Project Officer: Digital Democracy

The Makati Business Club, in collaboration with USAID, will be implementing this year’s Digital Democracy program, a process which encourages participation and good governance in LGUs. 

We are looking for one (1) Project Officer who will implement the Digital Democracy program in nine CHANGE cities. The program activities include coordinating with a MEL Specialist, organizing trainings for LGUs and CSOs, development of a self-paced eLearning course and a capstone awards event.

The officer will be working with a young, fun, and dynamic staff, providing significant growth and leadership opportunities. This is on a highly flexible work set-up.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Officer for the Digital Democracy program will be responsible for coordinating and working with the programme lead in managing all aspects of the program, from initial city selection to the implementation of training workshops and the organization of the Digital Democracy Awards ceremony. This role requires a dynamic individual with project management expertise, excellent communication skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively with multiple stakeholders. The Project Officer will play a crucial role in ensuring the successful execution of the program, driving transformative change in local governance and citizen participation across the Philippines.

Key Tasks include:

  1. Coordinate the selection of nine cities from the pool of 15 CHANGE cities to participate in the Digital Democracy program, utilizing criteria such as willingness and capacity.
  2. Prepare a prioritized list of remaining six cities for potential inclusion in the program, ensuring a strategic approach to city selection.
  3. Facilitate kickoff meetings with selected Local Government Units (LGUs) in collaboration with the USAID CHANGE technical team, introducing the Digital Democracy project and addressing potential costs associated with participation.
  4. Oversee the pre-event preparation activities, including city identification, selection, and kickoff meetings, ensuring alignment with project objectives and timelines.
  5. Manage the implementation of Activity 1: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning, collaborating with a seasoned Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) consultant to design and execute evaluation strategies.
  6. Coordinate the administration of pre-training assessments, post-training surveys, three-month follow-ups, and reporting mechanisms for citizen consultations, ensuring comprehensive data collection and analysis.
  7. Oversee the organization and delivery of the training program (Activity 2), including logistical planning, content development, and coordination with LGUs and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
  8. Collaborate with training facilitators to ensure the effective delivery of four comprehensive training sessions, aligning with the CLEAR Path modules and program objectives.
  9. Coordinate the planning and execution of the Capstone Awarding ceremony (Activity 3), including venue selection, guest arrangements, and communications campaigns.
  10. Facilitate communication and collaboration with LGUs, CSOs, and other stakeholders throughout the program, ensuring clear channels of communication and alignment with project goals.
  11. Manage the adaptation of the Digital Democracy online training course into a self-paced, web-based program (Activity 4), overseeing video enhancement, registration preparation, online assessment integration, and social media promotion.
  12. Collaborate with project partners, including USAID CHANGE technical team members and MBC staff, to ensure the successful execution of all program activities and deliverables.
  13. Monitor project timelines, budgets, and deliverables, identifying and addressing any potential risks or challenges to program success.
  14. Maintain project documentation, prepare regular progress reports, including updates on program activities, achievements, and challenges, for submission to project stakeholders and donors.
Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in fields related to Project Management, Public Administration, International Development, or related fields.
  • Proven experience in project coordination and management, preferably in the field of governance, democracy, or citizen participation.
  • Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  • Excellent communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage and collaborate with diverse stakeholders, including LGUs, CSOs, and government agencies.
  • Experience in event planning and coordination, including venue selection, logistics management, and communications campaigns.
  • Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation principles and practices.
  • Familiarity with online training platforms and eLearning methodologies is desirable.
  • Clear, clean, and concise writing and communication skills
  • Organized and able to deliver tasks and milestones in a timely manner