Retail and Marketing Strategic Advisor
Gunungsitoli, Nias Island, North Sumatra, Indonesia
AVI has negotiated this assignment in good faith with the Host Organisation, and the information contained was
correct at the time of acceptance of the request. However, while AVI takes responsibility for matters under our
direct control, all assignments and arrangements are subject to change due to the inherent low levels of
predictability in developing country environments. This assignment may be amended or withdrawn to reflect
changes in circumstances.
General Details
Assignment Title
Retail Marketing Strategic Advisor
Host Organisation
Caritas Keuskupan Sibolga (CKS)
Website of Host Organisation
www.caritas.keuskupan-sibolga.org
Duration of Assignment
18 Months
Start Date
06 June 2016
Pre-departure Briefing Date
30 March – 1 April 2016
AVI Assignment Code
10534163
Australian Partner Organisation
N/A
Host Organisation Overview
Caritas Keuskupan Sibolga was established in 2005. The purpose of the establishment was to deliver
response to the people’s needs under the territory of Sibolga Diocese who were impacted by the
December 2004 tsunami and March 2005 earthquake.
The Sibolga teritory covered Nias Deanary on Nias Island and Tapanuli Deanary on the west coast of
North Sumatra Province. The area of pastoral service is not only prone to natural disaster but also face
with long time poverty and neglect for years.
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.
Mission
Inspired by the Gospel, Yayasan CPSE works, alone or in partnership with international and national
organizations, to overcome poverty and promote justice by:
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Supporting sustainable development programmes.
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Responding to emergencies with a commitment to the renewal of local skills and structures.
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Informing and challenging people in the Diocese of Sibolga about their responsibilities to work
for justice and enlisting their support and solidarity for all the organisations work.
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Being an effective advocate for justice
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Increasing understanding of the causes of poverty and injustice
Vision
In the area under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Sibolga, poverty is eradicated with the contribution
of all and in all its forms so that human rights (such as right to education, right to work, right to food
security, right to quality medical treatment) will be granted to everybody
Main activities of the organization are :
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Community resilience through community managed livelihood promotion by integrating disaster
risk reduction, gender equality and health
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Establishment of a resource centre for agricultural training
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Community-based rehabilitation
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Vocational training for out-of-school youth
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Emergency response capacity building
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Fundraising via Caritas supermarket, a water refill station, and selling produce from the
agriculture centre
To manage and execute the organization plan, currently Caritas Keuskupan Sibolga as around 90
staffs that support their office and field program.
Assignment Overview
CKS will soon be a self-sufficient, self-funded organisation, when donors withdraw funding in early
2016. Establishing appropriate retail and marketing strategies for its fundraising projects is essential to
the longevity of the organisation and the success of its livelihood projects. As of 2015, CKS have a
supermarket and clean water refill station as its primary local fundraising projects – the operational
optimisation of which requires assistance. CKS are also in the process of establishing a vocational
resource centre, the agricultural produce from which (fruit, vegetables, compost and seedlings) will
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.
require effective marketing.
CKS do not have the skills and experience necessary to establish and implement effective and modern
retail and marketing methodologies, nor have they been successful in sourcing such personnel in the
region.
This assignment will be the first AVI’s assignment with Caritas Keuskupan Sibolga (CKS) North
Sumatra.
Assignment Objectives

To establish effective retail and marketing strategies that will maximise the potential of
CKS fundraising initiatives.
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Establish capacity building supply chains that support local communities and
underprivileged groups.
Duties and Responsibilities of the Volunteer
In consultation with their line manager and relevant stakeholders, volunteers complete a work plan in
the first three months of their assignment. The duties below are an indication of the type of work that
may be involved in meeting the Assignment Objectives:
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Train local staff in effective retail and marketing methodologies
Establish capacity-building supply chains – ideally in tandem with CKS projects (i.e. utilising
local suppliers incorporated into CKS livelihood projects)
Improve cost and operational efficiency of retail operations – bottleneck identification and
elimination
Advise Caritas staff on appropriate fund management options and techniques
Devise alternative fundraising options, if possible
Finalisation of project reports (English language and grammar assistance).
Assignment Information
Lina Manager
Staff Supervision
Deputy Director of CKS (Mr Frans Essensiator)
Manage and train retail centre / fundraising managers and staff.
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.
