Development of Civic Education Manual Consultant

1. Background

Ethiopia has been undergoing significant political, social, and economic transformations in recent years. Amidst these changes, the role of civil society organizations (CSOs) has become increasingly vital in fostering democratic values, promoting civic engagement, and ensuring that citizens are informed and active participants in the democratic process.

The Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations for Elections (CECOE) is a coalition of over 175 local civil society organizations dedicated to enhancing democracy and electoral processes in Ethiopia. CECOE’s mission is to build a more democratic society through education, advocacy, and active participation in electoral and political processes. CECOE has been at the forefront of efforts to empower citizens, monitor elections, and advocate for transparent and accountable governance.

CECOE is currently implementing a project titled “Civic Education for Better Civic Engagement and Political Participation in Ethiopia.” This project is funded by the German Government and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH under the “Support to Good Governance (S2GG) in Ethiopia” 

Civic education is essential for empowering citizens with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to participate effectively in democratic processes. It helps citizens understand their rights and responsibilities, the workings of government, and the importance of their involvement in public life. Given the diverse and multilingual nature of Ethiopia, it is crucial to develop civic education materials that are accessible and culturally relevant to all segments of the population.

CECOE recognizes the need for a comprehensive Civic Education Manual to support its member organizations in delivering effective civic education programs. This manual will serve as a key resource for trainers and educators, providing them with the tools and knowledge to educate citizens about democracy, governance, and civic participation. The development of the manual will draw on the National Election Board of Ethiopia’s Civic and Voter Education Manual, and the Malawi Guide to Civic Education: The NICE Experience, as well as findings from the needs assessment to be conducted. Additionally, the manual will be accompanied by a validation workshop and a Training of Trainers (ToT) program to ensure that CECOE member organizations are well-equipped to utilize the manual in their respective regions and communities. Following the finalization of the manual, CECOE will engage in the production of infographics and educational videos which will be used to run civic education social media campaigns. 

2. Objective

The main objective of this assignment is to develop a comprehensive Civic Education Manual, conduct a validation workshop, and provide training for CECOE member organizations. These efforts aim to improve the quality of civic education materials and campaigns and enhance the capacity of citizens to actively participate in public and political life.

3. Scope of Work

The Consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

A. Development of Civic Education Manual

  1. Conduct a needs assessment to gather relevant information for the manual.
  2. Develop a two-part Civic Education Manual:
    1. Part One: A step-by-step training guide for civic educators.
    2. Part Two: Training materials for civic education campaigns.
  3. Collaborate with a graphics designer consultant to develop infographics based on the Civic Education Material.

B. Validation Workshop

  1. Plan and organize a one-day validation workshop in Addis Ababa.
  2. Collect feedback from the workshop participants and incorporate it into the final manual.

C. Training of CECOE Member Organizations

  1. Develop a 3-day Training of Trainers (ToT) program based on the manual.
  2. Conduct the ToT program for trainers nominated from 40 CECOE member organizations.

4. Deliverables

The Consultant is expected to deliver the following:

  1. Civic Education Manual:
    • Draft version for validation.
    • A final version incorporating feedback from the validation workshop.
  2. Validation Workshop:
    • Workshop agenda and materials.
    • Workshop report including feedback collected.
  3. Training of Trainers (ToT):
    • Training agenda and materials.
    • ToT program implementation report.

5. Duration

The consultancy is expected to complete the assignment within three months from the date of signing the contract.

6. Reporting

The Consultant will report to the CECOE project manager and provide regular updates on the progress of the assignment.

7. Qualifications

The ideal Consultant should possess the following qualifications:

  • Academic qualification in human rights, political science, civic education, or a related field.
  • Proven experience in developing educational materials, with a track record of producing high-quality materials.
  • Knowledge of adult learning principles and instructional design.
  • Familiarity with the political and civic context of Ethiopia and experience working with civil society organizations.
  • Ability to work collaboratively with a diverse group of stakeholders.
  • Experience in conducting training and workshops.
  • Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and manage multiple tasks effectively.

8. Submission of Proposals

Interested consultants are invited to submit their detailed technical and financial proposals, including:

  • A cover letter
  • CV
  • Proposed methodology

Communication Consultant

Overview of the Organization

Established in 2019, the Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations for Elections (CECOE)  is a coalition of over 175 Ethiopian CSOs working in the area of elections, human rights, and democracy. The Coalition is registered and licensed under the Civil Society Organizations Proclamation No. 1113/2019. Since its establishment, CECOE has observed the 6th general Ethiopian elections, the Sidama and South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region referendums. Furthermore, the Coalition has been engaged in various advocacy and civic education activities. The I Vote digital voter education campaign which reached several million Ethiopians and an advocacy campaign to reform the electoral legal regime come at the forefront in this regard.

CECOE has been carrying out several projects aimed at bolstering the political participation of these marginalized groups. Currently, with financial support from the European Union and in partnership with Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), CECOE is implementing  a project on enhancing the Participation of Women in Ethiopian Politics.

