Africa Director

About Crisis Action

Crisis Action exists to protect civilians at risk from violent conflict or the widespread and systematic abuse of human rights that can provoke it. We are a catalyst and strategic convenor, with a unique, award-winning model of building coalitions from a global network of organizations and individuals, to compel those in power to uphold obligations to protect civilians and to address factors that cause and sustain conflicts. We work through innovative campaigns that shift power towards populations at risk from conflict and spur action to ensure their safety and rights. For an insight into our way of working, watch this video and check out our 2023 annual report.

Overview of the role

As African Director you will play a pivotal role in advancing Crisis Action’s unique model of campaigning by building strategic coalitions and engaging relevant stakeholders in the Africa region and globally. You will play a key role in crafting and delivering on strategies for impactful collective campaigns to protect civilians from violent conflict. You will build and nurture a network of partners, policymakers, experts, influencers and media; and work closely with colleagues across the world to build effective advocacy campaigns and maximise partners’ collaboration to achieve change. We are looking for a politically savvy campaigner who is passionate and dynamic and understands how to make change happen in African societies. We are seeking an exceptional strategist and powerful networker who will strengthen our presence in Africa and ensures we are ever more effective in our mission to protect civilians affected by conflict. Your expertise in humanitarian affairs, conflict resolution, and community engagement will be critical in shaping our work and ensuring the safety and dignity of vulnerable populations.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

1.Crisis Action’s Ambassador on the African Continent

You will represent Crisis Action among government, partners and allies amongst our other key stakeholders. We are looking for an individual who is equipped with a strong network of high-level contacts on the continent (or has demonstrated ability to quickly establish such a network). You will also have experience working with civil society organisations, and ideally experience coordinating joint advocacy efforts with these or similar organisations.

2. Develop and implement impactful campaigns to protect civilians and prevent conflict

A core part of your responsibilities will be working with colleagues in our other offices, to lead or contribute to international campaigns that Crisis Action coordinates.This will require you to devise and lead impactful advocacy strategies that use a wide range of tactics levering the collective power of the coalitions we weave together and the creativity you bring to generate impact. Your success will depend upon your ability to build and nurture trusted relationships with policy makers as well as partners and potential allies from across civil society, academia, think tanks and the media.

3. Expert political analysis

Focusing on actual or potential conflicts of most concern to our partners, you will ensure that Crisis Action supplements their understanding by investigating and analysing the policy positions of key capitals on the continent. You will ensure that Crisis Action builds up in-depth and sophisticated intelligence on the position of key actors towards relevant conflicts, the results of which will be top quality advice to partners on advocacy demands, strategy and suggestions for action. You will also be responsible for feeding this intelligence into our global campaigns and sharing it in a timely manner with our global partner network.

4. Contribute to the strategic development of Crisis Action’s work globally

You will be responsible for consolidating and expanding Crisis Action’s relationship with core partners and our civil society network, and for developing and implementing the Africa Office strategy that aligns with the organisation’s overall organisational strategy and action plan. You will supervise the work of the Africa office team, consultants and volunteers that may work with Crisis Action in Africa and/or on the campaigns you are a part of. As a member of Crisis Action’s Directors Group, you will also play a leadership role in the direction of the organisation. This will include contributing to decisions about Crisis Action’s campaign portfolio, the development of our strategic plan and internal policies, as well as strategizing around both regional and international policy challenges and how best we can contribute to overcoming them.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The following are essential:

• Commitment to Crisis Action’s mandate and values.
• 10+ years of experience working in the development sector at the regional or international level.
• Master’s Degree in a relevant area of specialization
• A broad range of established relationships with key stakeholders in government, humanitarian, human rights, policy making, the development sector.
• Excellent political judgement and instincts, especially regarding foreign policy and international relations and diplomatic engagement.
• Excellent instincts in leading and organizing for change
• Proven ability to analyse complex political issues, to identify campaign opportunities and to devise sophisticated strategies and innovative approaches for achieving policy change.
• Expertise in media and communications; including knowing when and how to engage the media, a deep understanding of different audiences, crafting media stories, producing high-quality media materials, and working across media platforms, including social media.
• Knowledge and experience of using a broad range of approaches for influencing decision makers.
• First-class interpersonal and communication skills with demonstrated ability to work as a member of a small and diverse team, as well as to lead and empower your team to deliver their best.
• Ability to instil trust and confidence in partner organisations and colleagues from a variety of backgrounds
• Excellent administrative, project management and information technology skills.
• High levels of ambition, energy, drive, dynamism, determination, and focus.

