This government-registered office seeks the welfare of this nation by providing professional development opportunities for leaders of businesses, universities, and other organizations. Through forums, conferences, symposiums, and classroom opportunities, the team wants to strengthen participants’ leadership skills and English-language abilities.
A recent symposium for educators composed of PhDs and PhD candidates raised the critical need for leadership development to help this country overcome some of its challenges. For this reason, the team is seeking a skilled couple with willingness to learn the local languages and apply their professional experience and expertise to impact peers locally with the heart of the Great Shepherd. Applicants must also be able to manage finances, host teams, be willing to teach English, and assist with leadership training.
Required Qualifications:
- A recognized bachelor’s degree
- Completion of Alliance Polity course
- Completion of Missions Perspectives course
- Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT) score of 40 or higher
- Two years of professional experience in leadership development
- Current ministry involvement
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master’s degree
- Love and respect for people
- Cultural adaptability
- Spiritual resilience
- Team player with excellent relational skills
- Business/professional qualifications and ESL teaching skills
Responsibilities:
- Collaborate with other businesses or organizations in community endeavors launched by the offices of professional development
- Build relationships with professional contacts; based on your field of expertise, teach local leaders in a variety of professional contexts
- Willingness to teach ESL
- Assist with hosting events and teams
- Assist with logistics and financial tracking
Timeline for Deployment:
Late summer 2017
General Information:
This is not a creative-access country, but it is a creative-access context; this team is legally registered with the government and interfaces with local organizational leaders. More information can be provided during the application process.
This professional team is focused on meeting legitimate leadership needs in different contexts; it is also committed to working with key local church leaders and bringing them into events and the relationship-building processes. The number of believers and leaders in this community is small. Knowing how to connect with people in a caste society and begin building relationships that earn the right to be heard is essential.
Work and Living Environment:
This new team specifically seeks to impact its community through offices of professional development. Although this is an open country, this work holds a creative-access designation that is not motivated by safety concerns for the team but to preserve the anonymity of seekers who may be well known in the city.
Team members have generally enjoyed safety and appreciation from host people as they have sought to learn the language and, with love and respect, have sought their welfare by contributing to the country’s needs. Living quarters include a rental home with a guard; team members are encouraged to engage local house help. Taxis are readily available; a car would be beneficial. Grocery shopping is conveniently located.
Status of Christian Witness:
Open mass evangelism in an urban context is a rarity in this country. God provides openings in the context of relationships. Between 95 to 100 percent of the population is Muslim; the evangelical population is 0.2 percent.
Language Expectations:
Language facility is essential to this ministry. International workers will receive one year of intensive French language study in an immersion environment. The goal is fluency in the region’s predominant language as well as willingness to learn the basics of another common language. The couple selected for this position must be willing to collaborate with this growing new team, endeavoring to strengthen the capacities of leaders through training, conferences, symposiums, and teaching English.
Health Considerations:
Excellent medical services are available.
Expectations for Spouse:
Team expectations are that the spouse will have the skills to teach ESL to professionals and a willingness to host teams and assist with logistics in hosting small groups of professionals engaged in professional development opportunities.
Children’s Educational Plan and Options:
Dakar offers several schooling options. Dakar Academy is geared to serve missionary kids; the International School of Dakar is geared toward expats and the upper class. A good bilingual school also is available as well as French-speaking schools.
Compensation Package:
This position is designated to be fully funded through the Great Commission Fund (GCF). Please visit our compensation page for details on how U.S. Alliance international workers are supported. We offer a comprehensive package for this position, covering all costs related to a monthly living allowance, housing, travel, children’s education, and full benefits. GCF-funded workers share responsibility for raising GCF dollars from Alliance churches and other sources.