CKS retail staff, office staff and field project staff; local and external
goods suppliers; local and international donors/stakeholders
Hours & Days of Employment
From 8 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday.
The expectation is that the volunteer will work the equivalent of a 5 day week to a maximum of 40
hours per week
Leave Entitlements
The same conditions and terms will apply to the volunteer, however, as a minimum, volunteers will
accrue 1 weeks leave for each 3 months of work
14 days, excluding public holidays.
Sick leave – no limitation.- presentation of a doctors certificate may be required at the deputy director’s
discretion
Other Conditions
Site visits may require additional hours. Additional work hours can be taken as time in lieu (as per
agreement between Deputy Director and volunteer).
Language Skills and Level Required
This position required medium level of Bahasa Indonesia ability, or :
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Willingness to learn Bahasa Indonesia Language.
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Ability to converse about non-technical matters in Bahasa Indonesia
Language Support
AVI provides language support during the in-country orientation period. Most often additional resources
for further development later in the assignment will be available if required.
Living as a Volunteer
CKS office is located 3km from Gunungsitoli town centre. The office is set off the main street in a quiet
area. The volunteer will have a shared office and supplied with computer, internet access and other IT
equipment as necessary. CKS will supply the volunteer with a motorbike for personal and work use.
Travel to project sites will be via CKS cars of motorbike.
Nias Island is part of North Sumatera Province, and Medan is the provincial capital and government
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.
centre. To reach Nias Island from Medan travel is by airplane or ship. To go by airplane, the trip will
take 1 hour, and there are 3-4 flights/per day.
To go by car, it is necessary to travel from Medan via Sibolga, on the west coast of Sumatera first, and
then take the ferry that sails to Nias. The trip takes about 16 hours.
Isolated yet worldly, the Nias Island chain has been trading since prehistory with other cultures, other
islands, and even mainland Asia. Some historians and archaeologists have cited the local culture as
one of the few remaining Megalithic cultures in existence today. While this point of view is hotly
debated, there is no doubt that Nias' relative geographic isolation has created a unique culture. As a
culture of traders, the people of Nias find tourists to be a welcome – and historically familiar –
phenomenon.
Nias is best known for its diversity of festivals and celebration. The most well-known events are War
Dances, performed regularly for tourists, and Stone Jumping, a manhood ritual that sees young men
leaping over two meter stone towers to their fate. In the past the top of the stone board is covered with
spikes and sharp pointed bamboo. The music of Nias, performed mostly by women, is noted worldwide
for its haunting beauty.
Nias has been left behind, in regard to investment and development, compared to main land Sumatra.
So, despite the reasonably large population (around 700,000) there is little infrastructure support to
Nias. There is one main road running from the capital, Gunungsitoli, north and south along the east
coast. While this is an excellent, all season, all weather road, little other road infrastructure exists.
Fishing and agriculture are the primary incoming generating activities on the Island. Agricultural
activities focus on the cultivation of coffee and chocolate as well as rubber plantations on small private
land holdings.
The population of Nias is around 80% Christian/Catholic and 20% Muslim. Most of the Muslim
communities are located around the coast with the Christian communities.
There are only a few other westerners living on the island and therefore amenities/facilities/products
aimed at westerners or wealthier Indonesians found in larger cities are not available in Nias.
The local diet is primarily made up of rice, fish and vegetables. Pork is occasionally served for special
occasions. Bread and dairy products are not commonly found.
Nias is still very much untouched by large scale mechanised agriculture, fisheries and industry with
beautiful clean coastlines (great for surfing, snorkelling, etc.) and hilly inland areas that provide
opportunities for trekking.
There are also limited medical facilities available on the Island and for anything more than minor illness
the volunteer will, most likely, need to travel to the city of Medan on the island of Sumatera.
Public transport is running in the main city of Gunungsitoli on a daily basis.
A motorcycle could be purchased for between IDR 8-10 million or AUD 800-1000 and sold at the end of
the assignment for a similar amount.
There are a range of pre-paid telephone networks that also support the use of smart phones such as
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.
BlackBerry and IPhone.
The volunteer should not expect to be able to contact friends and family through email, skype, and
social media on a daily basis.
Nias is the perfect place for lovers of nature, trekking, beaches and water sports such as diving and
surfing.
As long as volunteers respect the local norms and traditions then they should not face any significant
problems. The volunteer should though be aware that they will be culturally isolated and will need to.