Summary of the Position

Working collaboratively with other teams across the organization, the communications consultant will play a key role in undertaking high-quality communications works on women’s political participation and elections;  assisting in developing & implementing advocacy strategies; and ultimately, preparing policy briefs. This will be done in the context of developing and promoting CECOE as a strong voice for improved participation of women in Ethiopian politics. 

Responsibilities:

  • Oversee the execution of all of CECOE’s Communication priorities. 
  • Collaborate with management to develop and implement an effective communications strategy based on CECOE’s target audience.
  • Write, edit, and distribute content, including publications, press releases, website content, annual reports, speeches, and other outreach material that communicates the organization’s activities.
  • Establish and maintain effective relationships with journalists, and maintain a media database
  • Responsible for one or more aspects of the communications and/or public relations plan, e.g., media relations, membership communications, online/web page activities, and/or association profile.
  • Maintain records of media coverage and collate analytics and metrics.
  • Work collaboratively with staff to execute additional organizational priorities as they arise.

Term of employment One Year with possible extension based on availability of budget and performance

Job Requirement

Qualifications:
The ideal candidate should:

  • Knowledge and experience in Ethiopian electoral system
  • Be future-focused, data-driven, and strategy-minded, and thrive in fast-paced CSO working environments;
  • Be methodical and detail-oriented, with excellent writing, planning, and time management skills, and able to advance multiple projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines;
  • Be comfortable working with Microsoft Office Suite and Google Apps and have an aptitude for working with online and mobile applications; 
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective collaborative working relations with clients, stakeholders, and senior management in a multicultural context;
  • Have proficiency in design and publishing software.
  • Have a wide cross-sector network.
  • Fluency in English and Amharic languages; additional local language is a plus

Educational Qualifications

  • BA Degree or Master’s in Communication, Journalism, or a related field
  • At least Four (4) years’ work experience for MA and (6) years’ work experience for BA implementing research and advocacy initiatives of which at least 2 years in elections-related project

CECOE strongly encourages female candidates to apply!

Research, Advocacy & Communication Consultant

Overview of the Organization

Established in 2019, the Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations for Elections (CECOE)  is a coalition of over 175 Ethiopian CSOs working in the area of elections, human rights and democracy. The Coalition is registered and licensed under the Civil Society Organizations Proclamation No. 1113/2019. Since its establishment, CECOE has observed the 6th general Ethiopian elections, the Sidama and South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region referendums. Furthermore, the Coalition has been engaged in various advocacy and civic education activities. The IVote digital voter education campaign  which reached several million Ethiopians and  an advocacy campaign to reform the electoral legal regime come at the forefront in this regard.

CECOE has been carrying out several projects aimed at bolstering the political participation of these marginalized groups. Currently, with financial support from the European Union and in partnership with Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), CECOE is implementing  a project on enhancing the Participation of Women in Ethiopian Politics.

Summary of the Position

Working collaboratively with other teams across the organization, the Research & Advocacy Officer will play a key role in undertaking high quality research in women political participation and elections;  assisting to develop & implement advocacy strategies; and ultimately, preparing policy briefs. This will be done in the context of developing and promoting CECOE as a strong voice for improved participation of women in Ethiopian politics. 

Responsibilities:

  • Oversee the execution of all of CECOE’s Research, Advocacy and Communication priorities. 

Research and Advocacy

  • Develop and implement CECOE’s research and advocacy agenda in line with the Coalition’s strategic and operational plan 
  • Research, write and prepare papers, reports and submissions on relevant issues which contributes to CECOE’s overall advocacy goal
  • Refine the research methodology and manage project timeline;
  • Prepare data and interpret findings;
  • Secure content contributions and compile research components;
  • Identify top trends and recommendations;
  • Develop and support in the execution of research related convening, including but not limited to town halls and task force and committee meetings;
  • Gather stakeholder feedback;
  • Provide administrative support in all aspects of report production (e.g. design, editing, printing); and
  • Create strategies for the dissemination and implementation of research.

Communication

  • Collaborate with management to develop and implement an effective communications strategy based on CECOE’s target audience.
  • Write, edit, and distribute content, including publications, press releases, website content, annual reports, speeches, and other outreach material that communicates the organization’s activities.
  • Establish and maintain effective relationships with journalists, and maintain a media database
  • Responsible for one or more aspects of the communications and/or public relations plan, e.g., media relations, membership communications, online/web page activities, and/or association profile.
  • Maintain records of media coverage and collate analytics and metrics.
  • Work collaboratively with staff to execute on additional organizational priorities as they arise.

