POSITION: Junior Desk Officer

DEPARTMENT: International Development Foundation, ILCU

REPORTING TO: Programmes Director

The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) International Department seeks to recruit a Junior Desk Officer based in Dublin.

We offer a competitive salary and benefits including opportunities for additional training and career progression. This position includes a hybrid working environment, where there is the requirement to attend our office in Dublin at least two days per week after initial training and based on our business requirements.

Main purpose of Job:

The Junior Desk Officer will be responsible for providing project management support for the Foundation’s major programmes and projects as needed and supporting linkages between international country partners and Dublin Head Office.

Job type:

Permanent Position.

Background:

Our Vision: Financial inclusion for all

Our Purpose: To reduce poverty by supporting an environment where financial cooperatives and their members thrive.

Our Mission: To support the sustainable development of financial cooperatives from the local to national level through collaborating internationally.

Our Values: Community – Sustainability – Partnership

Where We Came FromIn the 1950s and 1960s, financial cooperatives in the US and Canada supported the development of the credit union movement in Ireland. The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) established the Foundation in the late 1980s, as a conduit for Irish credit unions to support the development of strong, sustainable financial cooperatives movements that provide access to affordable financial services - embodying the principle of cooperation among cooperatives.

What We DoWe share the Irish Credit Union experience to support the development of financial cooperative movements. We provide financial and technical expertise, we create structures and frameworks that allow financial cooperatives to grow and thrive, and to build financial inclusion. We work closely with local partners and key stakeholders, collaborating to support strong sustainable financial cooperatives that meet local needs. We provide a hand-up rather than a handout.

What Makes Us Distinctive As the international development arm of the ILCU, our unique story and lifelong engagement with the credit union family sets us apart from other charities. We know the important role credit unions play providing access to affordable financial services within communities and workplaces. We use the vast expertise and skills within the Irish movement and share this knowledge to help others. We stand apart as a trusted and community-driven organisation, we are people helping people.

Main duties

Project Management Support:

Support the project management process (initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control, and close-out) for all the Foundation’s co-funded projects.
Develop and track stakeholder mappings for particular interventions.
Support monthly and quarterly meetings with country partners to track progress against project results frameworks and budgets (actual v. planned expenditure).
Liaise with and support international country partners on a regular basis, facilitating the flow of accurate and timely information, including the completion of reporting templates, between country partners and Foundation HQ.
Ensure minutes of meetings record agreed time-bound actions and decisions, shared with all relevant stakeholders.
Assist the programme teams with project risk register reviews, ensuring any issues are identified and necessary actions are assigned and completed.
Provide weekly project updates to the programme leads and highlight any issues promptly.
Grant and Contract Management Support:
- Support the monitoring of project expenditure on a monthly basis, using information from the country partners and Finance & Compliance Officer to monitor spend, and review cost forecasts.
- Supporting colleagues in ensuring that partners are delivering in compliance with contractual terms and conditions (e.g. procurements, movements across budget lines etc.; and also delivering in compliance with policies (e.g. safeguarding, fraud etc.).
- Ensure all expenditure by country partners is pre-approved and fully accounted for with the necessary documentation, based on guidance from the programme leads
- Ensure all project documentation is recorded and filed, with individual Donor files (including proposal applications, contracts, submitted reports and donor email communications) maintained for all co-funded projects.
- Develop a calendar of key dates (e.g. report due dates etc.) and share this with the country partners and the Foundation team.

Proposal development:
- Assist with developing new project proposals through analysis of results and wider desk research -coordinating input from key stakeholders,
- Assist with proposal writing (logic models, results frameworks) and editing.
- Ensure adherence with ILCUF policies, processes and systems.
- Support the Programme teams in developing Expressions of Interest, Terms of Reference, contracts for Consultants as required.
- Support the development and revision of key Foundation policies when needed.
- Attend internal ILCUF monthly programme meetings and weekly staff meetings.
- Represent ILCUF at external meetings as required.
- Undertake other tasks related to the ILCUF’s activities as required.
- Supporting colleague to conduct due diligence assessments with partners (when necessary)
Administration:
- Ensure adherence with ILCUF policies, processes and systems.
- Support the Programme teams in developing Expressions of Interest, Terms of Reference, contracts for Consultants as required.
- Support the development and revision of key Foundation policies when needed.
- Attend internal ILCUF monthly programme meetings and weekly staff meetings.
- Represent ILCUF at external meetings as required.
- Undertake other tasks related to the ILCUF’s activities as required.
- Supporting colleague to conduct due diligence assessments with partners (when necessary)

Person Specification

Essential:

A third level qualification in a relevant discipline, e.g. international development, international relations, project management, finance, law etc.
One years’ experience with an international development organisation, ideally overseas.
Empathy with the Foundation’s values and mission and interested in working as part of a committed, professional and mission driven team.
Strong experience in report writing.
Proficient in reviewing financial information (expenditure reports, cost projections etc.) and basic financial analysis.
Strong organisational and administrative skills, with excellent attention to detail.
An ability to multi-task and work pro-actively.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (oral and written).
Familiar with full suite of MS Office apps: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint etc.
Enthusiastic and flexible work attitude; an ability to work productively in a team and independently; prepared to work outside normal working hours when needed.
Willingness to travel overseas to developing countries for short visits if/when required.

Desirable:

Past experience working in international microfinance/credit union development.
Commitment to and familiarity with the principles and ethos of the credit union movement.
Familiar with monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
Experience in proposal development and grant management.
Previous experience in a similar role an advantage

To apply please submit CV with Cover letter using the link below:

https://irish-league-of-credit-unions.hirehive.com/junior-desk-officer-dublin-Z6UN3A

Closing date for applications: 4pm 31st March 2026

The Irish League of Credit Unions Foundation is an equal opportunities employer.

The ILCU International Development Foundation is registered in Ireland, registered charity number 20024314.

Junior Desk Officer

Benefits

Job Description