PENAL REFORM INTERNATIONAL

Penal Reform International (PRI) is a leading international non-profit non-governmental organisation promoting and implementing penal reform worldwide.

Established in 1989 by an international group of NGO human rights activists and administration of justice practitioners, PRI is committed to a worldwide approach to penal reform, better treatment of the world’s prisoners and promoting human rights.
PRI’s mandate is to achieve penal reform by promoting:
1 The development and implementation of international human rights instruments with regard to law enforcement, prison conditions and standards,
2 The elimination of unfair and unethical discrimination of all penal measures,
3 The abolition of the death penalty,
4 Reduction in the use of imprisonment,
5 The use of constructive non-custodial sanctions which encourage social reintegration whilst taking account of the interests of victims.

As well as the London Head Office, PRI has regional offices in Tbilisi (Georgia), Amman (Jordan), Astana (Kazakhstan), and Moscow (Russia). PRI has consultative status with the UN (ECOSOC) and the Council of Europe, and observer status with the African Commission for Human and Peoples’ Rights. Since its inception PRI has developed programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa, Northern Africa and the Middle East, the Persian Speaking World, Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, South Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the USA.

PRI’S current thematic priorities are to:
Reduction in the use of imprisonment
Prevention of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
Incarceration of children as a measure of last resort
A proportionate and sensitive response to women in conflict with the law

PRI works on three levels:
Implementing practical programmes of reform, carried out by regional offices
Providing information resource materials through publications and the PRI website
International advocacy activities to promote reform

All PRI’s current work is funded by institutional donors, supporting specific programmes of practical reform and providing core funding for the development of resource materials and policy and advocacy activity.

For more information on PRI please visit our web-site at www.penalreform.org

Application Form
Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Project Coordinator (Prevention of Torture in nine Former Soviet Union states)

Responsible to: Policy Director
Line Management: None
Hours: Full time
Salary: £32,782 - £36,388

PRI has received funding from the European Commission in support of programme work which aims to:. The activities will be implemented at inter-governmental level as well as in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Ukraine. The Project Coordinator will normally be based in PRI’s head office in London but is expected to travel, and to work closely with the implementing PRI regional offices. The funding covers action between 1 November 2010 and 31 October 2013.

Main responsibilities

1 Manage the EC funded project ‘Strengthening institutions and building civil society capacity to combat torture in 9 CIS countries’ on a day-to-day basis, strategically and administratively;
2 Work with PRI Regional Directors and the Policy Director to devise and update detailed action plans within the overall project design, monitor performance and progress against the plans, ensure that targets and deadlines are met, produce timely and accurate internal (PRI) and external (European Commission) narrative reports;
3 Monitor and plan budget expenditure within the overall project financial plan, producing timely and accurate internal (PRI) and external (European Commission) financial reports and invoices, in liaison with the PRI Regional Directors and Head Office finance team;
4 Monitor a wide range of information sources for developments and discussions (including academic discussions) relevant to prevention of torture at international and regional IGO level, and, where relevant, in countries where the project is not present;
5 Liaise with the Policy Director and Regional Directors to oversee, maintain and organise different methods and forums (eg, internal and external publications, Russian language internet forum and web community Together Against Torture, web pages, meetings and conferences) for exchange of project-relevant information, ensure publicity for project activities, shared learning within and outside PRI, exchange of views, and broad access to the most up-to-date recommendations, good practice examples, statistics, legislation, human rights standards and norms etc.;
6 Manage the relationship with formal project partners Bristol University Human Rights Implementation Centre and the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture (including ensuring timely planning and execution of all aspects of respective Memoranda of Understanding, including accurate financial and narrative reporting), and informal partner Association for the Prevention of Torture, and work with them and PRI Regional Directors to produce and disseminate external material, including via the dedicated Together Against Torture, Russian language community website;
7 With the Policy Director, provide the link between PRI and other players in the area of torture prevention, such as international NGOs, IGOs, relevant governments in countries where PRI is not present, and the donor(s);
8 Liaise with the OPCAT Contact Group and its member organisations (which include PRI), as well as other informal partners, to ensure complementarity of action, in particular on advocacy and lobbying at IGO level;
9 Devise and implement a strategy for raising co-funding, working with the PRI Regional Directors and Programme Development Director;
10 Ensure logistical support and coordination for external events regional exchanges and study tours;
11 As a member of the PRI staff team, contribute to internal organisational planning and reporting;
12 With the Policy Director, design and organise external evaluation of the project;
13 With PRI finance staff organise interim and final financial audits.

Further information

The balance of these tasks will be determined by the requirements of PRI at any particular time and determined by the Executive Director and Policy Director. In the small Head Office PRI staff may be asked to share responsibilities from time to time in central service functions. There may be times when the post holder is asked to take part in work not specifically indicated in their job description.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Job Title: Project Manager (Torture Prevention in 9 former soviet countries)

Qualifications

Educated to degree level or equivalent
Essential

Post graduate qualification in an appropriate field
Desirable

Experience

International project management experience in the field of human rights
Essential

Experience of working in a non-governmental organisation
Essential

Experience of working with international human rights institutions, and using international standards and norms
Essential

Experience of partnership work, networking, advocacy and lobbying
Essential

Experience of drafting and producing reports and publications
Essential

Experience of event organisation
Essential

Experience of managing budgets
Essential

Experience of fundraising for international projects
Desirable

International NGO experience in a developing country or a country in transition
Desirable

Skills and abilities

Strong project planning and management skills
Essential

Excellent organisation and time management skills
Essential

Excellent communication skills
Essential

Computer literacy including numerical skills applied on Excel, and preparing material for electronic publication
Essential

Fluent written and spoken English
Essential

Fluent written and spoken Russian
Essential

Personal qualities

Excellent inter-personal skills, patience, tact and imagination
Essential

High level of initiative, self motivation, demonstrable ability to take responsibility, team player
Essential

Drive, enthusiasm and commitment to PRI’s mandate and values, including death penalty abolition and its replacement with alternatives that respect international standards and norms
Essential

Willingness to do own administrative tasks
Essential

Good understanding of gender and cultural issues
Essential

Circumstances

Willingness and ability to travel several times a year, including at weekends where necessary
Essential

The post holder must already have the legal right to work in the UK for the full project period
Essential

Application Details


Full job descriptions and application details can be found on PRI’s website at www.penalreform.org or call 0207 2476515

Closing date: 5pm 14 March 2011
Interviews: between 25 March and 4 April 2011

Please send completed application form to jobs@penalreform.org. Please save application in the format Name_Torture Prevention Coordinator_Date. Please do not send unnamed applications.

We regret that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.