India Program Manager, Advocacy & Community Empowerment

Location

Ranchi | India

Job description

SUMMARY

Job Title: India Program Manager, Advocacy & Community Empowerment

Contract Type:  External consultant, Full time

Contract Period: 2 years, renewable

Organization:  Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI)

Direct Manager:  RMI Executive Director

Location:  Ranchi, Jharkhand, India

Compensation:  Depending on profile and experience 

Apply by:  February 10th, 2024

Starting date:  ASAP

Applications must include a CV, a cover letter, and a list of references. Incomplete applications will be disregarded.

THE CONTEXT OF THE MICA INDUSTRY

Mica is a family of 37 minerals used in many applications. Its visual properties make it an exceptional pigment base. Mica is widely used in the cosmetics industry, in paints and coatings, and in inks. Mica is also an excellent insulator. It is used in the electronics industry, in plastics as a filler, in building materials and in the automotive industry.

About 25% of the world's production comes from India, in particular from the two states of Bihar and Jharkhand, where mica is produced by artisanal miners. Similarly, a significant portion of the world's production comes from the southern regions of Madagascar. The poverty-stricken situation in which artisanal mining communities live often leaves them with no choice but to rely on their children's work to support the family. The lack of access to quality education, social services, ... are other root causes for this situation.

ABOUT THE RESPONSIBLE MICA INITIATIVE (RMI):

In 2016, stakeholders from across the mica value chain, including mica using companies, NGOs and other civil society organizations, eager to find ways to address the systemic issues of child labor and poor working conditions in the upstream mica value chain gathered in New Delhi, India, for the first-ever Mica Summit. Together, they committed to action. The Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI) was born.

RMI is a global 'Coalition for Action' comprised of multiple organizations committed to establishing fair, responsible, and sustainable mica supply chains globally, that will eliminate unacceptable working conditions and eradicate child labor.

RMI uses a multi-stakeholder and holistic approach that engages companies, civil society organizations, industry associations, and governments to develop and implement three integrated program pillars that will establish responsible workplace standards, empower local communities, and establish a legal framework for the mica sector.

RMI started its program in 2017 in India, and in 2022 in the South of Madagascar.

Today, RMI has around 100 members.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Responsible Mica Initiative is looking for a 'Program Manager, Advocacy & Community Empowerment, India', on a full-time consultancy basis, to advance RMI's objectives, actions, representation, networks, and discussions in India.

The Responsible Mica Initiative seeks an individual with exceptional communication, coordination, partnership-building, and persuasive skills. The successful candidate will be based in Ranchi, Jharkhand, and will work closely with the Responsible Mica Initiative's governance bodies, Executive Team, members, and partners, in India and internationally.

It is important to note that RMI sees its role as one of mobilizing, catalyzing, stimulating, acting, transforming, and implementing at scale, ... all this in a positive and supportive energy. RMI does not want to be a whistleblower, but a resource and solution provider.

MISSIONS & RESPONSABILITIES

Role Summary

• Promote and act as spokesperson for RMI in India.
• Contribute to strategic planning, implementation, coordination, and monitoring of RMI's Community Empowerment programs and advocacy efforts in India.
• Contribute to developing the Responsible Mica Initiatives by increasing memberships and looking for financing in India.

Community Empowerment activities (40%)

• Ensure robust program and financial monitoring of current RMI Community Empowerment Programs (CEP) and support scale-up to other mica-dependent villages.
• Support partners in their capacity development and in rolling out programs funded by RMI.
• Support organization of external impact assessment of CEP programs.
• Contribute to a thorough due diligence exercise of RMI implementing partners.
• Facilitate discussions and coordination among CSOs/NGOs working in the mica belt of Jharkhand and Bihar for increased collaboration, alignment, and outreach.
• Create and maintain regular and confident working relationships with partner organizations (both Government, NGOs, and others) to advance RMI's programs in a coordinated way.
• Keep an eye on new partnership opportunities for the Responsible Mica Initiative in India.
• Promote RMI CEP efforts.

Advocacy activities (50%)

• Develop and coordinate government relations strategy, with support of RMI Government, Public Affairs and Communications Manager, and in coordination with other relevant India stakeholders (CSOs, supply chain actors, government agencies...), in Jharkhand and Bihar (both at state and district levels), to sensitize Jharkhand and Bihar Governments and get them working towards legal, formalized, and sustainable Indian mica supply chains.
• Involve RMI members in the strategy definition and implementation, and report back to them.
• Develop materials in support of the Initiative's government relations agenda, such as talking points, legislative summaries, factsheets, testimony, reports, letters...
• Plan meetings, participation in events and other activities to support the Initiative's government relations goals.
• Watch and report on regulations or directives linked to mica mining activities in India (e-auction process, ...).

Other activities (10%)

• Support in preparation of all internal reports and collateral as required for RMI, its partners, and donors (among which following up on progress, KPIs, business cases, and diverse communications).
• Support in preparation of RMI annual budget for India.
• Collect and collate papers and publications related to mica supply chains related-issues (child labor, informal collection, ...) in the area, program interventions, achievements, etc.
• Attending key events and meetings organized by external agencies including Government for exploring new partnerships and funding opportunities.
• Develop links with companies in India which are using / exporting mica from India, for strategic partnerships and fundraising.
• Other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

• Passionate about bringing people together to effect social, economic, environmental change.
• Demonstrated experience of multi-stakeholder projects' coordination and monitoring.
• Demonstrated experience in CSR issues, sustainable supply chains and addressing child labor issues and human rights abuses.
• Familiarity with related Government policies and initiatives.
• Good knowledge of the functioning of Indian national and states governments.
• Interest in, and experience with, advocacy in/for international development and private sector.
• Strong management and interpersonal skills. Ability to work pro-actively and independently.
• Demonstrated experience with (field) documentation, communication, business development, and maintaining good stakeholder relations.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize projects.
• Planning and organization skills.
• Superior skills in verbal and written communication (English and Hindi).
• Good reporting capacity.
• Good IT skills.
• Willingness to relocate to the indicated district, and to travel within India & abroad as required.
• Humble, persevering, excellent inter-personal skills, capacity to federate and embark.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in international development, communications, public affairs, public relations, Social sciences, political science or a related field.
• Minimum 7 years of experience working on multi-stakeholders' programs, and/or public affairs, and/or government-related activities.
• Preferred experience in working on addressing child labor situations, human rights abuses, and other related projects.
• Demonstrated experience working with Government agencies, national or international NGOs, and national or international private sector companies.
• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in India, in Jharkhand or Bihar being a plus.

CONTRACT PERIOD

Full-time position, 2 years contract (renewable) with a 4-month probation period

COMPENSATION

Compensation shall be commensurate with qualification and experience.

TO APPLY

Interested candidates can send their application (CV, cover letter and list of references) to the following email address, mentioning the job title in the email's subject line,  no later than 05.00 pm CET on Saturday, February 10th, 2024  to: [HIDDEN TEXT].

/! Incomplete applications will be disregarded.

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