Assistant Sponsorship Officer at SOS Children’s Villages Zambia

Position Title: Assistant Sponsorship

Reporting to: National Sponsorship Officer

Duty Station: National Office – Lusaka

SOS Children’s Villages Zambia is a child focused organization and an affiliate of the SOS Children Villages International. It is non-governmental, non-political, non-denominational, and non-racial. Its overall mission is to build families for children in need, help them shape their own futures and share in the development of their communities. Applications are invited from suitably qualified and experienced persons to fill the above position in the organization.

Position Summary

SOS Children’s Villages Zambia is partially funded by local and international sponsors who are entitled to receive engaging, accurate and informative content about the impact their sponsorship has on the organization and the children that they sponsor. Together with the NSPO and a network of colleagues at programme level the sponsorship Assistant create, collate and edit textual, photographic and video content sent regularly to sponsors according to fixed standards at fixed times. The sponsorship Assistant represents the national sponsorship officer if they are away. The priority is to provide regular, accurate and high-quality content to local and international sponsors in a variety of formats. The sponsorship Assistant uses custom software to process the content and ensure that accurate records are kept.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the NSPO in all tasks to ensure the smooth running of the sponsorship function, including, but not limited to:
• Edit and upload texts submitted from programmes to required international format and standard for: child registrations, departures mid and end of year sponsor communications, updates and transfers of children and write such texts as required
• Edit and upload photos and videos submitted from programmes to required international format and standard and plan shoot such material as required o Train and support programme staff on all sponsorship responsibilities so that they can submit content at required standards
• Ensure that regular cross checks are undertaken at village and national level to ensure the accuracy of the sponsorship information held
• Check eligibility of children to be enrolled onto sponsorship programmes – especially that all consents are correctly signed by legal guardian o Register and process any letters or parcels sent to children
• Provide initial and refresher training on writing and photography and video filming to programme colleagues
• Perform any other reasonable and lawful duties as assigned by the supervisor

Minimum qualifications & experience

• To have completed a diploma/certificate level course in communications or closely related subject
• Minimum of two year’s work experience in donor communications within an NGO environment in a similar role at a similar level

Competencies

• Proven previous experience of writing, photography and ideally video for fund development (a portfolio is to be submitted if candidate is shortlisted)
• Demonstrably strong skills in Word, Excel, Powerpoint and at least one video editing package, preferably VSDL (a skills test will be conducted if candidate is short listed)
• Practical working knowledge of child safeguarding and data protection matters
• Excellent organizational and administrative capabilities
• Must show attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines, with flexibility in working arrangements if necessary
• Experience in working in an environment with varying cultural backgrounds
• Ability to represent and promote the function of sponsorship services within the national association
• Ability to work with or within physical and virtual teams
• Experience in planning, team-building and team-motivation techniques
• Previous training and presentation skills

Personality

• Result-oriented and self-reflective, determined, innovative and pro-active
• Shows social competence and is an excellent networker
• Cheerful, outgoing and positive, with a passion for communication and life-long learning

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