Business managers

While Cameroon has one of the highest GDP rates in Africa and enjoys relative stability, the country lacks participatory local governance in several districts. The Council of Bogo, situated in the Far North Province of Maroua is seeking to improve its processes and tools by developing and implementing a long-term Institutional Development Plan, integrating participatory and rights-based approaches.

Your management expertise will be used to develop this plan, providing individual capacity building to staff and assist in the day-to-day management of the council. You’ll make a lasting contribution to good governance, better quality public services and increased participation of vulnerable groups in local government.

What does the role involve?

• Assisting in developing a long term development plan and support its implementation
• Providing support in the day-to-day management of the Council
• Providing individual management training to staff
• Supporting the council in the development and implementation of micro projects promoting human rights, good governance

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll have a degree level qualification and a minimum of four years’ experience in a mid to senior level management role, preferably in the public sector. You’ll also need experience of training and facilitating workshops and training sessions. Experience of change management in institutions and spoken French is a plus. You will be flexible, organised and a good team player with an inclusive style of leadership.

And the rest...

Cameroon is a Central African nation on the Golf of Guinea, bordered by Nigeria, Chad, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. Cameroon is known for its diverse and beautiful landscapes- beaches, deserts, mountains, rainforests and savannas. It is a nation of diversity with 200 different ethnic and linguistic groups across the country. You’ll be based in Maroua in the Far North Province, a large town with good local amenities.

We’ll ask you to commit to 12-24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our support package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

Bangladesh has a rapidly rising population of over 140 million, half of whom live below the poverty line. The provision of basic rights such as education and health are often limited, especially for the minority indigenous population.

Moanoghar is an orphanage established in 1974 by a group of Buddhist monks to provide shelter, education and primary healthcare for indigenous orphans and destitute children in the Chittagong Hill area. The organisation undertakes programmes to create education and employment opportunities. As a volunteer at Moanoghar, you’ll improve the management capacity of the organisation and help it meet its objectives more effectively.

What does the role involve?

• Providing on-the-job management training and mentoring to Moanoghar’s management committee
• Developing a long-term organisational strategy for Moahnoghar together with the management committee
• Developing appropriate monitoring and evaluation systems for the organisation’s programmes
• Building and maintaining relationships with other organisations and potential donors

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll need a degree-level qualification as well a minimum of four years' experience in a mid-to-senior level management role. You’re management skills and experience need to be broad and include organisational strategy, HR, financial planning and monitoring and evaluation. Cultural sensitivity, patience and a good sense of humour are important qualities in all VSO volunteers as these should help you to work well with limited resources and adapt to live and work in a different culture. Good interpersonal and team working skills are also essential as you’ll need to build strong relationships with your colleagues and a variety of stakeholders.

And the rest...

Bangladesh is a lively, friendly and hospitable country, teeming with people from a variety of backgrounds, cultures and religions. The lives of many people are dominated by the rivers that flow through the country on their way from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal. Rangapani is a small town in the Chittagong Hills in south-east Bangladesh with good basic facilities like a bank and two big market places for groceries and other basic goods. Fresh fruit and vegetables are cheap and plentiful.

We’ll ask you to commit to 12-24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our support package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

The Gambia is the smallest mainland country in Africa, where an estimated 59 per cent of the population live on less than US$1 a day and a large part of the population face inadequate healthcare, nutrition and education. VSO works closely with The Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH), which is the country’s main provider of tertiary level healthcare. Its Teaching Hospital status is a recent development and represents an exciting step forward in the development of health care in The Gambia. The hospital is looking for an experienced manager to improve the managerial performance of the hospital’s senior management team in order to meet its patient care objectives more effectively.

What does the role involve?

• Providing general management support and mentoring to RVTH’s senior management team
• Providing training in leadership skills and other management techniques
• Advising on staff appraisals and other appropriate HR development systems as needed
• Providing advice on the preparation of management accounts and budget reviews
• Supporting the senior management team in developing a long-term strategic plan for the hospital

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll need a degree level qualification in a management related field, together with at least four years’ experience in a mid to senior-level management role, preferably in the public sector. Experience of managing large teams is essential as are good IT skills. You’ll also need great interpersonal and communication skills to build strong relationships with your colleagues. Patience, flexibility and an open mind are important personal qualities that will help you work effectively with limited resources and adapt to live and work in a different culture.

And the rest...

