UNPBF Peace Building Project Consortium Advisor

Position Overview

The Project Consortium Advisor will provide overall technical and management leadership for a newly formed consortium of three local partners and the IRC to implement an 18-month United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF) project. The project will be implemented in 4 different locations of Somalia in the regions of Southwest State and Benadir. The position will be responsible for ensuring the project meets stated goals and reporting requirements, as well as leading coordination processes with key stakeholders. He/she will be expected to work in complex, politically charged and unstable environments, across different cultures, and supporting diverse teams to deliver impact within agreed timelines. Reports to the Deputy Director for Programs.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall direction and leadership support to IRC project teams and partner organizations to ensure timely and quality delivery of project objectives as well as compliance with IRC and UNPBF regulations.

• Serve as the primary liaison with and maintain regular coordination with and reporting to the UNPBF regarding project management and technical matters.

• Oversee implementation and monitoring from project start-up to close-out, including regular project implementation meetings (PIM) and partner meetings.

• Assure that project is effectively supported including adequate staffing levels, the successful development of key implementation tools (work plans, indicator tracking, spending plans, operational manuals and other project management tools).

• Ensure effective and efficient technical oversight of project implementation by closely working with implementing partners and providing strategic and operational assistance to partner institutions as required.

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with national and state government institutions, local stakeholders, civil society and other relevant parties. and various regular and ad hoc coordination mechanisms.

• Oversee coordination and monitoring of programmatic interventions to ensure timely completion of M&E activities as well as other learning and monitoring requirements to measure impact.

• Build the capacity of IRC and local partners’ staff on planning, implementation and evaluation of peacebuilding project

• Support overall dissemination of project outcomes amongst wider stakeholders as well as provide representation for the project and the IRC Somalia governance and peacebuilding sector in external fora.

• Lead efforts to develop complementary programming for the governance and peacebuilding sector and support the expansion of IRC Somalia programming in those areas.

• Liaise with IRC Somalia Technical Coordinators and the Governance Technical Advisor to ensure relevant support, tools and resources are being provided and integrated into project activities and that activities are complimentary to existing programming.

Budget Monitoring

• Conduct regular budget verses actual (BVA) reviews and make appropriate recommendations to the finance and supply chain staff as well as to the field-based health staff.

• Ensure that assigned budgets are spent according to plan and as per contractual agreements with respective donor.

• In collaboration with partners staff develop spending plans and monitor the implementation of these spending plans for respective grants

• Work with finance to undertake budget recoding as required.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Development Studies, Business Administration, Humanities, Social Sciences, or other relevant field.

• Experience in implementing peacebuilding projects in fragile contexts, preferably in Somalia.

• Experience in youth related programming and able to work on the program through a youth-centered lens.

• Expertise in managing subgrantees and partnerships; familiarity with IRC systems is an asset.

• Strong experience in analyzing and reporting on peacebuilding and conflict prevention programming

• Strong negotiation skills and the ability to develop relations with local counterparts, donors and other stakeholders.

• Strong experience in grant funding compliance, specifically UN and UNPBF highly desired.

• Demonstrated innovation and success in staff capacity-building and in participatory, flexible, and gender-sensitive programming and implementation.

• Experience in using external communication tools/social media. Experience in advocacy a plus.

• Experience in project representation and networking.

• Strong communication skills, both oral and written.

• Experience working on and in Somalia is highly desired. Willing to travel to Somalia.

• Professional fluency in English required, knowledge of Somali or Arabic is an asset.

Professional Standards: IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Diversity and Inclusion: at IRC, we are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Organizations that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, physical or mental ability, nationality, and perspective are validated to be better organizations. More importantly, creating a safe workspace environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best is the right thing to do. So, bring your whole self to work.

Note: This position is contingent on IRC being awarded anticipated funding.