Programme Officer at Interpeace

General Position Summary

Interpeace has been implementing a peacebuilding programme in Burundi since 2007 and in Rwanda since 2002. In addition, starting from 2011, Interpeace has been supporting a regional peacebuilding programme involving Burundi, Rwanda and DR Congo’s North and South Kivu provinces. Interpeace is currently looking to fill the Burundi – Rwanda Programme Officer (PO- BR) position. This programme officer will focus on the Burundi and Rwanda country-specific programmes. A Great Lakes coordinator manages the regional programme.

The Programme Officer – Burundi and Rwanda is a member of the core programmatic team for Interpeace’s work in the Great Lakes Region of Central Africa. He / she will report to the Great Lakes coordinator and will collaborate closely with the other members of the team in the overall management of the Rwanda and Burundi programmes: the Regional Director; the Great Lakes coordinator; the Great Lakes Policy Lead and Rwanda Program Officer; and the Design, Monitoring and Evaluation (DM&E) officer. In this capacity, he/she will also be the key conduit for shaping and disseminating Interpeace’s reconciliation and peacebuilding work to key stakeholders.

The PO-BR is responsible for working with the local partners – CENAP in Burundi and Never Again Rwanda in Rwanda – to ensure that the work of Interpeace is well planned in its content, captured throughout its delivery and strategically disseminated to donors and other key stakeholders to optimize its impact.

The PO-BR serves as the key focal point between Interpeace and external actors in relation to the programmes. The post of PO-RB is based in Nairobi and involves extensive travel to the field.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the general guidance and supervision of the Great Lakes coordinator, and in close collaboration with the Rwanda programme officer and the DM&E officer, the Programme Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

Programmatic Support

• Ensure the day-to-day management of the Burundi and Rwanda programmes in collaboration with the partner organisations;
• Provide programmatic guidance and operational support for field activities by Interpeace and its partners, specifically with respect to the content and methodology of the wo This includes, but is not limited to, collaboratively developing and nurturing a clear understanding of Interpeace’s programmes of work throughout Rwanda and Burundi;
• Play a strong role in the development of programme strategy and work plans for all field components of the programmes; thereby closely working together with the Great Lakes team to harmonize planning and ensuring efficient use of resources in the implementation of the two programmes;
• Monitor and respond to the implementation of work plans and revise them in collaboration with the partners and others within the Interpeace team;
• Ensure reflection and learning as a continuous and integral part of the programme with regard to programme development, methodological adaptations and generally on the topics under study and support cross-fertilization and sharing of lessons learned within Interpeace globally;
• Oversee and support the collection, compilation and dissemination of both contractual and strategic reporting;
• Review written documents of the Interpeace Rwanda and Burundi programmes and provide quality control through a mentoring approach to ensure the continuous development of writing capacities within the local partners;
• Support the technical development of the field teams in the areas of methodology, writing and communications; support continuous capacity building of the field teams;
• Develop emerging thematic competences that can be used not only for the Burundi and Rwanda programmes but can also be incorporated into Interpeace’s work in its other programmes;
• Provide the link between the Burundi and Rwanda programmes and the broader Great Lakes team within Interpeace; participate in the Great Lakes programme meetings as required.

Financial Activities

• Provide a lead on financial management of the programme in collaboration with the Interpeace and partner finance officers
• Support the fundraising initiatives of Interpeace and local partners to ensure the financial sustainability of the Rwanda and Burundi programmes;
• Ensure monthly financial reviews and expenditure forecast in collaboration with Interpeace’s Finance Officer; monitor programme expenditures versus budget and available funds, ensuring that programme expenditures are within approved budgets and available funds;
• Review and approve partner’s activity reports before payments are authorized.

Interpeace information about the Great Lakes Region

• Remain abreast of the political, economic and social context in Rwanda and Burundi through coordinated updates with the field teams and other networks developed;
• Monitor substantive developments and provide regular briefings to the Regional Director; engage in a regular exchange and analysis about context dynamics with the wider Great Lakes team;
• Maintain close liaison with team members to ensure that all Interpeace staff are regularly briefed on Rwanda and Burundi programme activities.

Networking

• Utilize substantive relations vis-à-vis key Rwanda and Burundi stakeholders, in both informing and disseminating Interpeace’s programmes of work;
• Establish new, and maintain existing, relations with key international actors in Rwanda, Burundi and Nairobi, including donor relations, and strategically engage these actors as stakeholders of Interpeace’s work.

Knowledge and Experience

• Master’s degree in peace-related studies, social or political science or other relevant fields;
• At least three years of field experience in peacebuilding, political and/or developmental work;
• Knowledge of and experience in Rwanda, Burundi or the wider Great Lakes Region;
• Demonstrated experience in conflict resolution/peacebuilding, external relations, proposal writing, budgeting, and training;
• Strong financial oversight and management skills;
• Strong communications skills: ability to write in clear, concise manner and to communicate effectively orally in both English and French (essential), local language knowledge in Kinyarwanda/Kirundi and/or Kiswahili a bonus;
• Strong computer skills in MS Office applications;
• Good interpersonal skills; be a team player while being able to work independently and meet set deadlines;
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity;
• Strong commitment to supporting local peacebuilding initiatives and to the values and working principles of Interpeace.

Success Factors:

• Excellent social and inter-cultural skills, outstanding communication skills to a variety of stakeholders from different backgrounds;
• Flexible approach to work in a changing context and ability to deliver under pressure and to tight deadlines;
• Exceptional relationship and trust building skills;
• Creative team player with a commitment to inclusiveness and consensus building;
• Exceptional skills in coordinating complex and sensitive processes and designing participatory processes;
• Balanced and calm personality with tact and a good sense of humour.