Terms of Reference

Program Officer (Researcher) for Assistive Technology 2030 Program

Kota Kita Foundation

Application Deadline: ​September 15, 2019

Employment Type: ​Program Officer (Researcher)​, ​Full-time up to 1- year contract with potential extension
Location: ​Surakarta (Indonesia) with regular travel to Banjarmasin (Indonesia)
Language Required:​ Fluent in English and Indonesian

About Kota Kita

Kota Kita (KK) is a growing non-prot organization based in Indonesia with expertise in urban planning and
citizen participation in the design and development of cities. We build bridges between citizens and government
towards a shared vision. We facilitate citizen participation and collaboration, inuence urban policies, encourage
open access to information, and provide civic education to empower active urban citizens. We take on issues
such as governance, inclusivity and climate change resilience. We have an interdisciplinary team with a
design-driven approach to develop tools and methods for city-making. For almost a decade, KK has worked in
more than 20 cities in Indonesia on a diverse range of projects from small scale urban interventions, city-wide
assessments to large-scale strategic planning and visioning. We build platforms for new voices for change in our
cities by organizing events such as the annual Urban Social Forum ( https://urbansocialforum.or.id/ ) - a civil
society-led forum in Indonesia that brings together civil societies, civil servants, practitioners and students that
work towards improving our cities. Kota Kita had received the Ford Foundation BUILD grant in 2019, a part of
IDRC’s Think Climate Platform and has consultative status at the UN ECOSOC.

Program Summary of AT2030: “Build Capacity and Participation driving community-led solutions”

The AT 2030 programme, led by the Global Disability Hub, focuses on “Life Changing Assistive Technology for
All”. Its aim is to reach over 3 million people, in particular, people with disabilities. The objective is to develop new
approaches which can transform access to life-changing assistive technology (AT) such as wheelchairs,
prosthetics, hearing aids, glasses and digital assistance (including and accessible software) by creating
partnerships to build and shape markets, strengthen public infrastructure and support community participation.

The specific AT 2030 sub-project that relates to our collaboration is the sub-programme 6: “​Build Capacity and
Participation driving community-led solutions​”. This sub-programme is led by The Bartlett Development Planning
Unit (UCL) in partnership with Leonard Cheshire (UK), Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre (Sierra Leone), Kota
Kita (Indonesia). The research programme will last for 2 and a half years and in this time, we will conduct
research in four informal settlements across two cities: in Banjarmasin (Indonesia) and in Freetown (Sierra
Leone). The research will combine a range of traditional and participatory methods including questionnaires,
interviews, focus groups or groups discussion and co-creation workshops. The methods will be used to ascertain
the lived experience of residents of informal settlements.

Responsibilities

Kota Kita seeks a Program Officer (researcher) that will support the action research. The program officer will
report to the program manager, as well as regular check-ins with the program director. The program officer will be
working with an international team of researchers and organizations as well as local communities and civil
societies.The program officer/researcher will need to be a creative problem solver, multi-tasker with the ability to
learn new skills and processes on the go; be able to work in a fast-paced collaborative environment; be able to
engage with stakeholders at the community level and local government level; is thorough and analytical with
datasets.
Key responsibilities of the program officer/researcher will be:
● Conduct field-based surveys and facilitate workshops and meetings with communities and other
stakeholders
● Help develop a methodology for research activities
● Analyse and translate findings into ideas and recommendations that will directly benefit the target
communities
● Support advocacy of inclusive policies and practices in the city and beyond

Qualifications

The candidate should be:

● A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in development studies, urban planning, social and political sciences,
public policy or other relevant fields
● At least 1 - 2 years of working experience in the relevant fields

Competencies

We would love to work with you if you have experience in one or more of these themes (and are extremely
passionate about it):

● Inclusivity and disability rights

● Collaborative and participatory design
● Urban development/Development studies
● Technology and its applications in developing countries
● Urban planning/design
● Placemaking

And if you’re good at:

● Action research
● Project management
● Writing reports and communicating effectively
● Stakeholder engagement / community facilitation
● Monitoring and evaluation
● Making and giving presentations
● Microsoft Office: Word/Excel/Powerpoint/Others
● A knowledge of Adobe Suite software will be a bonus
● If you can do more or have more tricks up your sleeve, even better!

Because we work with a wide range of partners locally and internationally, the ideal candidate is bilingual in
English and Indonesian.

What does Kota Kita offer you?

● The opportunity to work on some of the most pressing urban challenges in Indonesia
● The opportunity to work across a variety of programs and initiatives
● The chance to work with friendly, talented team member and a diverse partners, from international
development organizations, local governments, academics, research institutions, civil society
organizations, youth groups, and many others in a collaborative and innovative work culture.
● A high degree of responsibility, but also autonomy
● Competitive salaries
● Regular training opportunities
Location

Our office is primarily based in Surakarta (Solo), Indonesia but currently operating in many cities. The project will
require the applicant to be based in Solo with regular visits to or long stays in Banjarmasin, Indonesia.

Period of Engagement

September 2019 - September 2020

Application requirements

To apply for this position, you ​must ​submit the following materials:
1. Your most recent CV
2. A short 2-min video about yourself
3. Writing samples: 1 in English and 1 in Indonesian. Submit samples that not only best represent your
linguistic skills but also writings that best represent your qualifications for the work.
4. To be included in your cover letter, and no more than 750 words:
○ Describe yourself - a profile
○ Tell us why you are interested in the position and how you think you can contribute
○ And tell us, in your opinion, what makes a great city?

If you have any queries, please e-mail us at ​work@kotakita.org

For more information about us and our work, find out more on our
Website: ​www.kotakita.org
Instagram: @kotakitaorg
Twitter: @kotakitaorg