SENIOR PROGRAMME MANAGER (LATIN AMERICA) At European Institute of Peace

The European Institute of Peace (EIP) is looking for exceptional individuals who share our vision for a world where people live in safety and peace because conflicts and grievances are resolved through inclusive dialogue and lasting political agreements.

We provide practical experience, technical expertise, and policy advice on conflict resolution. We use a variety of tools to help us do this, including analysis, mapping and design of peace processes and agreements, facilitating policy discussions, and proposing practical engagement, for example through inclusive dialogue and mediation support.

Based in Brussels and active in over a dozen countries, the European Institute of Peace is an independent organisation working collaboratively with European decision-makers, the parties to the conflict, and those who represent people suffering from insecurity or at risk of violence, as well as the conflict prevention, resolution and mediation community.

Our innovative approach to peace enables us to be agile, creative, and effective in everything we do, and these are key qualities we look for in our team members. See www.eip.org for more information

We are looking for a Senior Programme Manager to be part of the Engagement Dialogue and Process Design unit (EDP).

Unit description

The EDP unit aims to contribute to the sustainability of peace processes through a variety of top-down engagements with political and conflict actors. As such, EDP is responsible for identifying opportunities, generating European options for action, and facilitating political dialogue and process support initiatives to prevent and resolve violent conflict.

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Deputy Executive Director, the Senior Programme Manager will run the Latin America programme. This entails strategy development, programme implementation, internal coordination as well as financial and human resource management for programme activities which play to Europe’s strengths, aligned with the Institute’s vision, mission and goals.

Duties and responsibilities

The Senior Programme Manager will have the following responsibilities:

• Management of the Institute’s Latin America programme in close collaboration with the Unit Director, Programme Team, Senior Advisors and Regional Advisors/Analysts, including its design, development and implementation, ensuring strong operational and strategic coherence;
• Liaise and representation with the key stakeholders including the appropriate governments, non-governmental actors, civil society, local partners and international actors in the region;
• Contribute to the Institute’s relationship management with relevant EU institutions, European governments and European-based organisations to identify political priorities, influence policy and increase scope for collaboration;
• Develop and maintain effective liaison, strong relations and engagement with donors to facilitate the timely implementation of programme activities, ensure strict compliance with donor rules and regulations, and delivery and monitoring of programme outputs within defined deadlines;
• Lead development of new opportunities, both consolidating EIP’s existing areas of work and expanding to new areas. This entails identifying opportunities, plan and participate in scoping missions or other project development activities as necessary and subsequently develop strategies for the Institute’s interventions;
• Fundraise, identify new potential donors, maintain existing donor relations and establish new ones, in order to secure additional funding to be able to expand the scope of the Institute’s work and consolidate existing funding initiatives in the region;
• Coordinate and contribute to the development of in-depth analysis and ensure overall adherence to the Institute’s analytical framework;
• In collaboration with senior colleagues, ensure sound programme implementation by managing the team, ensuring effective responsibility and task divisions, facilitating internal and external communication flows, and fostering positive team dynamics and general conduct;
• In close collaboration with junior team colleagues, financial oversight of grants and resources, ensuring sound budgetary management in the implementation of activities.
• In close coordination with the EDP Director, maintain responsibility for staff in the Latin America team, including their professional development and well-being;
• Contribute actively to the Unit’s mid-level management group to ensure strong internal coherence, communication and compliance, as well as general management support to the EDP Director.
• Any other responsibilities agreed upon with the EDP Director.

Profile

• University degree in political science, conflict resolutions, international relations, or related field;
• Minimum 15 years of experience, 5 of which spent in the field of mediation, mediation-support or dialogue facilitation;
• Experience working in Latin America – in particular Colombia and Venezuela, and good knowledge of the Colombian Peace Process;
• Good knowledge of project cycle management, including budget management experience, essential;
• Experience in managing teams in the context of complex programmes or projects, experience in managing regional teams or remotely is an asset ,
• Understanding of EU policies, the functions of and workings of the EU institutions;
• Very good communication and people skills.
• Perfect command of English and Spanish (verbal and written). Any other EU language is also an asset.
• Experience handling highly sensitive/confidential information;
• Ability to work well under deadlines;
• Meticulous attention to detail;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a small team;

The Institute offers

• Employment contract
• Start date: January 2022
• The successful candidate will need to reside in or relocate to Belgium/EU when the employment contract starts.