Somalia / Somaliland Country Manager

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Management responsibility: Conflict and Governance Project Manager, Somalia Adviser, Advocacy and Communications Adviser, Non-State Actors (NSA) Project Field Coordinator, NSA project coordinator

Budget responsibility: Programme budget of approx. £800,000 per annum

Reporting to: Head of Kenya and Horn of Africa programme

Key Relationships:

• Regional Funding Manager, Operations team (Nairobi & London)
• Communications team (London), Somali programme partners
• Donors

Contract Duration: Open

Salary range: £36,671 - £43,169 gross per year + benefits

Description of Saferworld and Somalia/Somaliland programme:

Saferworld is an independent non-governmental organisation that works to prevent and reduce violent conflict and promote cooperative approaches to security.

We work with civil society, governments and international organisations to encourage and support effective policies and practices through advocacy, research and policy development, and through supporting the actions of others.

Saferworld has been working in Africa since 1997, with a primary focus upon East Africa and the Horn region. We have well-established programmes in Kenya, Uganda, Somalia/Somaliland and S/Sudan.

In addition, Saferworld supports regional and international conflict prevention and security processes. Saferworld headquarters are in London, with offices in Nairobi, Kampala and Juba. The Somalia programme is managed from Saferworld’s Nairobi office with one member of staff working in the field.

The main focus of the Somalia/Somaliland programme is currently the Somali Non-State Actors project, a process of strengthening the participation of Somali Non-State Actors in decision-making on peace, security and development through supporting the development and capacity-building of Non-State Actor platforms in the three Somali regions, which Saferworld has been involved in for the past seven years.

Saferworld has also recently initiated the development of a model for carrying out conflict and governance mapping and analysis in Somalia which aims to increase the conflict sensitivity among external actors.

The relevant strategic directions of the Somali/Somaliland programme are:

To strengthen the NSA platforms in South-Central Somalia, Puntland and Somaliland capacity to influence policy processes on peacebuilding and statebuilding, democratisation and aid effectiveness and public services;

To position Saferworld as a key provider of conflict and governance analysis in Somalia to international and Somali stakeholders with the aim of influencing strategies and programmes in a conflict sensitive direction.

Job Purpose:

The main focus of the Country Manager is to lead the implementation of the programme, managing relationships with programme partners and outreach to Somali stake-holders.

The post holder will also be responsible for managing and monitoring programme delivery against objectives, managing and monitoring programme expenditure, and reporting to donors.

Key areas of responsibility:

1. Strategic development and programme design
2. Programme management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
3. People and organisational management
4. Effective management of programme finances.
5. Build and maintain effective relationships in support of Saferworld’s work in Somalia.

Detailed Actions:

1: Strategic development and programme design

• Elaborate the strategy for building the capacities of the three NSA platforms and translate into a programme design with clear objectives and indicators (incl. frameworks for systematic monitoring)
• Develop country strategy papers for Somalia and other internal planning and reporting documents in line with Saferworld’s organisational processes.
• Pursue opportunities to develop work in Somalia in line with other areas of Saferworld’s expertise, e.g. security sector reform, arms control and conflict-sensitive development.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of a regional strategy in the Horn of Africa.

2: Programme management, implementation, analysis, monitoring and evaluation

• Project manage the Non-State Actor (NSA) programme, including overseeing its key advocacy components as well as developing frameworks for planning, monitoring and evaluating.
• In conjunction with the NSA project team, plan and organise Saferworld-led activities within the NSA project.
• Maintain good relations with the three NSA platforms and other Somali partners.

3: People and organisational management

• Manage the performance and professional development of direct line reports on the basis of Saferworld’s performance management system.
• Implement staff security management procedures appropriate to Saferworld’s work in Somalia, to act as Security Focal Point and ensure the physical welfare and well-being of project staff..

4: Ensure effective management of project finances

• Undertake timely and accurate project budgeting and forecasting and manage project budgets to ensure optimum expenditure of funds and ensure donor requirements regarding reporting are met.
• Ensure that programme staff and partners comply with internal accounting and financial management procedures.
• Maintain donor relationships and ensure reporting requirements are met.

5: Build and maintain effective relationships

• Srengthen contacts and coordination with other international actors (governmental and NGO) engaged in Somalia and develop and implement a strategy to ensure meaningful participation of the Somali NSA platforms in relevant policy dialogue processes
• Raise the profile of Saferworld’s work in Somalia by managing the production and dissemination of appropriate information materials (e.g. publications), and ensure effective communication of project activities, results and lessons within Saferworld
• Represent Saferworld in external meetings, and promote lessons learnt from the Somali NSA programme.
• Identify policy development opportunities at the international level

Person Specification

• A Master’s degree in peace/conflict studies, development, international relations (or equivalent professional experience);
• A minimum of five years’ experience working on peace-building or development with governments and/or non-governmental organisations;
• Experience of working in complex and politically-sensitive contexts, and excellent political judgement;
• Experience of working with civil society, and of developing and implementing strategies for civil society capacity-building;
• Experience of supporting civil society/NSA engagement with state and international actors would be an advantage;
• Experience and skills in project management, including programme planning and monitoring;
• Experience and skills in people-management, including performance management;
• Experience and skills in financial management, including developing and monitoring budgets and cash-flows;
• Excellent written and spoken English, including experience of writing funding proposals and narrative reports;
• Knowledge of: security sector development, small arms control and/or conflict-sensitive development
• Ability to work in a non-partisan manner, sensitive to cultural and ethnic differences;
• Experience of working in complex and politically-sensitive contexts, and excellent political judgement;
• A team player: able to demonstrate a constructive, cooperative and problem-solving approach;
• Willingness to travel to the Somali regions (security permitting)

Terms and Conditions

Probation: There will be a probationary period of three months.

Salary range: £36,671 - £43,169 gross per year + benefits

Holidays: 28 days/year in addition to agreed Kenyan public holidays

Hours: Standard working week is 37.5 hours a week. However, the demands of the job are likely to be such that a willingness to work longer hours, as required, will be necessary.

Travel: Approximately 3 months/year.

Application Process

Please send full CV and covering letter, detailing how you meet the selection criteria to recruitment@saferworld.org.uk.

Please use subject heading: Ref: Som PM

Deadline for applications: 11th June 2012

Interviews: It is anticipated that interviews will be held week of the 18th June in Nairobi.

We regret that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.