Programme Support Officer

Reporting to: Programme Manager Burundi

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Type of position: L3/S1

Application closing: 15 November, 2023

Background

Interpeace is an international organization for peacebuilding. With over 25 years of experience, it has implemented a broad range of peacebuilding programmes in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Interpeace tailors its approach to each society and ensures that its work is locally designed and driven. Through local partners and its own local teams, it jointly develops peacebuilding programmes based on extensive consultation and research. Interpeace helps establish processes of change that promote sustainable peace, social cohesion, and resilience. The organization’s work is designed to connect and promote understanding between local communities, civil society, governments, and the international community.

Interpeace also assists the international community – especially the United Nations – to play a more effective role in peacebuilding, based on Interpeace’s expertise in field-based work at grassroots level. Interpeace achieves this primarily by contributing innovative thought leadership and fresh insights to contemporary peacebuilding policy. It also assists the international community through ‘peace responsiveness’ work, in which Interpeace provides advice and practical support to other international organizations (especially those in the security, development, and humanitarian aid sectors), enabling them to adapt their work systemically to simultaneously address conflict dynamics and strengthen peace dynamics. 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 Support Officer is a member of the Programme Management Unit which manages and implements all of 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 Support Officer will be based in Nairobi and reports to the Burundi Programme Manager. S/He works closely with the DMEL Officer, the Great Lakes Regional Representative, the Finance Officer and the Regional Finance Manager to support smooth coordination and implementation of Interpeace Burundi programme.

Purpose and General Overview

The Programme Support Officer supports the design, day-to-day planning, and implementation of the Interpeace Burundi programme. S/he assists all areas of programme implementation, under the supervision of the Programme Manager and in collaboration with the Burundi programme team and partners.

Duties and responsibilities

Programme Management and Development

• Provides support in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Burundi programme.
• Assists with the drafting and review of programmatic documents, including concept notes, proposals, research reports, narrative reports, and conference materials, developed by Interpeace or by the programme partners.
• Contributes to the development and implementation of the programme’s strategy, yearly objectives and work plan.

Programme Implementation and Institutional Coherence

• Contributes to maintaining good relationships and communication with partners in Burundi;
• Prepares minutes for programme’s meetings.
• Assists the Programme Team in logistics preparations for programme activities.
• Provides additional support to the Interpeace Burundi team as called upon.
• Support the preparations of monthly reports; contribute to donor and end-of-project reports.
• Performing administrative tasks related to the implementation of the project.

Communication

• Assists in implementation and monitoring of the Burundi Programme’s communication plans;
• Supports in preparing social media contents, success stories and web stories that capture key programme outputs and outcomes.
• Perform any other task assigned by the Supervisor.

Qualifications:

Education

• Degree in peace-related studies, social or political science or other relevant fields.

Experience

• 1-3 years of relevant professional experience in peacebuilding, programme management political and/or development work, with some experience with non-profit or international organizations being an advantage.

Competencies

• Understanding of current thinking on peacebuilding issues and methods.
• Demonstrable ability to anticipate emerging needs and integrate them into priority programme setting.
• Strong organizational and planning skills.
• Experience and ability to work successfully as part of a diverse and multicultural team.
• Knowledge of project cycle management including using project planning and management tools.
• Strong writing and communications skills in English and French is required.
• Knowledge of Kirundi would be an asset.

Other requirements

Interpeace Competencies

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

Success factors

• Strong commitment to supporting local peacebuilding initiatives and to the values and working principles of Interpeace
• Excellent social and inter-cultural skills, outstanding communication skills to a variety of stakeholders from different backgrounds
• Creative team player with a commitment to inclusiveness and consensus building
• Personality with tact and a high adaptation capacity
• Identifies with and is committed to Interpeace’s core values and working principles

Interpeace values diversity among its staff and aims at achieving greater gender parity in all levels of its work. We welcome applications from women and men, including those with disabilities.