Levels of crime are low and primarily limited to petty theft.
The biggest risk to volunteers will be from natural disaster:
On 26 Dec. 2004 the Indian Ocean earthquake struck a few kilometres north of the island, creating
tsunamis as high as 10 metres. 122 people were killed and hundreds more rendered homeless.
On 28 Mar. 2005, the island was again hit by the 2005 Sumatera earthquake, initially presumed to be
an aftershock of the 2004 quake, but now regarded as the second most powerful earthquake ever
recorded in Indonesia and among the top 10 most powerful recorded worldwide since 1900. At least
800 people were reported dead, with the possibility of more than 2,000 casualties. Hundreds of
buildings were toppled and many thousands of people were made homeless. In 2007, almost two years
after the earthquake, there were still tens of thousands of internally displaced persons living in camps
throughout Nias.
Nias' coastline has changed markedly with the tsunami and earthquake. In some areas, the coast has
moved over 50 m inland. In other areas, as much as a further 100 m of land is exposed from the sea.
The uplift of land has been recorded as being as much as 2.9 m.
Allowances & Support
These allowance levels are based on the Cost of Living in country. They will be reviewed periodically
and may increase or decrease. Volunteers will be given notice of any change to the allowance level.
Living Allowance
Accommodation Allowance
AUD 700.00 per month
AUD 300.00 per month
Housing
The volunteer will need to find their own accommodation once they have arrived at assignment. There
are wide ranges of accommodation available in the area from student style rooms, private house to
apartment (which are currently popular with many volunteers). The volunteer will need to rely on the
support of the Host Organisation and current volunteers in the area to identify appropriate
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.
accommodation. Most rented accommodation come unfurnished or semi-furnished
The allowance will limit the volunteer to more basic accommodation and applicants should not expect
to have many of the electrical appliances they may be used to.
AVI will advance the Accommodation Allowance for a 12 month period as rent in Indonesia is generally
paid 12 months in advance rather than monthly.
Other Allowances & Support
All AVID Volunteers receive the following:
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Pre-departure Briefing in Melbourne
In-country Orientation on arrival
Pre-departure vaccination expenses
Visa expenses
Pastoral care, assignment monitoring and security guidance
Return airfare to country of assignment
Psychological and medical advice and support services
Re-entry support services
Settling in allowance (assignments longer than 6 months)
Re-settlement allowance (assignments longer than 6 months)
Preparing Your Application
Personal Circumstances Constraints
We are NOT able to accept applications from people with the following personal circumstances due to
security, cultural, legal or visa restrictions in this location.
 Applicants with criminal offences
Our agreement with the Indonesian Government stipulates the following:
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volunteers must hold Australian citizenship
volunteers must be between 21 and 70 years of age
Selection Criteria
Please begin by writing your responses to the following three questions, in a document headed Response to Selection Criteria:
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.
a. Why do I feel that volunteering overseas is the right thing for me to be doing at this time in my life?
(up to half a page)
b. What are the biggest personal adjustments I’m likely to have to make to be accepted as a useful
colleague and engaged community member in this assignment? (up to half a page)
c. How do I match the Essential Skills & Experience: Write a brief summary of your most relevant
experiences, results and achievements responding to each criteria in the Essential Skills & Experience
section of the Assignment Description.
To find out more details about preparing your application, please visit:
http://www.australianvolunteers.com/volunteer/application-process/
To find out more details about the personal competencies required to be a volunteer, please visit:
http://australianvolunteers.com/volunteer/have-you-got-what-it-takes/
Qualifications, Essential Skills & Experience
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Relevant education or qualifications in retail operations/marketing/business/other relevant field,
or equivalent applicable work experience
Work experience in the retail sector
Experience in financial management
Demonstrated success in building the skills of others through formal and/or informal training
and coaching
Demonstrated success in consulting with stakeholders and facilitating the work of others to
achieve an agreed outcome
Desirable Skills & Experience
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Experience in supply chain contract management
Fundraising experience
Work experience in Indonesia or a similar cultural context
How to Apply
All applications must be submitted online. If you haven’t already done so, you will need to register on
our website prior to applying.
Once completed, please visit www.australianvolunteers.com, log in, select the assignment you are
interested in and follow the prompts at the end of the page.
The Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program is an
Australian Government initiative. This assignment has been developed by Australian
Volunteers International, a delivery partner for the AVID program.