Programme Officer, Somalia

Background

Interpeace is an international organization for peacebuilding that supports locally led peacebuilding initiatives around the world. Interpeace tailors its approach to each society and ensures that the work is locally driven. Together with local partners and local teams, Interpeace jointly develops peacebuilding programmes and helps establish processes of change that connect local communities, civil society, government and the international community. As a strategic partner of the United Nations, Interpeace is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and has offices around the world. For more information about Interpeace, please visit www.interpeace.org

Position within the Organization

The Programme Officer is a member of the Somali Programme Team that implements all of Interpeace’s active and ongoing Somali programmes. The Programme officer reports to the Country Coordinator and supervises the Project Support Officer(s) as well as Interns if any within the Mogadishu office.

Purpose and General Overview

The Programme officer assumes responsibility for the timely delivery of the programmes in Somalia within the budget and provides the overall direction of implementation of the programme necessary to enable Interpeace to implement its mandate in collaboration with Country Coordinator.

The duties of the Programme officer cover 5 areas:

• Strategic Engagement
• Programme Management & Development
• Management – institutional coherence
• Representation
• Management of Personnel and Resources

Duties and responsibilities

Strategic Engagement

• Implements workplan and programmatic activities

Programme Management and Development

• Drafts and develops activity reports, monthly reports, and provide inputs to be included in Somali programme donor reports
• Identifies opportunities and ideas that can be used by the Somali Programme Team to expand the programme within the country.
• In cooperation with Finance, ensures that documentations is timely availed for reporting of all programme operations in the Mogadishu office
• Contributes to the experiences that can be used in the development of policy and learning as informed by the field operations.

Management – institutional coherence

• Implements programmatic work at activity level
• Ensures close operational coordination at with the staff at the Mogadishu level
• Responds to request of information from implementing partners

Representation

• Focus’ on Tracks Two and Three and as directed or required by the immediate supervisor and occasionally in the context of supporting T-1 efforts
• Develops and strengthens relationships with implementing organizations and networks and establish national strategic relations and alliances with partners and civil society working in common cause with Interpeace objectives.

Management of Personnel and Resources

• Supervises and develops Programme Support Officers and /or interns
• Ensures the Mogadishu office operates effectively and regularly updates the Somali Country Coordinator on issues affecting office and programme operations

Operational Support – Finance and Administration

This work is under the supervision of the Sr. Finance and Administration Manager in Nairobi and in coordination with the Finance and Administration Officer in Hargesia:

• Manages the office equipment, services, and non-expendable property
• Supports travel organization including making hotel bookings, coordinating Travel Authorizations (TAs), liaising with the travel agency for flight ticket purchases and with HR for required insurances
• Assists in organizing events, workshops and/or conferences in the office as needed. This includes requesting quotes, coordinating catering, and facility rental
• Gathers and file documents relating to office space rental, logistics and other contracts
• Monitors stock of stationary, kitchen and other office supplies, place orders and replenish when necessary
• Receives and screens incoming general telephone calls
• Liaises with building management and related services to ensure the functioning of building facilities
• Receives and opens incoming mail – including on confidential matters – copying and circulating as necessary
• Coordinates the administrative processes for procurement of services and related payments
• Supports the management of legal matters for the office in coordination with HQ
• Executes and monitors the office budget, coordinates with and reports to the Finance and Administration Officer in Hargesia on matters related to accounting
• Sends all supporting documentation to Hargesia for proper accounting records
• Act as the petty cash custodian
• Processes payments for the running costs of the office and other expenses
• Sends petty cash counts to Hargeisa

Human Resources

This work is coordinated with the HR Officer in Nairobi

• Maintains the employees’ files and sends all employee documents to Nairobi for creation and maintenance of accounts and records in the organizations’ online HR system, including leave management
• Supports the onboarding of new personnel

Qualifications:

Education

• Degree in peace-related studies, social or political science or other relevant fields

Experience

• 2-3 years of experience in peacebuilding, political and/or developmental work with increasing responsibility
• Demonstrated effectiveness and substantial experience with short and long-term planning; financial management, and program implementation.

Competencies

• Knowledge of current thinking on peacebuilding issues and methods; and demonstrable ability to anticipate emerging needs and integrate them swiftly into priority programme setting
• Well established and practiced organizational and planning skills; and knowledge and experience of project cycle management including using project planning and management tools
• Developed ability of raising the profile of an organization, networking with government agencies, donors and other international agencies, and using the media to generate profile
• Proven ability to communicate, negotiate and work with high level executives and government officials

• Strong writing and communications skills in English and Somali is required

• Interpeace Competencies

  • Collaboration and Weaving
  • Communication
  • Drive for results
  • Adaptability and Continuous Learning
  • Respect for Diversity

Success factors

• Strong commitment to supporting local peacebuilding initiatives and to the values and working principles of Interpeace
• Excellent social and inter-cultural skills, outstanding communication skills to a variety of stakeholders from different backgrounds
• Creative team player with a commitment to inclusiveness and consensus building
• personality with tact and a high adaptation capacity
• Identifies with and is committed to Interpeace’s core values and working principles