Director Africa Peace and Security Programme (APSP) 116 views

Background

IPSS aspires to be a premier institute for peace and security studies in Africa. Its mission is to promote peace and security in Ethiopia and Africa at large through education, research and outreach. The Institute produces skilled professionals in conflict prevention, management and resolution as well as in peacebuilding, and promotes the values of a democratic and peaceful society. It works at the national, regional as well as continental levels.

As part of its continental activities, the IPSS was mandated by the African Union’s (AU) Executive Council to take up the intellectual challenge of finding African-led solutions to peace and security in Africa which led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the AU to serve as a research and policy think-tank.

Since January 2010, the African Union (AU) and the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) of Addis Ababa University and with the initial support of the German Cooperation through GIZ, set up the Africa Peace and Security Programme (APSP). This Pan-African programme aims at promoting advanced education, applied research, policy advice and dialogue on Africa’s peace and security challenges. The programme covers activities across the peace and security spectrum and the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA). Since the commencement of the programme, IPSS has established itself as an Addis Ababa University Center of Excellence and a premier think tank for peace and security on the continent, thus making a major contribution towards capacity building and networking between relevant stakeholders.

IPSS is also the host of the Tana High Level on Security in Africa (Tana Forum). A decision-makers forum which has established itself in recent years as a forum of excellence in the search for peace and security in Africa in collaboration with the Ethiopian Government and the African Union.

The programme is supported by several development partners, with GIZ being the largest contributor.

IPSS is seeking to recruit an APSP Director to further develop, coordinate and conduct the activities set out by the management of the institute.

Tasks and Deliverables of the Director of the Africa Peace and Security Programme (APSP) and Head of the Tana Forum Secretariat

1. The Africa Peace and Security Programme (APSP)

Major responsibilities for the management of the APSP:

The main tasks will include to lead, supervise and provide oversight and overall strategic orientation to the APSP team for the following components of the Programme:

a) The Executive Master’s Programme-MPSA “Managing Peace and Security in Africa”, accredited

both by Addis Ababa, an internationally renowned accreditation Agency called ACRIN, based in Germany.

b) The Research Programme, with a flagship research project “African Solutions in Peace and Security” and a Report Unit that produces two other flagships research products, namely the Country Conflict Insights and the APSA Impact Report as well as others thematic or joint research projects.

c) A Policy Dialogue component aimed at developing platforms and harnessing existing ones for dialogue among African policymakers and policy-influencers on peace and security issues in Africa.

Other general responsibilities:

·        Guiding the on-going research studies, develop and maintain the programme communication, and monitor the project implementation;

·        Guiding the publication process of the research studies by the IPSS peace and security unit;

·        Identifying areas of potential research activities on current and/or future trends/issues;

·        Manage the Programme staff and conduct their appraisal;

·        Liaise with relevant stakeholders and especially engage the AU, RECs and RMs;

·        Facilitate the establishment of partnerships between the Institute and think tanks and other partners across Africa/globally;

·        Oversee and Coordinate fundraising activities and consolidate the Institute’s sustainability Programme;

·        Guide management on IPSS institutional development consolidation;

·        Represent IPSS at conferences and meetings when delegated by his/her immediate superior.

2. The Tana High-Level Forum on security in Africa

Major responsibilities for the management of the Tana Forum:

The APSP Director will also steer and oversee the implementation of the Tana Forum. The Institute through the APSP serves a Secretariat to the Tana High Leve Forum which it helps to establish in 2012 under the guidance of the African Union and the Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the host country. The Forum aims to provide African key stakeholders with a platform to work towards effective African-led solutions to the continent’s most pressing security challenges.

The Head of the Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa is expected to lead, further develop, coordinate and conduct the activities set out by the management of the institute, the host country (Ethiopia) and the African Union with the following objectives:

• The promotion of a systemic approach aimed at developing a deep understanding of security issues in Africa, as well as the development of appropriate tools to tackle these issues in a sustainable manner, through research and training;

• The establishment and the promotion of a common understanding and a precise vocabulary with regards to systemic approaches to prevention and management of conflicts, through the inception of an interaction platform true to the spirit of the forum.
• The formulation of policy recommendations and concrete action addressed to relevant stakeholders.
• Providing opportunities to decision making leaders and institutions to exchange experiences and insights on peace and security issues among themselves in view of taking home inspirations and practical lessons;
• Contributing to a substantive African open debate on peace and security issues that are of key and strategic importance to the continent and its regional institutions;
• Listen to the “profound Africa” on various dimensions and components of peace and security in the continent thus facilitating an inclusive dialogue among governments and other African security stakeholder groups.
• Sensitising and mobilising other stakeholders, actors, and the overall African opinion for large ownership of Africa-owned solutions on peace and security.

Other relevant responsibilities

Other relevant tasks include the supervision, oversight and overall guidance and orientation of the Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa and to:

·        To build the Forum capability (political legitimacy, institutional governance, legal standing, financial, and professional competence) to deliver high-quality forums with the vision of maintaining the premiership of the Pan-African platform.

Moreover, the Head should lead and implement the transition of the forum into a Foundation as per the tasks identified below:

·        Build a capable Secretariat with excellent leadership, management and professional competence including the leadership, management and research as well as implementation capabilities of the Secretariat to ensure better performance;

·        Reinforce standing relations with Pan-African Institutions including the AU, AUC, AU Organs including PAP, RECs, UN etc;

·        Develop a strategy for the governance of partnership including guidelines for the signing of MoU that requires developing a Partners Engagement Plan and specific deliverables with a matrix of activities;

·        Design a new Strategy for Fundraising and Resource Mobilisation with clear implementation matrix to be implemented strictly by all staff members that takes into consideration the concerns relating to sustainability;

·        Develop a new communication strategy to systematically guide all efforts of enhancement of profile and visibility, reporting impact and results, and media engagement;

·        Establish a Stakeholders’ Forum, as a consultative body without any binding decision-making powers, in which stakeholders, beneficiaries, partners, and current and potential donors as well as the key partners, and other partners critical to the success of TF, could be consulted and engaged for public outreach and resource mobilization purposes. Key partners in this regard may only include those who can contribute certain amount wither in cash or in-kind support for the TF;

·        Develop a Revenue Generation Policy that aims at revenue generation through a well-targeted and regulated commercially viable investment of endowment, a consultancy based on the in-house capacity of TF and other sources.

Duration of the contract

The position is a one-year renewable contract.

 Salary

Negotiable

Qualifications

·        A master’s degree in International Relations, Political Sciences, Peace and Security, public policy, or any other relevant social sciences fields;

·        At least 10 years of work experience in relevant programme coordination, including at least 5 years of work experience in peace and security in Africa;

·        A reasonable number of years of managerial experience;

·        Demonstrate knowledge of, preferably experience in working with, the AU, RECs/RMs and other relevant networks;

·        Ability to work with different policy areas across the African continent;

·        Ability to innovate and implement cutting edge solutions in applied research, excellent research and drafting skills, including the ability to assimilate and summarise large volumes of material, and to draft high-quality papers on matters relating to public policy;

·        Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;

·        Ability to produce objective and balanced work which is unaffected by the writer’s own political or other views;

·        Strong communication skills, including presentation skills;

·        Excellent command of English (both written and oral); French, Arabic and/or Portuguese would be an asset;

·        Good IT skills;

·        Experience in working in a multicultural environment;

·        Be an African national.