stability Fund aims to contribute to enhancing stability in Somalia through the following programmatic outputs:
Stabilisation: Strengthened social cohesion and community-government relations in target areas.
State-Building: Better functioning, more accountable and responsive government institutions.
State-building: Increased participation and representation of women and excluded groups in governance structures
Conflict Prevention and Management: Communities’ vulnerability to conflict has been reduced by addressing grievances, tackling drivers, and supporting critical actors for peace-building. The SSF is guided by key principles of local ownership and sustainability. It is committed to high-quality programming. The key implementation principles for SSF II include:
Root causes – SSF will invest in tackling the structural drivers of conflict, striking a balance between supporting short-term stability and creating the conditions for long-term stability (e.g. deepening popular participation and gender quality).
Context-appropriate – SSF strategy and programming will be based on regular analysis and scenario-planning, ensuring a flexible and adaptive approach which responds to changes on the ground.
Engage with the politics – the Fund will use project funding to build confidence in political processes and underpin the agreements that come out of them. 1 SSF is funded by UKAID, KFW, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Norwegian Ministry of Affairs and European Union
Learning and adapting – SSF will develop a learning agenda which supports the iteration and adaptation of strategy and programming in line with emerging evidence and lessons.
Coalition-building – SSF will work in coalition with a range of actors to pursue policy objectives and use diverse fora to share SSF learning and encourage a commonality of intent.
Local ownership – SSF will ensure alignment with government priorities and regular engagement; while maintaining a strong focus on community engagement and responsive delivery.
Geographic targeting – SSF will focus resources at the FMS and district level, ensuring a broadly equal allocation of funds across FMS, with potentially higher resources for the newer states of Galmudug and Hirshabelle.
Gender and conflict sensitive – SSF investments will aim to positively address conflict dynamics and shift gendered power relations to promote women’s empowerment.
Partnership approach – SSF will forge delivery partnerships with government, the private sector and civil society, ensuring government visibility.
Catalytic approach – SSF will seek to test new models and approaches and catalyse other development partners to enter new areas and take over from SSF.
Risk management – SSF will take a balanced portfolio approach to risk, ensuring high risk projects are balanced with lower risk projects.
Purpose
The role of the Technical Writer is to provide support to the Knowledge Management and Communications Unit (KMCU) and Investment Management Unit (IMU) in drafting and quality assuring key technical documents and reports (including but not limited to Quarterly Reports, Annual Reports, Handbook, Business Cases, Decisions Memos, Calls for Concept Notes/Proposals, Logframes, Workplans, Risk Register, Evaluation Reports and Investee Reports) and support the Procurement Management Unit to prepare, release and evaluate tenders in order to select investments and investees based on established criteria
Key Tasks and Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the SSF Team Leader / Knowledge Management, Evaluation and Learning Manager (KMEL), the Technical Writer shall:
Support production of Quarterly Reports alongside KMEL Manager & Team Leader
Support production of Annual Reports alongside KMEL Manager & Team Leader
Lead annual update of the SSF II Handbook
Support the IMU in the development and quality assurance of Business Cases, Decision Memos, Calls for Concept Notes/Proposals.
Support the IMU in the preparation of tenders for Calls for Concept Notes/Proposals for new activities
Participate in evaluation panels for procurement processes (Calls and Direct Procurement)
Support the IMU and investees in the preparation of key investee documentation, including logframes, sustainability plans, workplans, etc.
Support IMU and KMCU in robust risk management of investees
Support IMU and KMCU in robust monitoring and evaluation of investees
Person Specification
The Technical Writer should have knowledge of SSF’s technical areas including governance, stabilisation and conflict mitigation and should be able to demonstrate his/her past experience working in fragile and conflict affected environments.
Education
Master’s degree in social science, political science, journalism or other relevant fields.
Competencies
Strong analytical skills
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Ability to edit and produce written products (including technical reports, procurement documents, communication products) of a high-quality within short timeframes.
Experience working in close collaboration with team members including support and training to national staff.
Able to produce good results under pressure/tight deadlines
Strategic thinking and effective communication – a proven track-record of assimilating and communicating complex information quickly
Knowledge of monitoring, evaluation and learning in development projects, including understanding output, outcome and impact assessments
Experience
A minimum of 4 years experience working in positions involving the production of high quality written products.
Prior experience working in conflict or post-conflict countries
Excellent analytical skills
Excellent organisational and time-management skills
Excellent interpersonal skills
Experience in Somalia is desirable but not required.
Language Requirements
Outstanding English language writing skills is required.
Salary Range
£40,000 – £60,000 gross per annum depending on experience
