Background
Interpeace is an international organisation for peacebuilding that strengthens the ability of societies to manage conflict themselves in sustainable and non-violent ways. Interpeace designs and delivers its work tailored to each situation in collaboration with local partners and communities, based on extensive consultation and research. Interpeace also ensures that the processes of conflict management and change that it supports are integrated at all levels of society including local communities, civil society, government and the international community (we call it a ‘Track 6’ approach).
Interpeace was originally established by the United Nations and remains its strategic partner. Beyond field-based peacebuilding, Interpeace also assists the international community – particularly the UN – to be more effective in supporting peacebuilding efforts worldwide. This includes contributing innovative thought leadership on peacebuilding policies and practices.
Interpeace is headquartered in Geneva and has offices around the world. For more information about Interpeace, please visit www.interpeace.org
Position within the Organization
The Country Representative – Burundi is a member of the Programme Management Unit which manages and implements all of Interpeace’s active and ongoing programmes around the world. The Programme Management Unit is led from the Headquarters office in Geneva, although team members are based in various locations including in East and Central Africa, West Africa, Europe and the MENA region.
The Country Representative – Burundi reports to the Senior Regional Representative of Eastern and Central Africa (ECA). The role overseas the management of political relations and provides direct strategic oversight over the implementation of our Burundi programme (80%) as well as contributes to the management and advisory engagement of the Peace Education aspects of the Great Lakes programme (20% of time allocation). He/she will supervise the growing Burundi team as well as direct engagement and management of organisational partners and staff that engage in peace education programming. He/she will also work in close contact with programme and operation staff from the region as well as with the directors and staff of our partner organizations.
The Country Representative – Burundi draws on support from the Programme Management Unit as well as colleagues in the Programme Development and Global Operations Units based in Nairobi and the Great Lakes Region.
Purpose and General Overview
The Country Representative – Burundi provides unity of mission, coherence of programme delivery and optimized budget of the Burundi Programme as well as coherence with the separately Great Lakes Programme and individual in-country programmes of the region. In addition, the role will provide strategic guidance and track 1 engagement in our Burundi programme, especially with regards to the increasing of cross-party political engagement with the government, which needs to be managed very carefully.
Therefore, the position
- Provides overall leadership and strategic direction for the Burundi Programme necessary to enable Interpeace to implement its mandate
- Develops and expands the Burundi and regional peace education programme portfolio, ensuring the programme’s relevance to the Great Lakes and Burundi, in close collaboration with colleagues within the region.
- Manages existing programmes ensuring high quality of programme delivery within agreed workplans, log frames and budget
- Grows the network of internal and external actors and engages them to maintain or increase support, this includes fundraising and advocacy.
The duties of the Country Representative – Burundi cover 5 areas:
- Strategic Engagement
- Programme Management & Development
- Management – institutional coherence
- Representation
- Management of Personnel and Resources
Duties and responsibilities
Strategic Engagement
- Leads the development of the Burundi programme and Peace Education initiatives providing sound methodological and technical support;
- Identifies, proposes and supports the development of country-level and cross-country dimensions of Interpeace programme activity;
- Horizon scans for new partners at operational level and leads the due diligence process;
- Identifies ways to grow the portfolio and to maximize its impact;
- Manages the development and implementation of the Burundi programme strategy in line with the overall Programme Management annual workplan and overarching Strategic Vision as well as the context;
- Facilitates the alignment of the Burundi programme and peace education initiatives to strategic organisational thematic priorities defined by the organization;
- Providesregular internal reporting on relevant factors and changes in the context and programme;
- The person will also be expected to contribute to developing the institutional relationship with regional organisations and institutions within Burundi.
- The person will be responsible for translating lessons learned from programmes into advocacy strategies that will lead to demonstrable changes in policies of practices of government institutions in Burundi and in terms of Peace Education initiatives.
