Concordis International
Thank you for your interest in joining Concordis’ peacebuilding team as a part-time Research Manager, working on either Central African Republic or Sudan’s South Darfur State (two separate positions).
We’re looking for people who combine exceptional ability in research and report-writing, with a real passion for (and perhaps experience in) peacebuilding. We offer flexible hours and working from home, theoretically anywhere in the world, and these part time roles could readily accommodate your other commitments.
At Concordis, we’re known for our ability to work inclusively and impartially alongside conflict-affected communities, identifying and implementing workable solutions to root causes of conflict. As part of our peacebuilding programmes, we undertake extensive consultations across the places where we work, engaging with at least two thousand people in each region or prefecture. We aim to glean a nuanced understanding of the conflict dynamics, disaggregated by gender, age, ethnicity and place, and also to understand the opportunities that exist to build social cohesion and economic prosperity, to mutual benefit.
The team move beyond the urban centres and meet people where the conflict is fought and felt, in villages and on cattle corridors. They use a combination of key informant interviews, individual questionnaires and focus groups to build both quantitative and qualitative datasets. These inform our programming, help us remain accountable to a wide range of stakeholders, and enable us to measure attitudinal and behaviour change over time.
Some of the reports prepared to date are at https://www.concordisinternational.com/centralafricanrepublic
The sample size of these consultations is unusually broad compared with other studies done in these conflict-affected areas. We believe that, with the right expertise and support, we could make better use of the rich information in the datasets, and we feel we owe that to the women and men we’ve consulted. The reports you produce will help amplify their voices, providing decision-makers in government and the international community with clear recommendations for activities that will address root causes of conflict and promote sustainable peace and development.
This work can demand a lot from all of us, and we have high expectations for the person in this post, but you’ll be part of a supportive team, leading an exciting programme, helping to make a measurable change for peace.
This role is open to Central African and Sudanese nationals and to expatriates. Ideally, you would spend some time with the research team in northern CAR or Darfur, to discuss their findings in more depth.
Please take care to complete the application form in full, as we’ll assess whether you meet the person specification based solely on the answers given in the application form.
A recent independent evaluation of the CAR programme found:
The project was highly impactful and added significant value to social cohesion, resilience, local economic development and governance. There was widespread evidence of changes in attitudes and behaviour between farmers and herders in project areas.
Delivered in an extremely complex context, the project demonstrated excellent flexibility and adaptive capacity and consequently remained highly relevant throughout the project period… It is an excellent and innovative pilot, which should be replicated and scaled up nationally.
Good luck, and many thanks for your interest in Concordis.
Peter Marsden
Concordis’ Chief Executive
Job Description and Person Specification
Peacebuilding Research Manager:
You’re passionate about peace, skilled in data analysis and write sublimely in either English or French. You can analyse over 2,500 interviews and focus groups, and create persuasive reports that capture the nuances of the conflict and make realistic recommendations for policy makers.
You’d like to be part of a team that’s making measurable impact for peace, working alongside those directly affected by the conflict to address its root causes and promote economic regeneration, to mutual benefit.
This role is part time, flexible hours, working from home, ideally with twice yearly visits to CAR or Sudan.
This post is open to both CAR and Sudanese nationals, and to expatriate staff.
Applicants will only be considered if they have already been (co)authors of professional reports in either French or English, written to an exceptionally high standard. Applicants must have experience of analysing datasets of this size, and will be asked to provide reports and conflict analysis that they have published previously.
Job Title: Peacebuilding Research Manager
Location: Flexible, ideally with twice yearly visits to CAR or Sudan.
Duration: Permanent and part time (50-60%), subject to a probationary period.
Reporting to: CAR Country Manager, based in Bangui or Darfur Programme Manager based in Khartoum
Application: Applications will only be accepted if submitted on the application form attached (downloadable from http://concordis.international/careers/) and emailed to: [email protected]. Interviews are expected to take place online.
Deadline: Sunday 13th November 2022 at 23.59 hours
Hours: Part time. This is a professional role that requires flexibility, commitment and willingness and ability to work longer hours when necessary.
Salary: £45,000 full time equivalent (€50,000) gross of tax, plus all travel expenses as applicable.
Values: Concordis believes that building relationships of trust and respect with and between those with whom it works is an important key to successful intervention in peace processes. All members of Concordis staff are required to conform to and to advance Concordis’ values.
Main responsibilities:
- Work on either the CAR or the Darfur programme, analysing the results of Concordis’ consultations to understand and present the nuances of conflict dynamics, the needs, fears and aspirations of people affected, and their recommendations for steps that will address root causes of the conflict.
- Work collaboratively with the research team of national staff to design the consultation methodology and to craft interview questions and focus group themes that will produce clear quantitative and qualitative datasets.
· Collate, clean and analyse the datasets that emerge, enabling disaggregation by age, gender, ethnicity and livelihood, etc.
- Engage actively with the research team during and after their consultation, ironing out any issues arising and gaining further nuance and analysis from them.
