Senior Rural Integration Project Manager

Type of Appointment: Fixed term employment contract (18 months, project-funded)

Place of assignment: ICMC Europe, Brussels, Belgium

Job Title: Senior Rural Integration Project Manager

Closing date for applications: 3 May 2021

Start date: As soon as possible – no later than 1 June 2021

Duration: 18 months, with possibilities of extension.

COVID-19: The ICMC Europe office has currently shifted to minimal office presence, in order to ensure social distancing and hygienic standards for all staff members. As of May, policies will be re-assessed – maintaining possibilities for working remotely and physical office presence.

Goals and responsibilities:

The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) is an internationally operating non‐governmental organisation that serves and protects uprooted people: refugees, internally displaced persons and migrants, regardless of faith, race, ethnicity or nationality. The ICMC Europe office in Brussels supports ICMC Headquarters, follows EU policymaking in the area of asylum, migration and integration, advocates for better and more inclusive EU policymaking and funding, and implements projects financed by the EU and other donors.

In 2020 and early 2021, ICMC Europe began a new project cycle, focused on refugee and migrant integration and inclusion in rural areas and on private sponsorship. Projects are being implemented in the framework of the SHARE Network, an EU-wide initiative led by ICMC Europe since 2012. The projects are implemented in collaboration with civil society and institutional partners across the EU, with a particular focus on France for refugee and migrant integration and inclusion in rural areas, and also include a substantial programme of advocacy, communications and capacity building events and activities at national and EU level (taking place in Brussels or virtually).

ICMC Europe seeks a Senior Rural Integration Project Manager to lead on the AMIF funded SHARE SIRA Project implementation in France, Greece, Poland and Spain (that started in January 2021) as well as a private funded rural integration project in France (that started in September 2020) to ensure a smooth implementation and overall coordination of two projects related to the topic, as well as to conduct policy analysis, research, mapping and advocacy on refugee and migrant integration in rural areas of the EU.

Specific tasks: 

The Senior Rural Integration Project Manager will work under the supervision of the ICMC Head of Office and will be responsible for:

Project Management

• Ensure regular coordination and planning with the project’s partners and other external actors located in different European countries, in order to ensure the timely implementation of the project’s activities and the timely production of all foreseen deliverables
• Support coordination of grant administration and ensure narrative donor reporting in line with grant requirements (in cooperation with ICMC Europe finance and administration staff).

Policy Analysis, Research,  Advocacy and Communications

• Closely monitor policy developments (national and EU-level) and initiatives related to migrant and refugee integration and inclusion, especially in rural areas.
• Build and maintain relationships with partners across Europe to follow developments on the ground related to integration in rural areas (i.e. identifying promising practices and common challenges, mapping programme outcomes, etc.).
• Work with partners to facilitate Regional Fact Files, support research and develop thematic policy papers related to rural integration and other related topics (such as participation, EU funding).
• Develop and coordinate capacity building events in the 10 target regions and lead on monitoring and evaluation of seed-funded pilot actions.
• Coordinate policy documents and policy-focused communications outputs (policy briefs, talking points, presentations, newsletters, etc.) related to migrant and refugee integration and other related topics (in cooperation with the Communications Officer).
• Ensure refugee and migrant participation across project activities.

Support to ICMC Europe Overall

• Facilitate strong linkages with other ICMC projects and overall ICMC advocacy efforts.
• Excellent network building skills.
• Other tasks as needed and required.

Requirements:

• Highly organized and experienced with project and budget management. Experience managing transnational EU-funded projects preferred.
• Excellent policy analysis skills. Interest in and knowledge of the EU policy context with regards to refugee, migration, asylum and social inclusion issues is required; familiarity with rural integration and/or integration systems and policies is preferred.
• Able to work proactively in a small office environment.
• Personal qualities and experience including a refugee or migrant background, a strong commitment to social justice and human rights, experience volunteering with migrants or refugees, etc. will be taken into consideration alongside formal educational and professional experience.
• 5-9 years of proven professional experience in migration and integration field.

Languages: Fluent written and oral communication skills in English required. Very strong written and oral communication skills in French highly recommended.

Salary: Salary offered in line with salary scale of other international NGO’s in Belgium

To apply:

Applicants must have permission to work in Belgium.

To apply for this position, please send the following:

• Your most recent CV (max. 2 pages)
• Covering letter describing your relevant skills and experience and motivation for applying.

Applications should be submitted by email and in English to [email protected], for the attention of ICMC Europe’s Director Petra Hueck, with the reference (in the subject line) SHARE RURAL, no later than 3 May 2021.

Applications will be considered on an ongoing basis. Only short-listed candidates will be invited for a written test/interview.