Our Vision: an inclusive world in which all people with disabilities enjoy their human rights and achieve their full potential.
Our Mission: fighting to end the cycle of poverty and disability.
Our Values:
While the world has been making progress in tackling poverty, people with disabilities are being left behind. CBM Global works alongside people with disabilities in the world’s poorest places to fight poverty and exclusion and transform lives. Driven by Christian values, we seek out and work with the most marginalised in society, irrespective of race, gender or religion, recognising the equal worth of every individual.
Drawing on over 100 years’ experience and world-leading expertise in disability-inclusive community development and humanitarian action, inclusive eye health and community mental health, CBM Global works with partners to break the cycle of poverty and disability and build inclusive communities. Our programmes across Africa, Asia and Latin America are developed and delivered with local partner organisations to ensure long-term transformation and accountability in communities we serve. We’re deeply committed to the principle of “nothing about us without us”, and we therefore work closely with and support organisations of people with disabilities.
CBM Global is made up of CBM Australia, CBM Ireland, CBM Kenya, CBM New Zealand, CBM Switzerland, and CBM UK with programmes worldwide and Country Offices in Philippines, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Indonesia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Madagascar and Bolivia. CBM Global works in over 20 countries, maximising our impact through long-term, authentic partnership and a coordinated mix of inclusive community-based programmes, local to global advocacy and delivering inclusion advice to other organisations.
We draw on learning and evidence from our community work to inform our advocacy hand-in-hand with the Disability Movement at local, national and international levels, including with the UN, to achieve systemic change for people with disabilities. We advise governments, UN bodies and other organisations on how to ensure inclusion in their own organisations, policies and programmes to further amplify our impact.
User Voice Coordinator
Fixed term and Full-Time contract until December 2026 with a possibility of extension.
Reports to:
The User Voice Coordinator will report to:
• Technical Advisor, Pan African Network of Persons with Psychosocial Disabilities
• The Regional Mental Health Advisor for Africa, CBM Global.
Job Overview And Core Purpose
The User Voice Coordinator holds a pivotal role, providing crucial technical support to the Pan African Network of Persons with Psychosocial Disabilities (PANPPD). This position focuses on cultivating meaningful participation and inclusion of individuals with psychosocial disabilities, ensuring their perspectives guide the implementation of the Africa Mental Health Leadership Program (AMHLP). The primary responsibility of the position holder is to coordinate and facilitate empowerment initiatives for persons with psychosocial disabilities through their representative organizations across Africa. This necessitates close collaboration with both state and non – state actors including mainstream civil society organizations. The role involves providing strategic operational direction, maintaining program quality, fundraising and organizations strengthening
Based: We welcome applications from those with the right to work in Kenya, Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Nigeria, or Zimbabwe. Applicants without the right to reside and work in one of these countries will not be considered.
Hours: Full-time
Salary range: The salary offered will be competitive, dependent on skills and experience, as well as country of location. Salary and benefits will be competitive / Competitive. We offer a local contract
Responsibilities and Duties
• Develop and implement strategies to empower and strengthen organizations representing persons with psychosocial disabilities in Africa.
• Cultivate and sustain collaborative relationships with persons with psychosocial disabilities through their representative organizations, government bodies, National Human Rights Institutions, mainstream civil society organizations, private entities, regional and international OPDs, and advocacy groups to enhance their involvement and representation.
• Design and execute surveys, focus groups, and feedback mechanisms that will inform and enhance the AMHLP with valuable insights and suggestions from individuals with lived experience.
• Coordinate and manage meetings, workshops, dialogues, and forums to ensure effective engagement and representation of persons with psychosocial disabilities.
• Stay updated with the latest research, policies, and practices in mental health, user engagement, and community involvement in compliance with international human rights good practices.
• Engage in professional development activities to enhance personal skills and expertise in user voice coordination
• Prepare timely project reports on a quarterly basis.
Note: Many of these activities will be defined by the work plan for the fourth pillar of the Africa Mental Health Leadership Programme, led by Africa CDC.
Safeguarding responsibilities:
• Understands power imbalances and ways in which team/organisational culture may be reinforcing negative stereotypes and biases, and the impact of these dynamics on the vulnerable and marginalized.
• Able to implement safeguarding requirements in their area of responsibility.
• Acts as a role model for CBMG’s and PANPPD’s commitment to zero-tolerance for abuse, do no harm and safeguarding standards.
• Reports and escalates safeguarding concerns appropriately.
• Challenges inappropriate behaviours of peers.
Person Specification
All of the following requirements are essential, unless marked with a * when they are desirable, and will be assessed from a combination of information provided from the application form and interview process.
CBM Global welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds and people with lived experience of disability.
Experience
• Experience in organizational strengthening, movement building, and networking.
• Strong understanding of inclusive development, Agenda 2030 and the SDGs, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the WHO QualityRights.
• Background in disability rights, mental health, and working with underrepresented groups, preferably persons with psychosocial disabilities.
• Minimum of two years' work experience in a related field.
• Experience working in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, ideally across a number of countries.
Skills/competencies/personal qualities
• Proficiency in developing project proposals and successfully securing project funding.
• Strong organisational skills for effective coordination of meetings, workshops, and feedback mechanisms.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to engage and collaborate with diverse individuals and organizations.
Qualifications, training, and education
• Bachelor’s degree in mental health, human rights, disability rights, Social Work, Psychology or related fields.
Languages:
• English (professional proficiency, spoken and written, is essential)
• French (desirable but not mandatory)*
Note:
CBM Global and PANPPD are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace and strongly encourage applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds, including persons with disabilities. Persons with psychosocial disability with relevant qualifications as above are specifically encouraged to apply.
Employee Benefits
• We offer flexibility and working from home arrangements.
• As part of our commitment with inclusion, CBM Global aims to encourage applications from people with disabilities and those with health conditions. We have a comprehensive equality and diversity policy.
CBM Global is an equal opportunities employer, committed to ensuring all applications are treated fairly.
All applications are subject to our shortlisting process; if you are shortlisted we will contact you and invite you to attend an online interview. You will also be advised at this point if there will be any skills tasks to complete as part of the recruitment process.
Everyone has the right to be treated with consideration and respect. CBM Global is committed to achieving a truly inclusive environment for all, by developing better working relationships that release the full potential, creativity and productivity of each individual. CBM Global aims to ensure that all staff, volunteers, donors, partners, contractors, and the general public are treated fairly. This will be regardless of sex, sexual orientation, gender re-assignment, marital or civil partnership status, race (including colour, nationality, ethnicity, or national origin), disability, medical status, age, religion or belief, political opinion, social or economic status.
CBM Global is committed to the safety and best interest of all children and vulnerable adults accessing CBM Global supported services and programmes. Relevant background checks including working with children, police and reference checks will be completed prior to the preferred candidate’s employment being confirmed.
All applicants must have the right to work in the relevant country. All offers of employment are made subject to the following criteria: Proof of eligibility and satisfactory employment screening, and three references satisfactory to CBM Global.