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Program officers are predominantly responsible for programs in a certain country. They perform a liaison function between the cooperation office abroad and headquarters.
Their tasks include, inter alia, maintaining contacts with partner organizations (governments, NGOs and international organizations), representing Switzerland abroad and at conferences, analyzing basic questions and participating in the establishment of support programs in the respective country, coordinating various projects and aid activities, handling requests for funds and preparing information for the Swiss public. Busi-ness trips abroad also fall within their purview.
Program managers work in specialized areas in geographical departments (the Asian, Western and Eastern/Southern Africa, Latin American, East European/CIS divisions) or in special departments which deal with current development topics (e.g. good governance), multilateral politics and humanitarian aid.
Requirements:
- Master degree (university or equivalent)
- Several years of professional experience
- Several years of field experience abroad
- Personal characteristics: initiative, analytical thinking, ability to handle conflicts, willingness to learn
- Very good knowledge of languages (two official languages, English, possibly Spanish, Russian or other languages)
- Good computer literacy
- Normally Swiss nationality