Job Title:     Programme Director WAHRD
Base:     Accra, Ghana but covering the sub-region
Reporting to:     Country Director, Ghana
Responsible for:    Programme Partnership

IBIS IBIS works for a just world, in which all people have equal access to education, influence and resources. In West Africa IBIS runs two main programmes in Governance and Education with a regional and Human Rights and Democratisation programme, which is actually a Governance programme with regional coverage. IBIS’ programmes emphasizes partnerships with local, national and regional organizations and institutions, working closely to support the development of an inclusive and democratic society able to engage in the pro-poor development agenda.

The West Africa Human Rights & Democratisation (WAHRD) Programme IBIS in West Africa and its regional networks partners; the West African Network for Peace-building (WANEP), the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), and the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) have since July 2006 cooperated through mutual learning and exchange as well as joint programme activities to address pertinent regional issues related to peace-building, human security, human rights, media rights and democratisation. The Programme also focuses on developing synergy between human rights actors, peace-building practitioners and campaigners, the media and activists against small arms to promote a rights-based approach to human security in West Africa and to establish viable civil society platforms. The WAHRD programme is regionally based, and concentrates its activities mainly in 6 countries in West Africa – Ghana, Togo, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Cote D’Ivoire.

IBIS requires a Programme Director who is expert in democracy building and human rights with civil society and government interface experience. A regional experience and bi-lingual skills (English and French) would be a plus, as focus of work would be in both Francophone and Anglophone countries in West Africa.

Job Location: Accra, Ghana with extensive travel in the sub-region.

Job purpose

To lead in the strategic development, coordination and implementation of a programme of work that develops constructive approaches to addressing issues related to the actions of Governments, media and civil society in ensuring compliance with human rights legislation at local, national and regional levels. Support the Regional Networks and National partners to address issues that have potential to develop into violent conflicts in West Africa and contribute to human rights and democratisation processes at local, national, regional levels.

Key responsibilities

The WAHRD Programme Director shall be responsible to the IBIS in Ghana Country Director and will have the overall responsibility for the management of the programme. The Programme Director will coordinate with strategic partners in the implementation of the programme. The Programme Director will liaise with the Directors of other IBIS country programmes in the region, as well as the Programme Directors of Governance programmes in the same countries, to ensure synergy with and added value to the Governance programmes in those countries. In addition, he/she ensures programme monitoring and evaluation, documentation and facilitation of the work of WAHRD partners in targeted countries and will participate in the IBIS Ghana Strategic Forum and Partners’ Forums.

Specifically, the Programme Director will be responsible for:

Strategic Operations

•  Provide overall leadership and direction and technical guidance to the WAHRD programme in accordance with the programme’s strategy and the agreements of the review study.
•  Lead in the development and revision of the programme’s strategy and interventions.
•  Lead in the establishment of strategic partnerships, identifying organisations with competencies and values necessary for the successful development, implementation of interventions and accountability in the process
•  Work closely with partners to identify capacity building needs and facilitate the building of appropriate capacity for successful programme delivery.
•  Working collaboratively with partners develop capacity to identify advocacy issues and effectively conduct advocacy as needed;
•  Leading the Programme’s planning and evaluation processes, including coordinating partner and other external input; provide leadership to the programme team in IBIS;
•  Consulting with partner organisations and other stakeholders in governance and on democratisation initiatives;
•  Explore opportunities for programme development, new partnerships and innovative approaches to conflict transformation and compliance to human rights.
•  Develop and maintain collaborative partnerships with credible and reliable local, national, or regional organisations, ensuring the establishment of all necessary formal agreements affecting the operation of the programme in the region.
•  Facilitating partners in sustaining an independent analysis of conflicts and potential conflict situations in the West Africa region, and keeping IBIS informed of political, social, economic and security developments within the region.
•  Ensure increased portfolio of funding to support an ambitious programme through exploring fundable projects and exploring fundraising opportunities.

Programme Management

•  Provide a substantiated content input for discussions and decision making in programme planning, assessments, and implementation.
•  Coordinating and supporting the WAHRD management team’s programme management plans, and overseeing programme development and implementation at all stages (design, budgeting, implementation, reviewing and reporting) •    Ensure effective planning and budgeting and management of budgets and resources to maximise use and impact
•  Ensure development and management of effective monitoring framework that enhances monitoring of progress and captures results and learning for sharing
•  Support activity planning and facilitate partners’ joint learning activities as part of programme implementation.
•  Assist partner networks and coalitions in partner development planning, and budgeting.
•  In liaison with Finance, assist partner networks and coalitions in accounting, and reporting according to the IBIS guidelines.
•  Ensure timely preparation and submission of reports in accordance with IBIS and donor reporting requirements
•  Facilitate the formulation of issues on human rights, conflict prevention, peace-building, arms control, governance and poverty reduction to feed into national and regional policy debate.
•  Facilitate partner development planning processes and screen partner proposals for IBIS support. •    Document learning and experiences from the implementation of the programme
•  Coordinate partner reports to develop all programme reports especially quarterly monitoring and the IBIS annual reports- OPS
•  Communication and sharing of knowledge with other programmes in Ghana Sierra Leone, Liberia and Burkina Faso in the area of human rights, conflict prevention, security and peace.
•  Develop and coordinate programme monitoring and evaluation processes.
•  Identification of potential civil society partners for the WAHRD Programme.

Qualification Required & Experience

•  Practical experience in designing and implementing human rights and democratisation interventions, including experience of working with partnerships;
•  Experience in programme design and management
•  Experience with organisational assessment and development
•  Experience of working in West Africa, preferably within the Mano River Union Countries;
•  Working with national and regional partner organisations
•  Programme management, including setting programme strategies and work schedules and overseeing their implementation through partners.
•  Proven skills in management of resources, strategic planning, financial planning and control
•  Be a team player and team leader

Competencies

•  Relevant professional background at Master’s level degree or its equivalent level in governance, peace building, human rights or any related social sciences.
•  Competent in spoken and written English (knowledge of written and spoken French will be a plus) •
•  Three (3) or more years experience in working with civil society organisations at national and regional level on governance, conflict prevention, human rights, and /or arms control issues.
•  Practical skills in advocacy and interface work with government
•  Commitment to and understanding of gender issues within a conflict/ peacebuilding situation
•  A good understanding of ECOWAS, the Conflict Prevention Framework and other relevant Protocols will be desirable
•  Excellent communication and relationship building skills
•  Ability to travel widely throughout West Africa

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Download application forms@:

www.resourceintermediariesghana.com/jobs

Send completed form to:-

Jobs@resourceintermediariesghana.com

Closing Date: 31 May,2013