Program Officer for Humanitarian Assistance

Swedish development cooperation with Colombia is aligned with the regulations and criteria of the OECD/DAC. It is governed by cooperation strategies, which aim to provide humanitarian assistance as well as to contribute to a sustainable peace and human security, with increased respect for human rights, democratic governance, gender equality, environmental sustainability and climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Information about the strategies can be found on the Swedish government’s website: International development cooperation strategies - Government.se

The section for development cooperation with Colombia is an integral part of the Embassy. The Program Officer will work within the section, directly under the Head of Development Cooperation, and be responsible for the monitoring and management of financial contributions (grants) to implementing partners, primarily within the area of humanitarian assistance. The program officer will be working in close coordination with the Department for Humanitarian Assistance at Sida HQ.

Roles and responsibilities

1. Manage, follow-up and quality assure financial contributions (grants) to implementing partners, including analytical tasks such as the evaluation of funding proposals, narrative and financial project reports, partner capacity and operational budgets, as well as administrative tasks, such as document control and archiving.
2. Follow up with partners on specific dialogue issues and carry out regular dialogue meetings and consultations.
3. Arrange and conduct field visits and engage with partners to follow-up project implementation.
4. Maintain an updated contextual analysis and advise on the humanitarian situation, needs and responses in Colombia.
5. Represent Sweden, Sida and the Embassy in the humanitarian coordination structure in Colombia and other relevant fora and develop networks and dialogue with humanitarian actors.
6. Convene, prepare and host meetings and events.
7. Speechwriting, in English and Spanish.
8. Participate in the programmatic cycle of planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of Sida’s humanitarian assistance and development cooperation in Colombia.
9. Contribute to the political reporting of the Embassy, within the area of humanitarian assistance.
10. Contribute to the work of the development cooperation section and the Embassy in general, as requested.

Requirements

1. University degree in an associated field, such as Political Science, International Relations, Humanitarian assistance, International Humanitarian Law, or other relevant discipline.
2. At least 5 years of relevant professional experience related to the administration of international development cooperation programs, including programming, partner assessment, results-based management, budget analysis and monitoring and evaluation.
3. At least 3 years of experience of humanitarian assistance and coordination.
4. Thorough knowledge on the humanitarian situation and trends as well as the humanitarian architecture in Colombia.
5. Excellent knowledge of written and spoken Spanish and English.
6. Good ICT-skills, including knowledge of Microsoft Office, Internet, social media, and the ability to work with changing information-management systems.
7. Availability to travel, including hard-reached and conflict-affected areas.

Desirable skills

Thorough knowledge and experience of:

• Foreign policy, international relations and diplomacy.
• The current sociopolitical and economic situation and trends in Colombia.
• Development cooperation policy and practice, in line with OECD/DAC standards as well as the principles of good practice of humanitarian donorship and localization-agenda.
• International development cooperation on Gender equality.
• Cooperation with Colombian and international civil society organizations.
• Cooperation with Colombian government and public institutions, on national and/or subnational level.
• Cooperation with multilateral organizations and programmes, in particular UN-agencies with a humanitarian mandate.
• Development cooperation with private sector institutions and resource mobilization.
• Development cooperation / peacebuilding in conflict and post-conflict situations.
• Field work in conflict-affected territories.

Capabilities

• Good analytical skills
• Good communication skills
• Good reporting and writing skills

Personal suitability

• Excellent social skills and interpersonal relations, including teamwork
• Capability to learn and adapt quickly to a multicultural environment
• Flexibility and ability to manage competing priorities
• Reliability
• Initiative and ability to work independently
• Organization, ability to structure, prioritize and deliver within tight timelines

The embassy strives to be a diverse and multicultural workplace. Persons of afro-Colombian and indigenous identities, who fulfill abovementioned criteria, are encouraged to apply.

Conditions

The contract is fixed term, for 12 months, with the possibility of prolongation.

Terms and conditions apply through Colombian law and extra conditions apply through Swedish Foreign Ministry agreement such as competitive salary, 39,5 working hours, 28 vacation days, annual wellness and health promotion allowance and six months of paid maternity or paternity leave etc. 

An appropriate Colombian work visa will be required if not a Colombian citizen or Permanent Resident. All employees must have a legal entitlement to live and work in the country.

The embassy applies a policy of individually defined salaries, based on each employee’s responsibilities, experience, skills and suitability, etc. Applicants are requested to indicate their salary aspiration for the position, in the application (cover letter).

How to Apply

Please send your application, consisting strictly of CV and a cover letter ONLY, both in English, to the e-mail address ambassaden.bogota-cooperation@gov.se.

Applications must be submitted as non-compressed archives attached to the e-mail, with a maximum of two (2) attachments: CV and cover letter. Additional attachments will be cause for rejection of the application.

Any text, image or other object in the body of the e-mail will not be considered as part of the application.

All applications must be marked “UM2025/10149/BOGO Program Officer for Humanitarian Assistance”.

Closing date for applications is APRIL 13, 2025. Only applicants selected for interview will be contacted.

If you have any questions regarding the vacant position, please contact: ambassaden.bogota-cooperation@gov.se