Director, West Africa and Sahel at United States Institute of Peace (USIP)

JOB BRIEF

• The Director for the West Africa and Sahel leads in developing and overseeing regional strategy development and program activities, particularly in West Africa and Sahel portfolios. 
• In addition, the Director will identify new areas of programming and partnership opportunities in the region based on a thorough needs assessments and in line with USIP mission and strategy.  
• Furthermore, the Director will advise USIP staff and external partners, informing policy as it relates to the region as well as providing insights for other conflicts through publications, briefings and convening public and private events.
• The Director will be based in USIP’s headquarters in Washington, D.C and will report to the Vice President of the Africa Center.  
• This role requires regular travel throughout the region as needed.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy, Program, and Partnership Development 

• Oversees the West Africa and Sahel annual planning and regional strategy development processes. This includes developing the program’s strategic plan, goals, objectives, and operating plan in line with the Africa Center and USIP Strategic plans; conducting a needs assessment to identify strategic and innovative programming opportunities across the region; and designating appropriate resources required to support projects in West Africa and the Sahel.
• Collaborates with the Center’s Vice President to design new West Africa and Sahel regional initiatives, and to support, strengthen, and expand ongoing projects and initiatives in Nigeria.
•  Leads strategy development and thought leadership by applying lessons learned from current conflict dynamics for the purposes of preventing violent conflict.
• Collaborates with Africa Center colleagues working on the Sahel, and with other USIP Centers or teams that are looking at opportunities to leverage research and practice comparative advantage in West Africa and the Sahel.
• Builds and sustains strategic partnerships and cultivates contacts with subject matter experts and a wide variety of external organizations in the U.S, West Africa, and around the world. This effort includes strengthening relationships with U.S. Government counterparts and other like-minded institutions through information briefings and developing potential programming as well as strengthening regional partners to leverage resources and combine efforts to promote USIP program initiatives and goals.
• Facilitates effective communications between field activities, including the USIP’s Abuja office, project offices, and Washington offices regarding program activities and ensures the highest level of communication and cooperation with relevant USIP departments/divisions/teams and external partners, including leading regular internal coordination meetings.

Strategic Advising, Learning and Informing Policy 

• Advises internal and external partners on peacebuilding approaches, peace processes and strategic policy approaches in line with the fragility agenda, regional priorities and initiatives, and international approaches. These approaches should inform the strategic development of the USIP West Africa and Sahel programs and its underpinning projects.
• Collaborates across the institute on work being carried out in West Africa and the Sahel related to conflict prevention, reconciliation, preventing violent extremism, rule of law, governance, and security reform.  
• Provide expertise on key policy issues, and political and conflict dynamics in West Africa and the Sahel
• Helps develop and oversee the implementation of a research agenda, including anticipating issues of policy interest, and commissioning research that furthers understanding of conflict dynamics and is relevant to policymakers.
• Ensures the West Africa and Sahel programs have strong monitoring, evaluation and learning components, and ensures program learning is documented and used to inform the work of USIP and others.

Representation and Communications

• Serves as USIPs West Africa and Sahel representative in Washington, liaising with relevant officials of the USG, UN, as well as with a diverse range of civil society organizations, academic institutions, the media, and local community leaders and groups.
• Organizes and chairs policy-oriented conferences, roundtable discussions, and workshops that further the goals of both the West Africa and Sahel programs and the Institute as a whole. This includes responsibility for defining the programing objectives, and managing appropriate program design, participation, preparation, and implementation to ensure those objectives are met.
• Contributes directly to USIP’s research/policy output by writing policy-relevant reports, briefing papers, analysis and commentary in USIP articles and blogs, op-ed, journal articles, podcasts and radio and television interviews.
• Attends and participates in external conferences, events, briefings to government officials, and media fora on behalf of USIP as a subject matter expert on West Africa and the Sahel. This includes testimony to Congress and responding to relevant media requests.
• Effectively disseminates information on program activities and research findings through briefings of key stakeholders and convening of events.
• Supports efforts to strengthen communication between USIP HQ and in-country staff.

Personnel and Resource Management

• Provides oversight to the HQ and in-country operations, and provide effective managerial, administrative, financial, and logistical guidance and support for the successful implementation of USIP’s portfolio in the region.
• Provides technical and administrative supervision to program staff and external consultants on the team; establishes long-range work plans and ensures that appropriate goals and objectives are implemented; conducts performance evaluations for USIP staff members.
• Oversees preparation and ensures implementation of all budgets for the team and program under her/his responsibility, including all phases from design of future programs to drafting of budget narrative, design of budget submission formats, calculation of budget, presentation to Executive Office, and revision during the course of the fiscal year based on actual costs and Institute-wide modifications.
• Works closely with the Center’s Vice-President and other USIP colleagues to ensure policies and procedures are followed, and that all aspects of resource management are performed, and financial reports are submitted in a timely manner.
• Identifies and cultivates funding and other strategic partnership opportunities and assists in drafting of project concept notes and interagency funding proposals.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in international relations, political science, social science, conflict resolution, peace studies or relevant field, required within the context of Nigeria and West Africa, or equivalent combinations of education and experience required.
• Minimum of fifteen (15) or more years related experience; in at least two of the following areas: peacebuilding, conflict prevention, conflict resolution, policy analysis and/or preventing violent extremism;  peacebuilding, governance and security sector reform; the role of regional economic communities and the African Union in peacebuilding;
• Must have knowledge of policy recommendations and strategies on supporting peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and governance efforts in the region.   
• Strong relationships and networks across governments and civil society in priority countries, including previous experience engaging with U.S. Embassies and agencies as well as domestic and international NGOs in the priority countries. 
• Significant previous experience living and working in West Africa required; deep understanding of the political, economic, and social dynamics and of how to operate effectively and efficiently in the region, particularly in Nigeria. 
• Knowledge of USIP’s role, mandate, and unique added value. 
• A proven track record of thought leadership (speaking, writing and representation) related to West Africa and the Sahel. 
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills and experience leading and managing employees with various levels of responsibility.
• Strong project management skills and experience overseeing complex projects; and previous experience implementing adaptive programs in highly complex and dynamic environments.
• Strong collaboration skills with the ability to coordinate the input and priorities of multiple players. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills with proven ability to lead and motivate others, and to work as a team player.  
• Ability to think strategically, and to effectively develop, communicate, and execute plans. 
• Excellent representation and communication skills (oral and written), including cross-cultural skills, media skills, and the ability to deal with counterparts at all political, social, and economic levels.
• Relevant foreign language fluency is highly desirable.
• Ability to travel for extended periods to Africa.