You’ll be based in Banjul, The Gambia’s capital, located at the mouth of the Gambia river, serving as the central transport and trade route. English is the official language but Wolof and Madinka are also widely spoken – you’ll receive introductory lessons in one of those. There are many local markets and several supermarkets with foods from Europe and the Americas. Gambian dishes can be spicy, but there are plenty of restaurants offering a wide variety of dishes from around the world.

We’ll ask you to commit to 12-24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

The rate of HIV infection in Vietnam is growing rapidly and the current social stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS is preventing people from accessing information or getting tested. Light – a community health and development organisation carries our research to provide solutions for improving the quality of public health in Vietnam. It also provides training on best practice and recent developments in the sector to organisations involved in public health work.

With the proliferation of HIV and AIDS in recent years, the organisation is also increasingly focusing its work on combating the spread of the pandemic through awareness raising and education initiatives. As a management adviser with Light, you’ll help to develop a long-term strategy for the organisation as well as individual programmes, to ensure the sustainable growth of their vital work.

What does the role involve?

• Reviewing the current strategy and structure of Light, including its capacity, external factors and work together with the management team to develop a new long-term strategy based on your findings
• Supporting the implementation and monitoring and evaluation of the strategy
• Training staff in project management, effective proposal and report writing techniques
• Networking and building relationships with other relevant organisations and potential donors

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll need a degree level qualification in a relevant field with at least four years’ experience in staff development, change management and strategic planning. You’ll need experience in conducting research and needs assessments with the ability to analyse and apply results. Flexibility, patience and a sense of humour are essential qualities for all VSO placements as they will help you to adapt to live and work in a different culture. You’ll also need to be happy to work in a multi-cultural environment and work creatively with limited resources.

And the rest...

Vietnam is a long, thin country in South East Asia, bordering Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. The country has a beautiful coastline that stretches over 3,000 km along the South China Sea while the interior has brilliant green rice paddies and impressive mountains, some covered in dense, misty forest. You’ll be based in Hanoi, a vibrant and lively city with a variety of restaurants, bars and cultural places of interest. Vietnamese cuisine is quite similar to Thai food - curries, soups and noodle dishes, with soy sauce, lemongrass and often lots of chillies.

We’ll ask you to commit to 12-24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our support package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

The Teenage Mothers and Girls Association of Kenya (TEMAK) works to reduce teenage pregnancies though empowering women with vocational skills and life skills, as well as rehabilitating young mothers through similar strategies. It also provides support for young widows, orphans and young women engaged in commercial sex.

Women can access vocational training in areas such as hair and beauty, computing, arts and crafts (for income generation). TEMAK has grown organically since its conception in 1992 and is well recognised and spoken of in the local community. However, there has been little forward planning or strategic overview, which means that the organisation lacks the systems and procedures required to take it to the next level.

As an organisational development adviser you’ll assess the current strengths and weaknesses of the organisation and seek to develop solutions within the TEMAK team. This placement forms part of VSO’s HIV and AIDS programme in Kenya as it will build the capacity of TEMAK to meet its objectives and provide education and economic welfare opportunities to women who are vulnerable to HIV and AIDS.

What does the role involve?

• Developing a strategic planning process for TEMAK in consultation with the TEMAK Board and staff
• Training TEMAK staff in work planning and budgeting (at management and lower levels) against the strategic plan
• Supporting the formulation of TEMAK policies, systems and procedures; including financial management, HR and staff development, procurement, communications and PR, IT systems
• Formulating monitoring and evaluation templates and training TEMAK staff in consistent use of them
• Jointly developing a marketing/fundraising strategy, and train the board in proposal writing
• Networking with potential strategic partners for TEMAK

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll need a degree, preferably in a business or management related field, with at least four years’ experience of working at mid or senior management level. You will have substantial experience of managing teams and carrying out strategic planning processes, and will have been involved in developing management and HR systems.

Experience in fundraising would be an advantage and you’ll need excellent communication and interpersonal skills in order to build strong relationships with colleagues and stakeholders. Patience, flexibility and a sense of humour are important qualities in all our volunteers, as they will help you to successfully integrate into a new culture.

And the rest...

Kisumu is Kenya’s 3rd largest city, a pleasant and sleepy town on the shores of Lake Victoria. It has a population of just over 300,000 and good facilities, such as a bank, shops and markets. You’ll most likely live in a two-room house with good water and electricity supply.

We’ll ask you to commit to 24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.