Contract: Full time – 12 month fixed-term with possibility of extension
Salary: INR 8 to 9 lacs per annum (excludes variable pay linked to fundraising)**
Location: New Delhi**
Relationships and reports: Target Reporting to President, MSSI & Work in close co-operation with National Secretary, MSSI
Job Description
· To lead the implementation of MSSI’s country-wide advocacy project
· Provide training and mentoring for the Multiple Sclerosis Society
of India (MSSI)’s volunteers/staff
· Liaise with government officials both at central and state level in tandem with MSSI regional Chapters
· Lead MSSI’s fundraising activities for the continuation of the advocacy project
Background
About Multiple Sclerosis Society of India (MSSI) a registered non-profit organization established 1985, having 8 chapters (Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Mumbai & Pune). We are affiliated to MS International Federation (MSIF). MSSI is the one and only MS patient welfare organization in India that serves close to 3000 members. Services we provide include Counselling, Home Nursing care, Physiotherapy, Scholarship and Medical Reimbursements (in special cases) in addition to regular meetings and webinars.
About MSIF www.msif.org is a unique global network of MS organisations, people affected by MS, volunteers and staff from around the world. Our movement is made up of 48 MS organisations with links to many others. We inspire, mobilise and bring the world together to improve the quality of life of everybody affected by MS and to end MS forever.
MSSI & MSIF has undertaken a collaborative project that would advocate for the rights of people with MS. With the New RPWD Act 2016 multiple Sclerosis has been recognised as a disability. It is the right time for us to engage with government, healthcare professionals as well as other Disability groups and make our voice be heard. We have completed a series of workshops and are now liaising with government, ministries, and other related agencies to help us better the quality of life of people living with MS. For more details on work done so far in this project please refer to Annexure 1 at the end of this document.
Tasks and Responsibilities
1. Overall development and implementation of the advocacy project
· Create MSSI’s long-term advocacy strategy with milestones
· Review and develop the advocacy project plan further including defining progress, systems and culture;
· Responsible for continuing on implementation MSSI’s advocacy project and managing the day-to-day work of the project implementation including; coordinating the advocacy work between MSSI chapters, proactively engaging with all chapters and all other stakeholders (e.g. health professionals, government, key funders);
· Produce cost-effective budgets to achieve action plans
· Create and implement appropriate monitoring and evaluation systems in relation to the advocacy project;
· Monitor the project progress and carry out mid-term and final evaluations
2. Engagement with MSSI’s chapters and provision of capacity building activities
· Proactively build and maintain regular communication and engagement with MSSI’s chapters including traveling to all chapters to identify state-specific needs;
· Engage all chapters in the design, implementation and fundraising for the advocacy project;
· Strengthen MSSI’s understanding of its chapters; identify their unmet capacity building needs in relation to advocacy and assess opportunities for MSSI to add value to their work;
· Facilitate workshops and provide online and in-person training and coaching for MSSI’s chapters in the area of advocacy;
· Encourage and promote best practices and learning-sharing among chapters;
· Follow up and support MSSI’s chapters in implementing the states-level activities of the advocacy project.
3. Fundraising
Will be also responsible for fundraising for the continuation of the India advocacy project, including the Project Director post, beyond the end of MSSI and MSIF 2020-2022 Capacity Building Project including but not limited to:**
· Map and approach potential donors; setting up and representing MSSI at donor meetings;
· Manage effective fundraising mechanism to deliver fundraising targets;
· Develop tools (e.g. publications, videos, e-newsletters, website and social media) and systems (e.g. donor acknowledgment and communications) needed within MSSI to support its fundraising activities;
· Develop existing and new fundraising initiatives;
· Develop grant proposals/concept notes to submit to donors;
· Ensure that donor reporting requirements and deadlines are met;
· Report to MSSI and MSIF on a regular basis with fundraising progress made and income forecasts
· secure funds from new donors to ensure the sustainability of MSSI’s advocacy project.
