Program Support & Development Officer

WORK CONTEXT

CESVI is a secular and independent humanitarian organization founded in Bergamo in 1985, operating in over 20 countries around the world to support the most vulnerable populations in achieving their aspirations and sustainable development while respecting human rights. Guided by the ideals of social justice, CESVI works to improve the well-being of people living in poverty or affected by war, natural disasters, and environmental catastrophes. CESVI global strategy has the objectives of expanding and improving its humanitarian work; strengthening its interventions in the areas of Protection, Production Chains and Income Generation, and Climate Impact Response; and deepening its commitment to people, partners, donors, and society. To develop and consolidate this strategy, the International Programmes Department is analysing the different funding opportunities offered by institutional, national, and international donors, as well as private entities such as foundations and companies. Participation in calls for proposals is therefore expanding rapidly, creating a need to strengthen project design activities with dedicated and competent staff.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The collaboration will start in September 2026 .

The position is based with frequent field missions (at least 50% of the time). The Program Support & Development Officer ( PSDO ) will report to CESVI’s Head of International Department. He/She will contribute to the development of new project proposals in CESVI’s countries of operation. He/she will also support the management and supervision of ongoing CESVI projects in strategic operational contexts.

The PSDO manages and coordinates the project design process (with the internal team and relevant partners) and ensures adherence to deadlines and compliance with donor requirements. The PSDO will also work closely with other units within the International Programs Department during the project design and the implementation phase. This collaboration will facilitate coordination between the PSDO , the CESVI teams in the field, and the other CESVI units typically involved in project design and supervision. More specifically, the tasks assigned to the PSDO are: Develop and draft project proposals for major Italian and international donors. In particular, ECHO, INTPA, AICS, and major U.S. and European government agencies, in both development and emergency contexts. Oversee the entire project design process in collaboration with the department team: developing the project concept, defining the logical framework, drafting and revising texts, preparing the budget, establishing the monitoring (and evaluation) plan, and finalizing project documents in accordance with the guidelines provided by donors. Conduct field missions to foreign countries at the request of the International Programmes Department team to carry out the project design process, including need assessments. Prepare the formal documentation to be submitted with the project proposal. The Program Support & Development Officer will actively support, through field missions, the set-up and the supervision of ongoing selected strategic projects, contributing to the achievement of projects’ objectives and indicators. The position will also contribute to the preparation of intermediate and final narrative reports. Essential Requirements Bachelor’s degree with training/specialization in Project Cycle Management (PCM).

Expérience

At least 3 years of prior experience in designing multisectoral international cooperation projects, both for emergency response and development. In-depth knowledge of project proposal writing methodologies (PCM, Logical Framework, Theory of Change) and all phases of project design and project cycle management: identifying and analyzing calls for proposals, conducting context and needs analyses and need assessments, assessing and coordinating (potential) partners during the project development phases; defining the intervention logic; drafting project documents; budget preparation; development of the monitoring plan; ensuring compliance with requirements and submission of the proposal to the donor; ability to produce timely project narrative and financial reports Proven experience in project design for major institutional donors in foreign cooperation—both international and national, and in both emergency and development contexts—such as ECHO, INTPA, AICS, and major U.S. and European government agencies. Excellent command of Italian and English, both written and spoken, with particular expertise in project design terminology. Spanish knowledge is considered a plus

Solid skills in developing highly complex project budgets Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills Excellent ability to carry out project design activities Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines Flexibility and independence Proactivity and autonomy Availability to travel abroad for project design assignments Excellent interpersonal and intercultural communication skills, and the ability to work effectively within a team spread across different countries and with colleagues from diverse sociocultural backgrounds Excellent knowledge of the Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and of internet browsing and communication tools Proficiency in using the main online communication platforms (Microsoft Teams, Zoom, GMeet, etc.) Desirable Requirements Previous project design and project management experience in the areas of the environment, entrepreneurial development, job creation in agricultural and non-agricultural supply chains, and the protection of women and children. Knowledge of and experience using the main SMART assessment tools (Google Forms, Kobo, NEAT+) are considered preferred skills, as is proficiency in less common digital platforms and software related to project design. Knowledge of languages other than English and Italian (particularly French and Spanish) will be valued. Previous experience in writing and presenting project proposals to companies and/or grant-making foundations.

SAFEGUARDING

CESVI has a zero-tolerance approach to any harm to, or exploitation of, a child or a vulnerable adult by any of our staff, related persons or partners. CESVI commitment to being a safe organization begins with the staff recruitment process which includes meticulous checks, such as criminal records checks or check disclosure of previous convictions, to ensure children and vulnerable people are safeguarded and abuse is prevented. Safeguarding checks are part of the selection process performance.

HEALTH SAFEGUARDING

CESVI pays particular attention to safeguarding the health of all the human resources of the Organisation. Therefore, in order to protect its staff, an assessment of their suitability for the position in each mission is carried out before departure. Such assessment is done by the Occupational Doctor of the Organisation. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, therefore early applications are strongly encouraged. Due to the high volume of applications received, we are unable to respond to all candidates. Only those shortlisted and

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