- Write reports for a range of audiences, presenting policy recommendations and the evidence-base behind them, in a way that is clear, professional and persuasive. Target audiences include national governments, parties to the conflict, international donors and partners from other professional disciplines.
- Deliver these reports in a timely manner, meeting programme deadlines.
- Contribute to applications for grants that will fund ongoing peacebuilding work.
- Contribute to the development of Concordis’ peacebuilding methodology, including research techniques, data analysis, monitoring and evaluation.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential:
1. Named (co)author in high-quality and published reports relating the peacebuilding, conflict analysis or similar;
2. At least five years’ peacebuilding experience (practical or academic);
3. Exceptional level of written English or French, with preference given to candidates with professional level in a second language of English, French or Arabic;
4. Demonstrable experience of processing and undertaking statistical analysis of large quantitative and qualitative datasets using various software (e.g. SPSS);
5. Able to write reports that capture the complex nuances of conflict, then communicate them in a way that is clear, concise and persuasive;
6. Able to write professionally in a range of styles, including policy documents, papers for academic journals, reports intended to build professional consensus around shared objectives, donor reports, and communications with Concordis’ supporters;
7. Proven experience of delivering analysis and reports in a timely manner;
8. Personal efficiency, resourcefulness, organisational ability and the ability to be flexible and maintain good humour in challenging circumstances;
9. Awareness of cultural diversity and political sensitivities and ability to address such issues with tact, diplomacy and sensitivity;
10. Commitment to Concordis’ mission, principles, values (available at http://concordis.international/our-mission-and-values/.
Desirable:
- Experience of working in CAR or Darfur
- Fluent in a second (or third) language of English, French, Arabic, Fulfulde or Sango.
- Video editing experience.
Important information relating to your application
The final date for applications is Sunday 13th November 2022 at 23.59 hours, but we will be reviewing applications as they come in and welcome early applications.
We have a number of posts to fill and we may contact you to ask whether you wish to be considered for other roles in the organisation. Please do not delay and get in touch if you have the right skills, experience and passion for our cause.
If you have any queries or you would like an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact the HR team by email: [email protected] and we’d be happy to help.
We will keep your personal data carefully and within the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulations.
Any candidate offered a job with Concordis will be expected to sign our Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment, and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.
All offers of employment will be subject to pre-employment checks including satisfactory references and appropriate screening. These include criminal records checks and review of sanctions and proscribed groups lists. Concordis also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and all employees will be subject to this as part of their contract of employment.
Concordis International actively encourages equality and diversity and we look to recruit across age, gender, ethnicity and background as we believe this supports our peacebuilding mission.
For more information about Concordis International please visit our website at www.concordis.international.
Concordis mission, values, principles
Concordis works alongside those involved in or affected by armed conflict, helping them find workable solutions that address the root causes of conflict and contribute to lasting peace and economic development. We’re committed to finding solutions that benefit women as well as men, those in armed groups as well as those who chose not to take up arms, national governments as well as civil society.
Mission
· To build trusting relationships with people involved in or affected by armed conflict.
· To facilitate challenging conversations between people from opposing factions.
· To enable people to find workable solutions that address the root causes of conflict and contribute to lasting peace and economic development to mutual benefit.
· To include women as well as men, those in armed groups as well as those who chose not to take up arms, national governments as well as civil society.
· To leave a legacy of sustainable mechanisms that enable future conflict to be managed peacefully.
Principles and values
We are committed to transformational justice and peacebuilding, underpinned by Concordis’ values of:
· Humility – we recognise that we do not have all the answers, that there are different ways of dealing with and resolving conflict, and that our contribution should be part of a broad engagement by a number of people and organisations
- Impartiality – we act in a consciously non-partisan manner
- Inclusivity – we promote active participation in our dialogues from people representing as many strands of opinion or interest as are appropriate. We work creatively to give voice to people and groups who might otherwise be marginalised by reason of gender, age or ethnicity.
To carry out our mission in accordance with these values, we abide by a set of fundamental principles:
· Strategic intervention – using in-depth analysis, we endeavour to understand as much as possible about the situations in which we work and we take account of complexity
- Long-term engagement – we aim to work in a sustained way in relation to conflicts with which we are invited to engage
- Doing no harm – we recognise the potential negative impact of interventions and seek to ensure that ours do not have unintended consequences
- Independence – we do not succumb to pressure to advance the interests of third parties (including third parties who are funding our work)
- Cooperation – we act collaboratively and in partnership with other agencies and organisations whenever it is appropriate to do so.
In carrying out its work, in dealings with its staff and in relation to governance and funding, Concordis:
· Acts with honesty, integrity and transparency
- Encourages accountability
- Has proper regard for the welfare of all involved in its operations, both staff and beneficiaries
- Consciously engages with women as well as men and recognises the gendered dynamics of conflict
- Is professional and respectful of others
- Is reflective, responsive and nimble in its approach
- Acknowledges the importance of building and fostering relationships
- Values diversity.
How to apply
By application form only. Please do not send your CV as this will not be considered.
The full recruitment pack and application form are available on our website.
https://concordis.international/vacancies
Please send the application form to [email protected]
Thank you