Programme Manager, Burundi Programme

Background

Interpeace is an international organization for peacebuilding that supports locally led peacebuilding initiatives around the world. Interpeace tailors its approach to each society and ensures that the work is locally driven. Together with local partners and local teams, Interpeace jointly develops peacebuilding programmes and helps establish processes of change that connect local communities, civil society, government and the international community.

As a strategic partner of the United Nations, Interpeace is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and has offices around the world.

For more information about Interpeace, please visit www.interpeace.org

Position within the Organization

The Programme Manager is a member of the Programme Management Unit which manages and implements 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 Manager reports to the Country Representative. For this position to be effective, the Programme Manager will draw on support from the Programme Management Unit in the region and at Headquarters and with the Programme Development and Operations teams as well as a within the network of Programme Managers based in other countries of operation.

The program manger will be responsible for managing a national consorsium composed of five civil society organizations. She/he will be leading the consortium and supporting the members to improve their capacities individually as organizations and together.

The program manager will be responsible for cultivating, and nurturing a culture of collaboration and solidarity among the consortium members.

Purpose and General Overview

The Programme Manager is responsible for the timely and quality delivery of the programme in Burundi. Working closely with the Country Representative s/he is responsible for managing the programmatic activities within the pre-agreed programme budget or funding allocation.

Duties and responsibilities

Strategic Engagement:

• Under the guidance of the Country Representative, advances practical relationship building with implementing partners
• Under the guidance of the Country Representative provides support to the development and definition of the Interpeace programme strategy in line with the overall Interpeace Strategic Plan and the context in Burundi.
• Under the guidance of the Country Representative engages with different stakeholders to advance Interpeace’s work in the country

Programme Development:

• Under the guidance of the Country Representative identifies and develops opportunities to expand the programme within the country, in collaboration with the country programme team, implementing partners as well as the Programme Development Unit.
• Coordinates the drafting process of concept notes and proposals
• Coordinates drafting processes of budgets in collaboration with the OPS department

Representation

• Develops and strengthens relationships with local organisations and networks and establish national strategic relations and alliances with partners and civil society working in common cause with Interpeace objectives.
• Provide on-going support to the civil society consortium. This will include – but is not limited to – regular engagement with organizations members, supporting the development of the consortium action plans, coordinating consortium meetings and learning events.
• Convening and Coordination of consortium meetings. Support the partner organizations to address their needs and interests effectively within consortium’s objectives. Follow up with partners on their action plans or activities for progress.
• Represents Interpeace in meetings, conferences, forums and other public events and contributes towards consolidating and raising the profile of Interpeace

Management – institutional coherence

• Under the guidance of the Country Representative coordinates the programme annual planning and budgeting processes as per organisational guidelines and local context
• Ensures compliance of programmatic work at activity level with internal controls
• Contributes to the development of policy and learning from the country programme and context, in collaboration with the Policy and Learning Unit.
• Coordinates the production of timely quality programme reports in line with Interpeace and donor requirements under the guidance of the Country Representative
• In cooperation with the OPS department, reviews and revises financial reports as needed
• Promotes accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews
• Ensures internal and donor compliance
• Has a close operational coordination at working level with other teams in Interpeace and with implementing partner organizations
• Engages and supports the relationships with implementing partners, and provides strategic guidance, capacity building, and programmatic support to ensure a high level of coordination across the country programme
• Accountable for budget of circa 2 million USD per year

Qualifications:

Education

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

Experience

• At least 5 years of professional experience in programme management: Strategy, planning, reflection, implementation, monitoring, evaluation.
• At least 5 years of experience in administration, financial management, budget monitoring, award contractual compliance, sub-award management, and tracking project performance and costs.
• Experience in partanarship development and consortium/coalition’s management
• Proven ability to manage large consortiums with a minimum of 5 years experience managing multi-donors programmes
• Field experience in conflict affected contexts

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
• Strong writing and communications skills in English and French are required
• Experience critiquing documents, tools, and trainings from a gender lens, and recommending how to shift them from being gender harmful/neutral to gender responsive/transformative would be a benefit.
• Self-motivated and self-disciplined, with the ability to work autonomously, meet deadlines and manage competing priorities
• Developed ability of raising the profile of an organization, strategically networking with government agencies, donors and other international agencies, and using the media to generate profile
• Proven ability to communicate, negotiate and work with high level executives and government officials.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment successfully and to demonstrate gender responsive and non-discriminatory behavior and attitudes.
• Excellent ability to interact with people respectfully and with tact
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships with a variety of stakeholders across cultures.

Interpeace Competencies

• Collaboration and Weaving
• Communication
• Drive for results
• Adaptability and Continuous Learning
• Respect for Diversity

Success factors

• Identifies with and is committed to Interpeace’s core values and working principles
• Commitment to inclusiveness
• An innovative, critical thinker with extensive problem-solving skills
• A strategic manager who is accountable, leads by example, mentors and empowers a team and works to create work-life balance