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Horn of Africa Team Leader (consultancy contract)

The European Institute of Peace is looking for exceptional individuals who share our vision for a world where people live in safety and peace because conflicts and grievances are resolved through inclusive dialogue and lasting political agreements.

We provide practical experience, technical expertise, and policy advice on conflict resolution. We use a variety of tools to help us do this, including analysis, mapping and design of peace processes and agreements, facilitating policy discussions, and proposing practical engagement, for example through inclusive dialogue and mediation support.

Based in Brussels and active in over a dozen countries, the European Institute of Peace is an independent organisation working collaboratively with European decision-makers, the parties to the conflict, and those who represent people suffering from insecurity or at risk of violence, as well as the conflict prevention, resolution and mediation community.

Our innovative approach to peace enables us to be agile, creative, and effective in everything we do, and these are key qualities we look for in our team members. See www.eip.org for more information.

We are looking for a Team Leader to manage the implementation of the Institute’s Horn of Africa programme, which is part of the Engagement, Dialogue and Process Design Unit (EDP). The Team Leader will report to the EDP Director.

Terms of References

The EDP Horn of Africa programme encompasses multiple projects. The Team Leader will manage the implementation of these projects and ensure coherence across them. He/she will be supported by a small team. Specifically, the Team Leader will:

  • Lead on the implementation of EDP’s Horn of Africa programme, and as part of this:
  • Ensure the operational and strategic coherence of the programme to guarantee a comprehensive, strategic approach to the region and that the Institute’s contribution is sustainable and inclusive and in line with the Institute’s vision, mission and goals;
  • Facilitate the timely implementation of activities, and delivery and monitoring of programme outputs;
  • Manage the team and provide guidance to colleagues on the implementation of specific activities.
  • Facilitate communication flows within the team and with the rest of the Institute, in particular with other Institute teams implementing activities in the region;
  • Engage in fundraising efforts and maintain strong relations and engagement with donors.
  • Develop and maintain strong relationships and partnerships with relevant EU institutions, European governments and NGO counterparts, particularly those based in the region, to identify political priorities, regional interests and scope for collaboration;
  • Develop concrete and realistic strategies for engagement with actors on the ground in order to develop strong networks and ability to work closely with local actors, conflict parties, and other relevant groups including civil society actors to inform and contribute to the achievement of project objectives.
  • Contribute to the Institute’s relationship management with political actors in the field, as well as with relevant international organisations (UN, AU, IGAD), governments, and the EU for purposes of generating political buy-in, expectation management, avoiding the duplication of efforts, and – where appropriate –policy-influencing;
  • Work closely with colleagues to contribute to analysis and compile briefing materials for internal and external audiences and events and lead or contribute to the development of relevant policy discussions, recommendations for policymakers, and process design options;
  • Participate in / lead on (scoping) missions to the region for project activities, strengthening relations with local interlocutors and policymakers, and project-related events (when travel is necessary);
  • Identify opportunities for further programme development and subsequently develop strategies for new Institute interventions;
  • Any other responsibility agreed upon with the line manager.

Duties and responsibilities

Profile

  • University degree in political science, conflict resolution, (political) economics, international relations or related field;
  • Minimum 20 years of experience working on international affairs, at least 10 of them spent working on concrete international efforts related to conflict resolution, mediation-support or dialogue facilitation;
  • Knowledge of the political and economic situation in the Horn of Africa, in particular Ethiopia, Sudan and South Sudan, the conflict contexts within those countries and geopolitical developments that are taking place in the region as a whole, as well as a demonstrated ability to use this knowledge as the basis for programming decisions;
  • Strong existing network in the region, acquired by proven long term engagement with relevant political actors;
  • Good access to senior European policymakers and experts, as well as with local interlocutors, regional stakeholders and multilateral organisations, or a willingness and ability to quickly establish and maintain these relations;
  • Good understanding of the structure and mandate of the European Union, in particular the European External Action Service, and ability to engage relevant actors within the various EU bodies;
  • Significant experience managing a team and as part of this, oversee and support the implementation of multiple projects that fall under the programme;
  • Prior experience working with donors, in particular European governments, in particular for the purpose of acquiring project funding, reporting, generating political buy-in;
  • Ability to work well under pressure and comply with tight deadlines;
  • Perfect command of English and good command of French. Command of Arabic or Amharic is an asset.

The Institute offers

  • 12 months consultancy contract, renewable depending on funding.
  • The Horn of Africa Team leader shall provide the services using her/his own computers, computer hardware and office equipment, mobile phones, etc.

Recruitment process

Please submit in English:

  • your CV (Name_Surname_CV_ Position);
  • a one-page motivation letter (Name_Surname_ML_Position) demonstrating your qualification according to the profile and the proposed daily fee.

Submit to: recruitment@cg9lzbbryk.preview.infomaniak.website

The deadline is 14 March 2021, midnight.  If selected for the first round, we will contact you for an interview, which will take place the week of the 22 March 2021. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Start date for the position: as soon as possible

Deadline for application: 14 March 2021