Programme and Research Manager at Interpeace

Position within the Organization

The Programme and Research Manager is a member of the Programme Management Unit which manages and implements Interpeace’s active and ongoing programmes around the world. The Programme and Research Manager reports to the Sr Stabilisation Advisor and will explicitly work on the anticipated CSSF funded RESET project aimed at Building Resilience Against Violence Extremism in Kenya – Somalia borderlands.  For the RESET project, the Programme and Research Manager will provide coordination and technical support, guidance, training and mentoring to the partner-led field teams, he will facilitate the design and lead the analysis of the research components and co-facilitate the Policy, Governance and Programme clinics and provide subsequent mentoring to stakeholders to ensure that the actions plans derived from those clinics will be implemented in an inclusive, collaborative and transparent manner.

Duties and responsibilities

Strategic Engagement:

• Provides support and spearheads the development and definition of the Interpeace programme strategy in specific thematic or geographic areas in line with the overall Interpeace Strategic Plan, the Institutional Change Framework and the country context.
• Engages with different stakeholders at track 2 and 3, occasionally operating at track 1 to advance Interpeace’s work in the country. This means building, maintaining and strengthen relations with women and youth leaders, religious and cultural leaders, civil society, business actors, community members, and occasionally with government leaders, including heads of departments and civil servants in ministries and local government structures.
• Identifies and promotes new strategic partnerships to expand the scope of work at country level
• Identifies and develops opportunities to expand the programme within the country, in collaboration with the country programme team, partners as well as the Programme Development Unit
• Captures and communicates the impact of Interpeace’s work, including nurturing a strong Monitoring and Evaluation capacity in the programme in order to promote the programme and create positive momentum
• Maintains an acute awareness and analysis of political and social dynamics in the Rwanda context which are relevant to Interpeace’s mandate and oversee the production of regular briefing notes for colleagues and other relevant stakeholders.

Programme Management

• Provides effective leadership over the day-to-day implementation of current programmes within agreed work plans, budgets and financial management parameters to ensure the highest level of project delivery, quality and accountability
• Drives the country programme annual planning and contributes to the budgeting processes as per organisational guidelines and local context
• In collaboration with the Finance and Administration Manager, ensures effective implementation and compliance with finance and other Interpeace governance manuals, policies and procedures, and complies with procedures required by grant or contract agreements
• Oversees the programme portfolio to ensure the highest level of project quality and accountability
• Produces preparatory and summary notes for country visits and meetings with stakeholders aimed at programme development and innovation

Representation

• Focuses on Tracks Two and Three engagement
• Engages and builds relationships with partners, diplomatic representatives and other organisations, especially relations at the working level
• Develops and strengthens relationships with local organisations and networks and establishes national and regional strategic relations and alliances with partners and civil society working in common cause with Interpeace objectives.
• Represents Interpeace in meetings, conferences, forums and other public events and contributes towards consolidating and raising the profile of Interpeace

Management – institutional coherence

• Ensures compliance of programmatic work at activity level with internal controls
• Has a close operational coordination at working level with other teams in Interpeace, especially those in the Great Lakes, and with partner organisations

Staff Management

• Supervises and develops teams up to 10 staff.
• 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
• Coaches, monitors, evaluates and documents the individual performance of direct reports through a staff development lens

Qualifications:

• Candidates with relevant qualifications, experience, a tertiary degree, and fluent in English and French, are invited to apply.

Relevant experience and qualifications may include:

Education

• Tertiary degree in international relations, political science, development, management, or related field

Experience

• Seven years years of relevant experience in peacebuilding, political and/or developmental work with increasing management responsibility.
• Professional experience in programme management (strategy, planning, reflection, implementation, monitoring, evaluation)
• Field experience in conflict affected contexts
• Management experience

Competencies

• Demonstrates effectiveness and strong experience with short and long-term planning; financial, personnel and program management.
• Advanced knowledge and experience of project cycle management including using project planning and management tools
• 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 effectively capture and communicate the impact of practical work and to use this to raise profile.
• Proven ability to communicate, negotiate and network with high level executives and government officials, donors, international agencies, and media.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment successfully and to demonstrate gender responsive and non-discriminatory behavior and attitudes.
• Ability to interact with people respectfully and with tact