Reporting to: Burkina Faso Sr Programme Manager
Location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, with frequent trips to Mali
Application closing: Open until position is filled
Fixed term: 1 year renewable, subject to funding and performance
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 partnership 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 Organisation
The Programme Officer 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 Programme Officer reports to the Burkina Faso Programme Manager.
Purpose and General Overview
Based on its work in the Sahel region, the Burkinabe authorities and international community have requested Interpeace’s peacebuilding expertise to support the on-going efforts to bring sustainable peace to Burkina Faso. In mid-2019, Interpeace launched a peacebuilding programme seeking to identify current threats to security and peace in the country by fostering greater understanding on ways to address them through targeted programme designs and policies to sustain peace in the long term.
Building on its current successes, Interpeace is expanding its Burkina Faso programme with three new projects starting in 2020, including a cross-border dialogue initiative to facilitate peace-responsive interventions and promote the stabilization of the Burkina-Mali cross-border region, funded by the PATRIP Foundation; a mapping of relations and potential systems for collaboration between humanitarian, development/ence and peacebuilding sectors, funded by UNDP; and an initiative aimed at amplifying young people’s voices through strengthening the leadership and advocacy skills of youth, funded by Irish Aid.
The Programme officer is responsible for the effective and timely implementation and coordination of programmatic activities of Interpeace’s Mali-Burkina Faso cross-border project and the fast-growing Burkina Faso peacebuilding programme through the projects mentioned above.
The duties of the Programme officer cover 5 areas:
- Strategic Engagement
- Programme Management & Development
- Management – institutional coherence
- Representation
- Management of Personnel
In coordination with relevant Interpeace and partner teams, he/she ensures timely implementation of the activities, engagement of relevant stakeholders, communication and reporting to the donors. S/he supervises a team of researchers and collaborates with the Finance Officer on all financial aspects, such as budget monitoring.
Duties and responsibilities
Strategic Engagement
- Implements workplan and programmatic activities
Project Management and Development
- Drafts and develops donor reports, and advocacy documents
- Produces timely quality programme reports in line with Interpeace and donor requirements in collaboration with the Senior Programme Manager as well as Regional Representative and/or Head of Programmes
- Guide and support programme implementation, to ensure that the projects are implemented in a coordinated and relevant manner, according to the projects’ objectives and strategies
- Guide and coordinate monitoring & evaluation of the projects’ activities
- Support Interpeace and partner teams in all aspects of project implementation, including planning and conducting dialogue processes and workshops, setting up and supervising dialogue spaces, conducting research and advocacy activities at local, provincial and national level
- In cooperation with Finance, reviews and revises as needed the budgets and reporting for all programme operations
- Contributes to the development of policy and learning from the country programme and context, in collaboration with the Policy and Learning Unit.
- Identifies and develops opportunities to expand the programme within the country, in collaboration with the country programme team and implementing partners, and the Programme Development Unit.
- Drafts and develops concept notes, proposals in collaboration with the country programme team
Representation
- Focuses on Tracks Two and Three and as directed or required by the immediate supervisor and occasionally in the context of supporting T-1 efforts
- Develops and strengthens relationships with partners, implementing organizations and networks and establishes national strategic relations and alliances with partners and civil society working in common cause with Interpeace objectives.
Management – institutional coherence
- Coordinates projects’ implementation with the Programme Managers in Mali and Burkina Faso, the project partner in Mali, and with IPAT Associates as required
- Leads operational activity implementation of the projects
- Manages donor relations, correspondence and reporting
- Collaborates with the Finance Officer to ensure that each partner’s annual and quarterly budget forecasts are developed on the basis of the activities agreed in the planning and within the budgetary limits and ensure the funds are used to achieve the expected objectives and in a cost-effective manner (cost ratio and results achieved)
Management of Personnel
- Creates an enabling work environment that fosters learning and innovation, where programme staff 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
Qualifications:
Candidates with relevant qualifications, experience, a tertiary degree, fluent in both French and English, and in possession of a local work permit are invited to apply.
Relevant experience and qualifications may include:
Education
- Tertiary degree in peace-related studies, social or political science or other relevant fields
Experience
- 3 years of experience in peacebuilding, political and/or developmental work with increasing responsibility
- At least 2-3 years of professional experience managing project cycles and providing adapted support to local partners and/or colleagues in project implementation (strategy, planning, reflection, monitoring, or evaluation) in the fields of peacebuilding, development, social business or similar fields
Competencies
- Knowledge of current thinking on peacebuilding issues and methods as well as development; and demonstrable ability to anticipate emerging needs and integrate them swiftly into priority programme setting
- Proven ability to communicate and work with various stakeholders, preferably in Burkina Faso and Mali
- Established and practiced organizational and planning skills; and good knowledge of project cycle management including using project planning and management tools
- Experience in local conflict sensitive development work, including infrastructure, is an asset
- Strong writing and communications skills in English and French is required
Other qualities
- Demonstrated interest and experience (e.g. policy brief, analytical publication, academic dissertation, work experience, volunteer engagement) in peacebuilding and development dynamics in West Africa
- Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in conflict sensitivity and designing development interventions that contribute to peace desired
- Aptitude to adapt to a different contexts regarding security, culture, climate or health issue
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 promoting a gender dimension in all its work. We welcome applications from women and men, and those with disabilities.