Vacancy Announcement: Executive Director, The Panos South Asia

[Guest guest]

Executive Director, The Panos Institute, South Asia (Panos South Asia)

Station : Kathmandu, Nepal. Reporting to : Panos South Asia Board

The job description

Overall responsibilities:

Provide leadership and vision in developing Panos South Asia (PSA) as an

independent information and communications organisation with a reputation for

quality, innovation and influence in the South Asia region and internationally.

Work with the PSA Board to establish PSA as an independently constituted,

appropriately staffed, regional organisation registered in the Region with its

own managing board and with membership of a wider Panos Council. Work with Panos

London in fulfilling the requirements of the MOU signed between PSA and Panos

London that governs the autonomy process.

Encourage a working environment that promotes creative thinking and assists

staff to achieve their full potential in working within an equal opportunities

framework. Manage and build a highly effective and motivated team of specialist

staff based in Kathmandu, New Delhi and Colombo.

Develop medium to long-term strategy, including a strategy for institutional

sustainability through regional fund-raising, cost recovery and sale of services

where appropriate.

Institutional and Programme Development

Ensure that the regional office in Kathmandu, the country office in New Delhi

and the project office in Colombo maintain a strong profile in all their

relevant constituencies and particularly among donors, the media, international

and governmental organisations, government departments, NGO and research

communities.

In accordance with Panos' values and principles, work with others to promote

debate about the role of information in development and raise the profile of the

regional office through research, writing, broadcasting, conference papers and

well targeted dissemination of PSA publications and activities.

Maintain links and forge partnerships with other NGOs, media partners and

regional and international institutions, and play an active role in regional

networking.

Develop and manage new projects and activities in consultation with Panos

programme staff and if required, with Panos London.

Manage on-going projects currently in the areas of media pluralism and

communications initiatives on conflict, public health, environment and potential

globalisation issues.

Manage contracts, including supervision of sub-contracted consultancies,

commissions and editorial and production services, and fulfillment of donor

reporting requirements.

Work closely through the Panos Coordination and Planning Unit with other Panos

offices in London, Paris, Washington (including Haiti), Southern Africa, Eastern

Africa and West Africa, to achieve an integrated approach to programme

development in Panos' key areas of Communications and Social Change,

Environment, Trade, Reproductive Health and Gender, HIV/AIDS and Media for

Peace, and participate in Panos' global information programmes by contributing

to briefings, radio, features oral testimony activities. [This function will

change with the phasing out of the CPU in end 2004 and a new dynamic will govern

future relations with the larger Panos family].

Management, funding and financial control

Ensure that effective management structures are in place in Kathmandu and New

Delhi to achieve the organisation's goals.

Provide overall strategic context and leadership for appropriate planning in the

Regional Centre and the country office, including the budgeting process,

targets, standards, and monitoring and evaluation procedures.

Establish and manage line-management structures and where necessary recruit

regional staff; develop satellite offices or appropriate representation

elsewhere in the region as policy and funds permit; maintain and develop

effective network of regional consultants and freelancers. Ensure personnel

policies meet legal requirements and are in-line with Panos employment codes of

practice.

Hold meetings with the PSA Board once a year and with the PSA Executive

Committee twice a year, and maintain regular contact with members between

meetings; attend and report to the annual board meeting of Panos London;

co-represent Panos South Asia on the Panos Council; attend other inter-office

meetings as required.

Responsible for developing and implementing a regional fundraising strategy with

a minimum target of 51 percent of annual income to be generated in the region

during PSA's autonomous status.

Manage the finances of the regional office, and follow appropriate accounting

controls and procedures.

Draw up annual work plan and budget for board approval.

Person profile

The director of Panos South Asia will need to combine an excellent overall

understanding of the development challenges facing the region, a strong level of

understanding of international developments as they affect the region and an

excellent knowledge and understanding of media and communications in the region.

S/he will need to be able to demonstrate leadership and vision in working with

other Panos Institutes to take the work of the Institute forward in the region

in its newly established self-governing status. S/he will need to have the

capacity to build partnerships and create spaces for independent debate, and at

the same time to balance Panos' mission of informing and stimulating public

debate without dominating or determining the outcomes of that debate.

Essential

A good first degree in a relevant subject

Excellent understanding of communications, information and development issues,

in both an international and a regional context

The ability to develop a vision for the organisation and forward-looking

strategies, and be able to translate them into action

A minimum of 8 years work experience in progressively responsible positions,

including region-wide and international exposure

A strong South Asian perspective

A track record of writing/publications in the fields of information and

development And in information production and dissemination

A track record in representing organisations or policies to external audiences,

and in external relations and public debate

A high level of familiarity with information and communications technologies and

the information environment in South Asia, including broadcasting and the print

media

Good management experience, including personnel management, fundraising,

budgeting and financial control

National of a country from but not confined to South Asia.

Desirable

A Masters or other higher degree in a field related to communications and

development policy

Work experience in both the NGO and Media sectors

Experience of training and organising training workshops

Terms

Salary: In the region of US $25,000 p.a. depending on experience and

qualifications, and subject to prevailing taxation requirements. Local cost of

living expenses will be kept in mind in determining salary. The salary will be

reviewed annually by the Panos South Asia Board.

Contract: two years, renewable, subject to a six-month probationary period.

Housing: Panos pays for local housing costs and provides a furnishing allowance

where necessary

Contribution to medical insurance for self and any accompanying immediate family

Reasonable relocation expenses and travel costs at beginning and end of contract

An annual economy return airfare to home country after completion of first year

of contract and each subsequent year served thereafter

24 days annual leave excluding national holidays, plus day in lieu for each day

worked away from duty station

Deadline for applications

Applications along with a brief 2-page CV may be sent up to April 16, 2004

marked to the Office Manager, Panos South Asia, PO Box 13651, near Patan Dhoka,

Kathmandu, Nepal. Phones: ++ 977 - 1 - 5520985, 5531447. Fax: ++ 977 - 1 -

5523846. Email is the preferred option for receiving applications. These may be

sent as marked above to psa@....