Term of employment One Year with possible extension based on availability of budget and performance

Responsible to   Programme Manager

Job Requirement

Qualifications:
Ideal candidate should:

  • Knowledge and experience in Ethiopian electoral system
  • Have relevant research and advocacy experience and a demonstrated capacity for community organizing;
  • Be future focused, data-driven, strategy-minded, and thrive in fast-paced CSOs working environments;
  • Be methodical and detail oriented, with excellent writing, planning, and time management skills, and able to advance multiple projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines;
  • Be comfortable working with Microsoft Office Suite and Google Apps and have an aptitude for working with online and mobile applications; 
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective collaborative working relations with clients, stakeholders and senior management in a multi-cultural context;
  • Have proficiency in design and publishing software.
  • Have a wide cross-sector network.
  • Fluency in English and Amharic languages; additional local language is a plus

Educational Qualifications

  • BA Degree or Master in Communication, Journalism or related field
  • At least Four (4) years’ work experience implementing research and advocacy initiatives of which at least 2 years in elections-related project
  • Skills and Competencies Required:
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Strong organizational and project management skills.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
  • Fluency in English and Amharic; an additional local language (Tigrigna, Oromiffa, Somali, etc.) is a plus.

CECOE strongly encourages female candidates to apply!

Civic Education Officer

Background of CECOE:

The Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations for Elections (CECOE) is a coalition of over 175 local civil society organizations engaged in democracy and electoral activities across Ethiopia. CECOE obtained a certificate of registration from the FDRE Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) in 2019 with the registration number 4748.  CECOE was established to coordinate civic engagement, increasing citizen participation in voter education, election observation, research, and advocacy with the view to bolstering long-term civil society engagement in Ethiopia’s electoral process in a sustainable manner.

CECOE is currently implementing a project titled “Civic Education for Better Civic Engagement and Political Participation in Ethiopia.” This project is financed by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and commissioned by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany under the “Support to Good Governance (S2GG) in Ethiopia” program, Focused on digital civic education, the project will engage in the design and provision of a nationwide and localized civic education campaign using interactive audiovisual (radio spots and video ads) and printed materials.

Job Overview/Summary:

The Civic Education Officer will be responsible for designing, implementing, and monitoring civic and voter education programs. This role aims to enhance the public’s understanding of civic rights, duties, and electoral processes to foster active participation in democratic activities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Develop and implement civic education programs in collaboration with stakeholders.
  • Conduct training sessions and workshops for civic educators.
  • Oversee the development and distribution of civic education materials.
  • Coordinate with media outlets for the dissemination of civic education messages.
  • Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of civic education campaigns.
  • Prepare reports and documentation on program activities and outcomes.
  • Perform other related tasks which are not stated above as assigned or deemed necessary.

Job Requirements:

  • Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Law, Education, or a related field.
  • At least 2 years of experience in an election-related role.
  • Proven experience in training and capacity-building activities.
  • Strong understanding of the electoral process and civic rights.

Skills and Competencies Required:

  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Strong organizational and project management skills.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
  • Fluency in English and Amharic; an additional local language (Tigrigna, Oromiffa, Somali, etc.) is a plus.

CECOE strongly encourages female candidates to apply!

Social Media Manager

Background of CECOE:

The Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations for Elections (CECOE) is a coalition of over 175 local civil society organizations engaged in democracy and electoral activities across Ethiopia. CECOE obtained a certificate of registration from the FDRE Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) in 2019 with the registration number 4748. CECOE was established to coordinate civic engagement, increasing citizen participation in voter education, election observation, research, and advocacy with the view to bolstering long-term civil society engagement in Ethiopia’s electoral process in a sustainable manner.

CECOE is currently implementing a project titled “Civic Education for Better Civic Engagement and Political Participation in Ethiopia.” This project is financed by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and commissioned by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany under the “Support to Good Governance (S2GG) in Ethiopia” program, Focused on digital civic education, the project will engage in the design and provision of a nationwide and localized civic education campaign using interactive audiovisual (radio spots and video ads) and printed materials.

Job Overview/Summary:

The Social Media Manager will be responsible for managing CECOE’s social media platforms and ensuring the effective dissemination of civic education content. This role involves content creation, monitoring social media trends, and engaging with the online community to promote civic knowledge and engagement.

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Develop and implement social media strategies to promote civic education.
  • Create, curate, and manage published content (images, video, content).
  • Monitor and respond to users in a “social” way while cultivating engagement.
  • Oversee design (e.g., Infographics, Videos, thumbnails, ads etc).
  • Analyze key metrics and tweak strategy as needed.
  • Compile reports for management showing results (ROI).
  • Perform other related tasks which are not stated above as assigned or deemed necessary.

Job Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Communications, IT, Social sciences, Public Relations, or any other related field.
  • At least 2 years of experience in social media management or a related field.
  • Excellent consulting, writing, editing (photo/video/text), presentation, and communication skills.
  • Demonstrable social networking experience and social analytics tools knowledge.

Skills and Competencies Required:

Knowledge of the digital world and a good understanding of major social media channels.

Positive attitude, attention to detail, with good multitasking and organizational ability.

Fluency in English and Amharic; an additional local language (Tigrigna, Oromiffa, Somali, etc.) is a plus.

CECOE strongly encourages female candidates to apply!