The following are desirable:

• French and English fluency – written and spoken – highly desirable
• Experience working with the corporate sector, social movements, or faith-based organisations to drive social change.
• Experience of working with global teams and with people from varied cultural backgrounds.
• Additional languages, particularly Portuguese or Arabic.

Terms and conditions

Salary: USD90,000 per annum

Benefits: Excellent benefits package including health cover; pension; 25 days annual leave increasing to 30 days after 3 years; 3 months paid sabbatical after 5 years of service and a family friendly work environment

Wellbeing considerations: Flexible work arrangements with a minimum of 2days in the office and 3days work from home policy plus an additional day off every month for your wellbeing and mental health

Right to work: You must have the right to work in any of our preferred locations

Location: Johannesburg or Nairobi

Expected Start Date: 1 June 2024

DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Commitment:

Crisis Action values and nurtures an inclusive culture that sees the diversity of its board, staff, partners, and all we work with as a strength and source of innovation and creativity. We welcome applications from anyone no matter your background, gender identity and expression, nationality, language, ethnicity, colour, caste, race, sexual orientation, ability, religion or belief, age, marriage, civil partnership, or parental status. Equality among all is a driving force in our work and a feature of our recruitment. We strive to ensure that all employment decisions are made entirely on merit.

Invitation to apply from our CEO

Dear Applicant,

Launched in 2004, Crisis Action is a pioneering organisation that works behind the scenes to enable civil society to respond more effectively to armed conflict. Crisis Action’s unique model and record of impact earned the organisation the 2012 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions and the 2013 Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship.

We work through innovative campaigns that shift power towards populations at risk from conflict and spur action to ensure the safety and rights of these populations are prioritized in line with international human rights and humanitarian law. We strive to empower those we work with and provide platforms for those with direct experience of conflicts to tell their stories and speak truth to power. For an insight into our way of working, watch this video.

We are international, independent, and not-for-profit, with a diverse global team of about 50 people strategically located where decisions to protect and prevent conflict and abuses are made.
We have presence in Addis Ababa, Beirut, Johannesburg, London, Nairobi, New York, Paris, and Washington DC.

We are currently working to save lives in the Sahel, Sudan, Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories. We continually monitor other potential and actual conflicts and engage in shorter-term “emergency response” campaigns, recently including Ukraine. You can find out more about us from our recent annual reports.

We are looking for an exceptional, passionate, and dynamic Africa Director to help drive forward and enhance the impact and effectiveness of our work.

If you’re hungry for a challenge, have creativity and energy and think you can help us and our partners influence some of the world’s most powerful people, then go to www.crisisaction.org for an application pack.

Nicola Reindorp

Chief Executive Officer

What others say about Crisis Action.

“Crisis Action’s energy and strategic approach to tackling conflict around the world is a model we can all learn from.” Oby Ezekwesili, Co-founder of the #BringBackOurGirls Movement (Lagos).

Halting conflict, protecting civilians and negotiating peace always requires innovation and collaboration. From its efforts to galvanise a global demand for a ceasefire on Gaza to its work behind the scenes on Syria and Sudan, Crisis Action has done vital work to channel and focus the efforts of a wide variety of organisations and individuals in pursuit of respect for humanitarian principles and saving lives. I’ve seen first-hand how this can impact decision-making efforts in much-needed ways. I can’t thank them enough.”: Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, United Nations (New York).

“Crisis Action’s contribution to keeping the critical issues of our generation on the front burner of policymakers is vital. Their work convening and collaborating with a diversity of actors from a variety of sectors, who work and think differently, is essential to tackling the crises we face in Africa and across the world.” Shuvai Busuman Nyoni, Executive Director, African Leadership Centre (Nairobi).

Crisis Action has been instrumental in coordinating Pan-African civil society’s response to the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. Deeper engagement between CSOs and African policymakers is essential to generating human-centered policies that prioritise civilians—and Crisis Action’s work ensures this: Ambassador Frederic Gateretse-Ngoga, Senior Advisor on International Partnerships, Political Affairs and Peace and Security Commission, African Union Commision (Addis Ababa).