Program Designer & Manager – Child Labor Prevention in ASM (Volunteer)

Position Summary

The Program Designer – Combating Child Labor in ASM leads the design, refinement, and strategic expansion of Paraklet Inc.’s child labor prevention initiatives in mining communities. This role shapes high‑impact interventions that protect children, strengthen families, and mobilize communities through integrated approaches combining education access, livelihood diversification, safeguarding systems, community mobilization, and responsible mining practices. As Paraklet scales its operations, the Program Designer ensures program models are evidence‑based, donor‑aligned, and responsive to the realities of artisanal mining communities, while maintaining strong engagement with institutional donors, mining cooperatives, and governmental stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Program Design & Model Development — Lead the design of child labor prevention programs tailored to ASM communities, integrating education, livelihoods, safeguarding, and community protection systems.
• Curriculum & Toolkit Creation — Develop training manuals, community awareness materials, and facilitator guides for parents, cooperatives, and local leaders.
• Field Coordination — Work closely with DRC field teams to validate program models, gather community insights, and ensure culturally grounded implementation.
• Donor Alignment & Proposal Support — Ensure program design aligns with donor frameworks (USAID, UNICEF, ILO, foundations) and support proposal development with technical inputs.
• Government & Stakeholder Engagement — Strengthen relationships with ministries, provincial authorities, mining cooperatives, and community‑based organizations to ensure policy alignment and program acceptance.
• Monitoring & Learning Integration — Collaborate with MEL teams to embed indicators, learning loops, and adaptive management practices into program design.
• Safeguarding & Risk Mitigation — Ensure all program models incorporate safeguarding, ethical documentation, and risk‑mitigation strategies for children and vulnerable families.

Qualifications

• Required Skills — Demonstrated experience designing or managing child labor, child protection, or ASM‑related programs in Africa; strong understanding of community‑based protection systems; ability to translate field realities into structured program models.
• Preferred Skills — Experience working with donors (USAID, UNICEF, ILO, foundations); experience engaging government ministries and mining cooperatives; familiarity with MEL frameworks; French or Swahili proficiency.

Time Commitment

Flexible, typically 5–10 hours per week, depending on program design cycles and donor timelines.

Volunteer Status

This is an unpaid volunteer role. Volunteers are not employees of Paraklet Inc. and are not eligible for wages or employment benefits.

Safeguarding & Values

All team members must uphold Paraklet Inc.’s mission, safeguarding standards, and zero‑tolerance policies, ensuring ethical representation of children, families, and communities.

Special Instructions / Desired Candidate Profile

Paraklet Inc. is scaling rapidly and strengthening its child labor prevention model across mining regions. We seek high‑caliber, mission‑driven professionals with deep field experience and a passion for designing programs that protect children and transform communities.

Ideal candidates are those who:

• Have Ground Experience — You have designed or implemented child labor or ASM‑related programs in African contexts and understand community dynamics firsthand.
• Engage Donors Strategically — You have experience working with institutional donors and can translate program models into donor‑ready frameworks.
• Work with Government Stakeholders — You are comfortable engaging ministries, provincial authorities, and cooperatives to ensure alignment and support.
• Take Initiative — You proactively identify gaps, propose solutions, and move work forward without waiting for direction.
• Lead Without Supervision — You thrive in autonomous environments and can manage complex program design tasks independently.
• Seek Career Growth — You want to build a strong portfolio in program design, child protection, and donor‑aligned development work.
• Deliver Impact — You are motivated by meaningful work that protects children and strengthens mining communities.

If you are ready to shape a high‑impact program, lead independently, and leave a lasting footprint, Paraklet Inc. is the place to grow your career while contributing to transformational change.