Programme Coordinator (Central Asia Programme)

Salary: £26,000 + holiday pay & pension (pro-rata three days a week)

Index on Censorship is seeking a Russian-speaking Programme Coordinator with a proven interest in free expression issues to support its project activities in Central Asia. This part-time (three days a week) appointment will be contracted for a year, but there may be opportunities for continued employment.

Duties
The Programme Coordinator will be based in our London offices and provide overall project management and coordination support for the programme activities, including arranging missions and ensuring activity coordination. A fluent Russian speaker, she/he will provide financial oversight and management for the activities, including disbursement of funds, financial records, contract management, and establish standard procedures in all these areas. Overall she/he will ensure adherence to donor project and financial reporting requirements. Additionally she/he will also work to develop local project and financial management skills among the local logistical partners and support programme sustainability by identifying and developing options for follow-up projects and funding. Some regional travel will be required.

Experience

Essential: Project management experience, preferably of multi-partner, cross-border initiatives; Financial and contract management skills; Familiarity with donor-funded projects and their reporting requirements; fluent Russian and English (both spoken & written) and some knowledge of the Central Asian region.

Desirable: Knowledge of at least one local language; Knowledge of the political and media situation in the region; Project development and fundraising experience; familiarity with media and media production, the internet and human rights issues; proof of commitment to freedom of expression.

About the programme
Index on Censorship's programme to support the media and free expression in the Ferghana Valley in Central Asia builds on existing programmes to strengthen regional free expression rights monitoring and advocacy, and further develop cross-boundary print and radio media networks. Training in media self-sustainability and use of internet technology is central to this support. The projects are supported by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Peace and Stability Fund (FRESTA).

About Index on Censorship
Index on Censorship magazine was founded in 1972 by the renowned British poet Stephen Spender with the goal to protect the basic human right of free expression. It has a strong international reputation established through publication, in print and online, of key original analysis from conflict regions and countries where freedom of expression is at risk. Index on Censorship's international programmes have the following priorities & goals:

• To reinforce the process of reporting and monitoring freedom of expression violations by producing, researching or sponsoring policy documents, comparative studies best practice or direct advocacy.
  
• To substantially increase the volume of material - in print and online - in Russian, Arabic, Spanish, French and Chinese over the next ten years and building new partnerships and audiences worldwide.
  
• To integrate Index's publishing and advocacy programmes with training and research projects conducted with regional partners and supported by international donors.

Send a CV and covering letter to: Index on Censorship, 33 Islington High St, London N1 9LH, United Kingdom. ph: +44 (0)20 7278 2313; fax: +44 (0)20 7278 1878 or e-mail vacancy@indexoncensorship.org

Closing date for applications is Monday 17th November 2003. Short-listed candidates will be contacted by Monday 24th and interviews will be held in London on Monday 1st December.

Index on Censorship aims to be an equal opportunity employer. Please visit our website at: www.indexonline.org.