Involve MSSI’s volunteers in all of the above areas through periodic workshops/seminars/tutorials and on-the-job training (volunteers attending donor meetings; assisting with writing grant proposals and developing donor communications)
4. Other tasks and responsibilities
· Must be able to approach a problem with effective solutions
· Work proactively to engage with Chapter
· Recruit relevant external consultants; manage contracts and supervise their work as required
· Work closely with the current advocacy consultant to take over the responsibilities of MSSI’s advocacy project
Qualification & Experience:
Educational qualification: MSW or MBA / Graduate with specialisation in social work (Desirable)
Knowledge of the NGO sector
· experience of working in the NGO sector (preferably in the areas of capacity building/advocacy) and a good understanding of the Indian civil society sector
· previous experience working for umbrella NGO/NGO with chapters in different states
Project Management
· proven work experience in the field of project design and management
· experience of coordinating complex, collaborative, multi-stakeholders project(s), including all aspects of the project cycle
Fundraising
· significant experience of fundraising through a variety of channels
· a proven good track record in meeting fundraising targets
· a good understanding of the Indian fundraising /donor landscape and related regulatory environment
Training and Mentoring
· experience in training, consulting or on-the-job coaching of NGOs in capacity building, advocacy, fundraising and/or project management
· experience providing distance and/or face-to-face mentoring and coaching support to local organisations
· excellent facilitation skills
Advocacy
- proven experience in designing and implementing advocacy/campaigning projects in (preferably, in the disability sector) including:
- experience in facilitating networking and coalition building with other NGOs
- a good understanding of the advocacy landscape in India including state and national level decision-making processes, access points and stakeholders
- experience in influencing officials and decision makers at the national and state level
- experience in engaging with the national and state level press and media
Others
· Ability to lead and work confidently using own initiative and be able to achieve results with limited supervision
· Knowledge of the field of disability and the Rights of People with Disability Act 2016 and relevant implementation mechanisms at the state level (Desirable)
· Knowledge of and interest in the issues faced by people with MS (Desirable)
Annexure 1: What Has Been Done So Far in Relation to the Advocacy Project
In May 2018, MS International Federation (MSIF) and the MS Society of India (MSSI) committed to working together to increase the capacity of MSSI.
In June 2018, MSIF visited India to initiate the work. The visit included meetings with various stakeholders (e.g. people with MS, Disability Commissioner, health professionals, WHO Regional Office representatives and one of MSSI’s key funders). During the visit, MSIF’s Capacity Building Manager led a workshop in Delhi with representatives from the MSSI’s eight Chapters. Advocacy was prioritised as the key area in which the Chapters could work together through an MSSI country-wide project. The workshop also resulted in developing MSSI’s first Advocacy Framework.
A second workshop followed in September 2018 during which participants decided that the project goal should be getting state governments to enact the 2016 Rights of People with Disability Act. An MSSI working group to lead on the project was established, and MSIF recruited an advocacy consultant to provide the MSSI with mentoring and support as they refined the project plan further and started implementing the project in 2019.
In September 2019, MSIF organised an advocacy workshop facilitated by MSIF consultant. The workshop provided training for MSSI chapters on areas including: understanding the Disability Act, understanding advocacy and advocacy tools and learning from Thalassemia; Sickle Cell Society’s experience.
In 2019, MSIF also provided a grant to MSSI to support the cost of project implementation including paying for a communications consultant to develop the communication tools needed for MSSI to pursue their advocacy work.
The above preparatory work has set the foundation for further work to be carried out in the next three years (2020-2022).
How to apply:
· The deadline for applications is 21St March 2020
· Candidates should submit their CV along with a statement of no more than 2 pages outlining how they would approach the role and how they meet the requirements in the person specification.
· Applications to be sent to hrdeptmssi@gmail.com, stating application for ‘National Project Director’ in the subject line.
· We will only give feedback to candidates who are shortlisted.