Program Manager, Peace and Cohesion at Drylands Learning and Capacity Building Initiative

Job Details

DLCI invites applications from the qualified and dynamic candidates for the position of Programme Manager, Peace and Social Cohesion to be based in Nairobi. The successful candidate will be reporting to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This position is part of DLCI senior management and FCDC programme core team. It will provide the successful candidate with an exciting opportunity to oversee and shape the implementation of the national and regional peace policy in the FCDC region.

The successful candidate will take lead in providing the organisational strategic direction, programming, coordination of peace building work and growth of the Sector Forum for Peace and Social Cohesion (SFPC). He/she will be expected to manage monitoring, learning, good practice sharing and policy engagement in the work streams of peace building, conflict management and Countering Violent Extremism (CVE). One of the key responsibilities is to take lead on DLCI grant management related to peace and cohesion and CVE work. Manager will be expected to coordinate, organize planning and implementation of the project with multiple partner organizations and county governments.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Coordinate Sector Forum for Peace and Cohesion in the FCDC region and ATI counties and manage DLCI peace and Cohesion project, while fulfilling all related grant management responsibilities for DLCI on-going projects.
• Coordinate development of regional FCDC peace policy and coordinate implementation of sector forum (SFPC) Annual Work Plans;
• Manage coordination with other multiple implementing partners in the region;
• Oversee the development of high-quality peacebuilding and CVE project implementation plans;
• Prepare project progress reports and maintain performance monitoring frameworks, tracking financial utilization of the peace and social cohesion sector projects; identify implementation challenges and manage solutions; and ensure excellent, cooperative relationships with DLCI partners primarily with FCDC Secretariat, the Pastoralist Parliamentary Group (PPG), and project partners etc;
• Provide technical oversight and quality control of peace and social cohesion projects; and Lead on the program development and resource mobilization for the DLCI and FCDC Peace sector work and manage the Sector Forum for Peace and Cohesion and support member counties in the FCDC region and ATI now renamed Cooperation for peace and Development (CPD) counties to implement county action plans.
• Implement a robust learning agenda for Peace & Cohesion and CVE sector that enables learning to inform regional and county policies, legislation and programming and practices in the region;
• Foster productive relationship with key stakeholders including donors and other implementing partner organisations, relevant County Directorates and national government ministries and authorities, networks, working groups, policy forums, development partners, donor agencies and civil society organisations working on peace-building, conflict management, social cohesion, and CVE sector.

The ideal candidate is expected to have:

• Minimum of a master’s degree in Development Studies and or degree in Peace and Security;
• At least 10 years of experience working in the development sector and previous experience of working in the FCDC region will be an added advantage;
• Experience in running a Secretariat, programme development planning, and must be successful at fundraising with proven ability to write strong proposals and responsive bids for new programming;
• Excellent interpersonal skills in peace work and conflict management programmes;
• Proven experience in grant/project management and programme and budget planning processes, including log frame matrices and monitoring and evaluation plans; good understanding of funds management;
• Knowledge of working with international partners; Flexibility, high culture, conflict, and gender sensitivity;
• Demonstrated capacity and ability write high-quality reports for donor projects and analytical policy briefs;
• Strong management, leadership and communication skills, exceptional written and verbal skills in English. Knowledge of Kiswahili will be an advantage; Ability to communicate with and manage multiple relationships with multiple partners and skills of coordinating diverse activities;
• Thorough understanding of the global security trends such as the sustainable development goals, national efforts on peace and conflict management, network with existing institutional and understanding of the national legal and peace policy framework.