Vacancies

Vacancy – Position as Junior Policy Officer and Events Coordinator at the Embassy of Sweden to South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Lesotho.

Reference number UM2025/11991/PRET

Closing date for applications 30 April 2025.

Vacancy-

Program Officer

Reference number: UM2025/12753/PRET

The Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria represents and promotes Swedish interests in South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, and Botswana. The Embassy also has a mandate to implement the Swedish regional development cooperation strategy for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Africa. The overall tasks of the Embassy include supporting business and trade, development cooperation as well as consular services, and has approximately 30 employees.

The Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria is offering a program officer to join the development cooperation section, focusing on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in Africa. The officer will contribute to Sweden´s regional strategy for SRHR in Africa 2022-2026.

The development cooperation section is both thematic and regional in its outlook and set-up and works closely with partners and other Embassies in Africa as well as with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency’s (Sida) headquarter in Sweden.

We are looking for a candidate who has excellent ability to collaborate and build trustful relationships with colleagues and external partners. You should also be able to take initiatives and pursue processes and tasks independently and forward. To succeed in your role, you should be an effective communicator; easy adapt to changed circumstances; be solution-oriented and capable of handling the unpredictable. The position will require travels on the continent.

Sweden applies the Guttmacher Lancet definition of SRHR, which entails a broad aspect of SRHR including comprehensive sexual education, safe abortion and working with marginalised groups such as LGBTQI and people in prostitution. You need to be comfortable advocating and defending this whole spectrum of SRHR.  

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Manage and follow-up contributions to implementing partners
• Engage in policy dialogue at sector and contribution levels, mobilizing commitment based on the universal declaration of human rights as well as the regional framework and commitments for human rights and SRHR in Africa.
• Provide advice and support on SRHR perspectives in development cooperation, fostering internal and external learning
• Contribute to portfolio analysis, operational planning, implementation, follow-up, and reporting within the Regional SRHR strategy
• Actively participate in Sida´s thematic networks

Requirements:

• Master´s degree in a relevant field
• Minimum of five years of professional experience with an international development cooperation and/or international organization
• Minimum of three years of experience working with SRHR or human rights
• Solid knowledge of SRHR
• Very good knowledge of English
• Good administrative abilities and experience in pursuing policy dialogue

Merits:

• Work experience in the Africa region
• Knowledge of additional languages such as Swedish, French, Portuguese
• Experience of working with an Embassy

Personal Qualifications:

• Ability and willingness to internalize innovative ways of working, while fulfilling the role as a Swedish civil servant and respecting ethical and professional standards
• Capability to achieve and report on agreed results and to seek necessary support
• skills to positively influence colleagues in applying new knowledge
• Willingness to share information, competence, and knowledge with others
• Capability to deliver and prioritize tasks during demanding and time sensitive situations

Application Details:

• Applicants must be South African citizens or hold Permanent Residence status of South Africa
• Applicants must have a clean criminal record
• Security clearance from Swedish authorities will be required based on a South African police clearance
• Successful candidates will embody Embassy core values of equality, tolerance, and openness

Employment Details:

• One year position with the possibility to extend
• Application deadline 9th of May 2025
• Starting date: As soon as possible
• Application submission: send a motivational letter (max one page) and CV to ambassaden.pretoria-bistand@gov.se

For any enquires related to the position please send an e-mail to Ambassaden.pretoria-bistand@gov.se