Head of Civil Society Division at African Union(AU)

Requisition ID: 1327
Reports to: Director, Citizens and Diaspora Organizations Directorate (CIDO)
Directorate/Department: Citizens and Diaspora Organizations Directorate (CIDO)
Division: Civil Society
Number of Direct Reports: 4
Number of Indirect Reports: 0
Job Grade: P5
Contract Type: Regular

Purpose of Job

Directs and manages the daily operations of the Civil Society Division in order to achieve the strategic objectives of the directorate and the AU’s overall goals.

Main Functions

• Designs and implements policies, programs and projects to achieve the directorate’s strategic objectives.
• Manages and supervises employees within the division, ensures the timely delivery of the directorate’s goals and effective staff performance evaluation;
• Designs policies, strategies and programs to contribute to the effective implementation of relevant AU Policy Organs Decisions;
• Ensures the delivery of the division’s annual targets in line with the directorate’s overall goals and ensures robust and timely monitoring and reporting;
• Provides technical leadership and ensures efficient functioning of all Units within the Division
• Manages the work of the Division and supervises direct reports to ensure their effective performance in line with the organization’s performance management policy and system;
• Engages stakeholders within Members States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs)/Regional Mechanisms(RMs) and relevant international organisations in designing and implementing strategies.
• Maintains thematic partnerships in support of the mandate of the Division;  
• Maintains regular working relations with senior stakeholders in Member States and partner institutions in the execution of the Division’s mandate.  
• Represents the organisation and communicates its position at conferences.
• Contributes to the preparation of periodic financial and budget execution reports and monitor budget execution at division level.
• Ensures the effective management of funds contributed to the organization;  
• Manages risk within the division and recommends mitigation strategies
• Contributes to the development of the departmental business continuity plan and ensures implementation at division level
• Maintains a positive work environment that facilitates collaboration and information sharing and is conducive to attracting, retaining, and motivating diverse talent.

Specific Responsibilities

• Leads the activities of the Civil Society Division and supports in the implementation of the Directorate’s mandate on civil society, through organization of  meetings and implementation of the Civil Society Programmes;
• Coordinates, guides and leads the work of the Division to ensure timely implementation of work plans, production of reports, analyses, briefing notes, background papers for submission to the Director.
• Initiates actions and participates in activities to raise extra-budgetary funds;
• Proposes modalities for the involvement of Member States in the implementation of the AU Civil Society Agenda.
• Supports advocacy and popularization of decisions of AU policy organs regarding the AU Civil Society Programme;
• Works to promote cooperation with Civil Society organizations and network, donor agencies, specialized institutions and other relevant bodies;
• Supports the Director in the overall management of the Directorate, personnel, budget performance, quality, discipline and training, in conformity with relevant rules and procedure;
• Produces and submits periodic reports on activities and specific missions;

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• Master's Degree in Law, Political Sciences or related fields of study, coupled with twelve (12) years post qualification progressively relevant and responsible positions, with seven (7) years of experience at managerial level out of which five (5) years should be in a supervisory role.
• Proven experience in managing and leading programmes linked to civil society, in international organization setting.

Required Skills:

• Leadership and innovative skills
• Interpersonal and negotiation skills, ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations both internally and externally
• Planning, budgeting and organisational skills
• Monitoring and evaluation skills
• Computing skills
• Communication and presentation skills
• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (English, French, Arabic, Portuguese or Spanish), fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic Perspective
• Developing Others
• Change Management
• Managing Risk

Core Competencies:

• Building Relationships
• Foster Accountability Culture
• Learning Orientation
• Communicating with impact

Functional Competencies:

• Conceptual thinking
• Job Knowledge and information sharing
• Drive for Results
• Fosters Innovation

Tenure of Appointment

• The appointment will be made on a regular term contract for a period of three (3) years, of which the first twelve months shall be considered as a probationary period.
• Thereafter, the contract will be for a period of two years renewable, subject to satisfactory performance and deliverables.

Languages:

• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish) and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.

Remuneration

• Indicative basic salary of US$  50,746.00 (P5 Step1) per annum plus other related entitlements e.g. Post adjustment ( 46% of basic salary), Housing allowance US$  26,208.00   (per annum), and education allowance (100% of tuition and other education-related expenses for every eligible dependent up to a maximum of US$ 10,000.00 per child per annum), for internationally recruited staff and a maximum of $3,300 per child per annum for locally recruited staff.