Programme Management and Development
- Coordinates the Burundi programme’s annual planning and budgeting processes as per organisational guidelines;
- Ensures all programmatic activity within Burundi is managed to the pre-
- agreed programme budgets or allocation of funds in coordination with the financial authority for the programme;
- Oversees and coordinates the programme portfolio to ensure the highest level of project quality and accountability;
- Ensures that participatory systems and processes for monitoring activities, results and impact assessment at programme level are in place and involves the team and local partner;
- Coordinates the production of timely quality programme reports in line with
- Interpeace and donor requirements;
- Ensure effective implementation and compliance with the finance and procurement manual and compliance with procedures required by grant or contract agreements;
- Identifies and advises on refreshing/renewing existing programme work at
- the Burundi and Great Lakes regional level;
- Ensures timely forward-looking consideration and delivery of options to secure funding for extended programme work where relevant;
- Supports formulation of new programme/project proposals by the Programme
- Development Unit;
- Provides timely and accurate reporting especially on strategic partnerships and management activities to senior colleagues in the Programme Management Unit;
- Identifies and leads Interpeace’s engagement with selected regional
- Organizations in order to strengthen the size, relevance, value and impact of Interpeace work in the region
Management – institutional coherence
- Ensures compliance of programmatic work across country & regional programmes in line with Interpeace’s internal controls, policies and procedures
- Ensures regular flow of information about the country/regional work to HQ
Representation – under the supervision of and in coordination with the Senior Regional Representative for ECA
- Establishes and regularly engages with a network of contacts at Tracks One to Three, at country and regional level;
- Occasional media engagement when required;
- Represents Interpeace in the Burundi and is responsible for the management of host country relations and Interpeace interests in dealing with government and international and local organisations;
- Represents Interpeace in strategic meetings, conferences, forums and other
- public events and promote the organization with the aim of consolidating and raising the profile of Interpeace in Burundi;
- Engages local organisations and networks to develop and strengthen
- relationships and establish national and regional strategic relations and alliances with partners and civil society working in common cause with Interpeace objectives;
- Build and develop relationships with key local donors and embassies for the
- purpose of advocating for Interpeace to strengthen fundraising for programmatic activities. Ensuring that programmes within Burundi are funded for the future.
Management of Personnel and Resources
- Supervises and support the professional development of Burundi programme staff;
- Creates an enabling work environment that fosters learning and innovation, where staff members can achieve their potential, demonstrating gender- responsive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes;
- Monitors, evaluates and documents the individual performance of direct reports through a staff development lens;
- Mentors and coaches staff members;
- Accountable for Burundi budgets;
- Is responsible for the financial health of the portfolio;
- Delivers all activities and achievement of results in annual workplan for country/regional programme.
Qualifications:
Education:
- Tertiary degree in peace-related studies, social or political science or other relevant fields
Experience
- Seven years of experience in peacebuilding, political and/or developmental work with increasing management responsibility and in the Great Lakes region;
- Experience with short and long- term planning; financial, personnel and program management;
- Experience in conflict resolution/peacebuilding, advocacy, partnership management, proposal writing and programme management.
Competencies
- In-depth knowledge of the Great Lakes region and Burundi;
- Advanced knowledge of current thinking on peacebuilding issues and methods; and demonstrable ability to anticipate emerging needs and integrate them swiftly into priority programme setting
- Developed ability to strategically network with government agencies, donors and other international agencies
- Well established and practiced organisational and planning skills; and extensive knowledge and experience of project cycle management including using project planning and management tools
- Good interpersonal skills; be a team player while being able to work independently and to meet set deadlines
- Ability to work in a multi-cultural ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity
- Ability to communicate, negotiate and work with high level executives and government officials
- Advanced writing and communications skills in English and French required
Interpeace Competencies
- Collaboration and Weaving
- Communication
- Drive for results
- Adaptability and Continuous Learning
- Respect for Diversity
Interpeace values diversity among its staff and aims to achieve gender equality both through gender parity at all levels of the organisation and to promote a gender dimension in all its work. We welcome applications from women and men, and those with disabilities.
How to apply
How to Apply:
Interpeace values diversity among its staff and aims to achieve gender equality both through gender parity at all levels of the organisation and the promotion of a gender dimension in all its work. We welcome applications from women and men, and those with disabilities.
Qualified candidates are invited to submit their application to [email protected] no later than July 2nd 2021. “Country Representative, Burundi ” MUST BE included in the subject line of the application email to be considered.
The application must include:
- a complete curriculum vitae
- a letter of interest
- an acknowledgement letter, answering the following questions:
Have you ever been criminally convicted or subject to any criminal or administrative penalty by any competent authority? If yes, please specify: - Have you ever been terminated or separated (e.g. contract termination, dismissal, non-renewal) or subject to any disciplinary measure or sanction by your employer for fraud, harassment, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation or sexual abuse?
- Have you ever resigned while under investigation or during disciplinary proceedings?
And Confirming the following declaration of understanding:
I confirm the accuracy of the information provided, with the understanding that Interpeace will conduct reference checks to verify relevant information.
I understand that if any false or misleading information is provided in my application, or any material fact suppressed, I may not be employed, of if I am employed, I may be dismissed.
Please note that due to high volume of applications, ONLY short-listed candidates will be contacted.
More Information
- Job City Kenya
