Assistant Director and Head of its Division “Africa / Gender & Security”

The Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) is a Geneva based international foundation whose primary fields of activity are Security Sector Reform (SSR) and Security Sector Governance (SSG). The Centre’s work in supporting an effective and efficient security sector that is accountable to the political authorities and the citizens is underpinned by the acknowledgement that security, development and the rule of law are essential preconditions for sustainable peace.

DCAF is seeking a dynamic and visionary individual to serve as

Assistant Director and
Head of its Division “Africa / Gender & Security”

Under the overall guidance of the Director, s/he is responsible for the strategic, operational and administrative management of the Division’s activities and provides leadership to a diverse team of 20 highly qualified experts. Candidates should be committed to DCAF’s guiding principles of neutrality, impartiality, gender sensitivity and local ownership.

Duties and responsibilities :

Building on the Division’s successful past activities, focusing particularly on West Africa and the Sahel, the new Head of Division is expected to expand the existing program and widen its geographical scope in sub-Saharan Africa. Also, s/he will ensure that DCAF’s strong profile in the area of gender & security (in Africa and beyond) will be further reinforced and developed. S/he will consolidate and enlarge DCAF’s partner network in the aforesaid areas through cooperation with a variety of national and international partners, including national authorities, UN agencies, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the African Union, ECOWAS and other regional organizations, foundations, research institutions and the private sector.

Education:

An advanced university degree in international affairs, security or development studies or another relevant field is required.

Competencies and experience:

• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.
• Proven management and leadership skills are key requirements.
• A minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible experience in security and/or international development cooperation is required.
• In-depth knowledge of the manifold challenges related to SSR and SSG, in particular with regard to sub-Saharan Africa, is indispensable.
• Relevant work experience on the African continent and at the international level would be desirable.
• Candidates should be familiar with international policy discussions relevant to SSR/SSG. They should be able to formulate strategies and design, implement and monitor effective policies and operational responses.
• Candidates should also be strong communicators, committed team players, successful networkers and persuasive fundraisers.

Language skills:

Fluency in both French and English is required. Any other language skills would be an asset.

Starting date:

Immediately.

DCAF is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from qualified female candidates.

Interested candidates meeting the qualifications are invited to e-mail their curriculum vitae together with an application letter to Véronique Bradley, Human Resources at hdafrica-gender@dcaf.ch. Interviews will be conducted in mid-May. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Closing date for applications: 29 April 2016