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Director of Programs, Timor-Leste

Search for Common Ground

 

Position is based at the SFCG Country Office in Dili with up to 60% travel, mainly within Timor-Leste but some international travel may also be required.

 

Job Description

Contract Period: 12 months (with possibility of extension)

Start Date: October  2012

Status: Full-Time

Citizenship: Timorese National

 

The Organization

Search for Common Ground (SFCG) is an international non-profit organization that promotes peaceful resolution of conflict. With headquarters in Washington DC and Brussels, SFCG’s mission is to transform how individuals, organizations and governments deal with conflict - away from adversarial approaches and toward cooperative solutions. SFCG seeks to help conflicting parties understand their differences and act on their commonalities. With approximately 450 staff worldwide, SFCG implements projects from 47 offices in 30 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States.

 

SFCG opened a country office in Timor-Leste in April 2010. Collaborating with national and international civil society organizations, including 16 community radio stations across the country, SFCG supports peace building and development with a range of media, dialogue, communications and capacity-building activities. Its current projects focus on strengthening youth civic engagement to promote stability and democratization, increasing women’s access to justice through public outreach and training programs, and building the institutional capacities of non-state actors. It receives support from donors including USAID and the Norwegian Embassy in Jakarta.

 

Summary of Position

SFCG is seeking a Director of Programs (DoP) to work with the Country Director to manage the implementation of several multi-pronged peacebuilding programs to promote development and stability in Timor-Leste.  A central component of the job will be to develop and manage numerous activities and work with diverse stakeholders including multiple donors. The DoP will work closely with the Media and Community Peacebuilding and Governance Managers, as well as project partners, and will report to the Country Director. The DOP will also support the development and achievement of country program strategies that are aligned with SFCG program direction and principles, and develop capabilities in program design, implementation and evaluation among SFCG program staff, partners and local communities. The successful applicant will also network, build and maintain the public image of SFCG-TL with the Government (GoTL), civil society and other stakeholders.

 

Key Responsibilities

·       Lead/manage all programs and activities of SFCG Timor-Leste projects within the overall vision and goal of the organization. This includes project design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation;

·       Work closely with the Country Director and Leadership & Management Team (LMT) to ensure all programs are implemented successfully, on time, and in a common ground way;

·       Work with the Network Capacity Strengthening Advisor to establish the training needs of program staff and develop and review training plans;

·       Manage and train program staff, including the Media, Grants, DM&E (Design, Monitoring & Evaluation) and CPG (Community Peacebuilding and Governance) teams;

·       Regularly review objectives and progress of programs and refine programmatic approaches accordingly including action plans for SFCG staff and project partners;

·       Work with program staff to develop the methodologies for all projects including media and community peacebuilding activities. This includes content development for radio programs and multi-step dialogue to cooperative action processes for community peacebuilding;

·       Take the lead on program documentation, including establishing reporting formats at all levels, providing training to field staff and partners on reporting, monitoring the quality of reports, working with staff and partners to develop quality benchmarks, and ensuring that all reporting requirements of  the country office and donors are met or exceeded;

·       Establish and manage relationships with partner organizations including local, national, and international NGOs, multi-lateral organizations, and donor organizations;

·       Ensure compliance with donors’ rules and requirements under the supervision of the Country Director;

·       Serve on the LMT, participating in decision-making for all aspects of the organization;

·       Produce funding proposals and reports;

·       Analyze the unfolding conflict dynamics in-country and develop appropriate responses using available resources;

·       Identify new opportunities for SFCG’s involvement in Timor-Leste and the region, as appropriate;

·       Network and develop alliances with GoTL at all levels, NGOs, and other stakeholders. This includes representing SFCG-TL at a wide range of forums, as well as maintaining a pro-active relationship with other SFCG offices and  funding sources;

·       Conduct proper orientation to new staff to the community;

·       Create and facilitate teamwork;

·       Conduct staff performance appraisals;

·       Serve as acting Country Director when the CD is out of the office;

·       Be directly engaged in the continuing development of the organization, its mission and its staff through the sharing of experience and knowledge.

 

 

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key duties.

 

Minimum Qualifications

§  Minimum five (5) years experience working on conflict or peacebuilding programs, including at least two (2) years of management experience;

§  Bachelor’s level degree in conflict resolution, international relations, development studies or related subject;

§  Excellent knowledge of conflict resolution theory and practice;

§  Extensive experience working in and/or knowledge of Timor-Leste and the political, social and culture issues affecting the region;

§  Significant experience in project management at a high level, preferably in a non-profit environment;

§  Demonstrated financial management and program administration experience;

§  Strong methodological background, experience and the technical capacity to provide support and guidance to project staff;

§  High level leadership skills; the candidate should be a self starter and should have initiative;

§  Excellent interpersonal and networking skills, as well as the ability to conduct professional working relationships;

§  Knowledge of major donor rules and regulations, and the ability to manage and prioritize multi-donor funding will be an advantage.

§  Proven ability in convening and facilitating multi-party meetings and on-going dialogues;

§  Comfort in working with individuals from different ethnic groups and across political lines;

§  Fluent command of Tetum and English (both written and oral);

§  Must enjoy working independently, as well as in a team environment;

§  Ability and willingness to travel to working districts throughout Timor-Leste, often at short-notice;

§  Detail oriented and highly organized;

§  Ability to multi-task and work to meet tight deadlines;

§  Computer literacy including proficiency in Microsoft Office and web browsers

 

Salary:  Salary is commensurate with experience and education, with excellent benefits

Deadline for Applicants: November 20  

To Apply:  Please send a cover letter and current resume/CV to HR officer; Manuel Soares msoares@sfcg.orgwith the subject heading:  Director of Programs. Applications can also be hand-delivered to the SFCG office at Avenida de Portugal, Marconi, Dili (next to the Dili Beach Hotel), marked with the label: Att: Manuel Soares, Director of Programs. Please be sure to include salary requirements (in currency figures) or current salary, projected starts date, and mention where you found this posting. Position is open until filled. Any questions can be directed to the above email address. No phone calls please. Only applicants invited for an interview will be contacted. Please see our web site at www.sfcg.org for full details of our work.

SFCG is committed to gender equity, and suitably qualified female candidates are especially encouraged to apply.