How to apply for Strategic Initiatives Support Officer

About CIVICUS

CIVICUS is a global alliance of over 15,000 members in more than 180 countries. It monitors violations of civic freedoms, calls out perpetrators, and supports civil society to be more accountable, effective, and innovative. The organisation focuses on promoting excluded voices, especially from the Global South.

About the role

The Strategic Initiatives Support Officer provides project and administrative support to CIVICUS's Strategic Initiatives workstream. You will work with the Advisor, Strategic Initiatives, on funder engagement, grant management, resource mobilisation, organisational strategy, annual planning and budgeting, knowledge management, and evaluation and learning. You will also support implementation of the Norad Civic Space grant and ensure funder reports, correspondence, briefing materials, and knowledge products meet a high editorial standard.

A typical day

A typical day might involve drafting or editing a funder report, coordinating with colleagues on annual planning, and updating knowledge management systems. You could also support the Advisor, Strategic Initiatives, with briefing materials and correspondence for funder meetings. The role is remote, so much of the work happens through online collaboration tools and email.

Who CIVICUS is looking for

• At least five years of experience in project support, grant management, or administrative roles, preferably in civil society or a global alliance.
• Excellent writing and editing skills, with the ability to produce funder reports, correspondence, and briefing materials to a high editorial standard.
• Highly organised, with a track record of keeping complex processes on track across multiple workstreams.
• Experience supporting resource mobilisation, funder engagement, or grant management, including knowledge of Norad or similar institutional donors.

Tips for this application

• Read CIVICUS's latest annual report and the Norad Civic Space grant description to understand the specific funder and grant context.
• In your application, give concrete examples of funder reports or briefing materials you have written and edited, showing your editorial standards.
• Show how you have supported organisational strategy development, annual planning, or budgeting in a previous role, using specific outcomes.
• Mention any experience with knowledge management, evaluation, or learning systems, as these are cross-cutting responsibilities in this role.
• Address your ability to work remotely and collaborate with colleagues across time zones, since the role is remote and the alliance is global.

What to cover in your cover letter

Explain your experience with grant management and funder engagement, especially with institutional donors like Norad. Describe how you have ensured high editorial standards in reports and correspondence. Show your ability to support strategy, planning, and budgeting processes. Highlight your understanding of civil society issues and CIVICUS's focus on the Global South.

Research before applying

• Review CIVICUS's website, especially the Strategic Initiatives workstream and any published strategy documents.
• Find and read about the Norad Civic Space grant, including its objectives and reporting requirements.
• Look at CIVICUS's recent annual reports and financial statements to understand their funding sources and priorities.
• Research CIVICUS's member alliance and key campaigns to understand the context of their work.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you approach editing a funder report to meet CIVICUS's editorial standards?
• Describe a time you managed a complex grant process with multiple deadlines and stakeholders.
• What experience do you have with resource mobilisation and diversifying funding sources?
• How would you support annual planning and budgeting for a global alliance like CIVICUS?
• Give an example of how you have contributed to knowledge management or evaluation and learning in a previous role.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Submitting a cover letter that is generic and does not mention CIVICUS, the Strategic Initiatives workstream, or the Norad grant.
• Failing to provide specific examples of grant management or funder reporting experience.
• Ignoring the editorial component of the role and not demonstrating strong writing skills in the application.