Grassroots Grant Assistance Programme Support Officer

About this role

The Embassy of Japan in Tanzania is recruiting one External Commissioned Officer (Local Japanese National) to support the implementation of its Grassroots Grant Assistance programme, a development cooperation scheme that provides direct benefits to communities at the grassroots level. The programme channels funding to local organisations and community groups, and the commissioned officer will play a supporting role across the full project cycle including formation, implementation, and follow-up activities. This position is particularly well-suited to individuals seeking to build a career in development assistance, as many previous commissioned officers have gone on to work at NGOs, international organisations, JICA, and the Japanese diplomatic service. The scheme is administered by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented through the Embassy of Japan in Tanzania.

The core responsibilities span the entire project cycle. The officer will conduct preliminary surveys and prepare screening documents for grant applications, assessing the current conditions of target areas, identifying challenges and considerations, and evaluating the implementation capacity of applicant organisations. The officer will also monitor ongoing and completed projects by maintaining regular contact with implementing organisations, verifying progress, and preparing monitoring reports. Additional duties include assisting with the preparation and operation of signing and handover ceremonies for grant agreements, as well as preparing various reports and coordinating with partner organisations through letters, emails, telephone calls, and face-to-face meetings.

The officer will also travel within Tanzania to conduct fieldwork as required by these activities. Applicants must be Japanese nationals currently residing in Tanzania with proficiency in English for communication and documentation purposes, while Swahili language skills are preferred. Candidates should demonstrate strong communication and coordination abilities, competent computer skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, and basic graphic creation, and good physical and mental health to handle fieldwork including long-distance travel within Tanzania and management of multiple projects simultaneously. Prior knowledge or experience in development cooperation is desirable but not mandatory.