Country Director, DRC January 2024
About International Alert For over 30 years, International Alert has been
and prevent violence, and to support
working to build positive peace and reduce
sustainable peace;
violence, working across conflict lines and
• collaborating with all those striving for
with all parties to conflicts. Experienced and
peace to strengthen our collective voice
respected, we have a proud track record
and impact.
of achieving change in fragile and conflictaffected countries and territories.
Vision
We focus on solving the root causes of conflict with people from across divides. From the grassroots to policy level.
Our vision is that people and their societies can resolve conflicts without violence,
We bring together communities divided
working together to build sustainable and
by conflict to find ways of resolving their
inclusive peace.
differences without violence. And we advise
Mission
Our mission is to break cycles of violence and
companies, governments and international organisations on how their policies and operations can better support peace.
to build sustainable peace by: • working with people directly affected by
It takes a lot of people working together to build
violent conflict to find lasting solutions;
lasting peace. And it takes time – sometimes
• shaping policies and practices to reduce
decades. But we know it is possible.
2 | International Alert Country Director, DRC
The Role Role:
Country Director, DRC
Location:
Goma, DRC, with regular visits to Bukavu and Kinshasa and different project locations
Reports to:
Regional Director, Africa
3 | International Alert Country Director, DRC
Job Purpose The purpose of this job is to lead International Alert
post holder will play a pivotal role in strengthening
(Alert)’s peacebuilding work in Democratic Republic
peacebuilding in DRC-Congo and in Great Lakes
of Congo, managing Alert’s country programme and
region, developing Alert’s portfolio, influencing
ensuring that projects deliver quality peacebuilding
diverse stakeholders, and liaising with actors
outcomes. International Alert is a peacebuilding
involved in peacebuilding, stabilisation, and
NGO operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo
governance work across the region. The Country
(DRC) since 2010. Alert’s programming in DRC
Director oversees advocacy, political engagement/
focuses on supporting peacebuilding and conflict
influencing and communication priorities and
prevention. Our programmes contribute to increasing
support and comes in where necessary.
inclusive peace processes and decision making, building social cohesion, and improving analysis and
The postholder acts as an organisational leader and
understanding of conflict dynamics. It is the largest
a member of the Executive Team on rotation with
and one of the most diverse portfolios of Alert
other Country Directors. They are an integral part
worldwide and includes cross-border projects.
of Alert’s overall Global Leadership Team, ensuring collaborations and learning across teams. As we are
The Country Director supervises the work of our
about to commence our next organisational strategy
programmes, partners, and ensures quality and
process, the postholder will contribute to defining,
accuracy and control of finance and operations. The
and implementing, the future direction of Alert.
4 | International Alert Country Director, DRC
Duties and Responsibilities Strategy Planning
• Update and implement Alert’s strategic vision and plan activities in the DRC, aligning with the organisation’s overall mission and objectives which is adapted to local and regional dynamics. • In tandem with the Director of Programmes, conduct assessments and analysis of conflict dynamics, peacebuilding opportunities, and risks in the
Financial and Operational Oversight
• Ensure that DRC programmes are delivered effectively, efficiently and in compliance with Alert, donor and legal requirements. • Oversee strong financial and administrative management and accountability in support of the Director of Finance and Operations. • Oversee and support the Director of Finance in managing the DRC team’s
country. Identify key areas for intervention and prioritize programmatic
annual budget of approximately £8m, ensuring effective budgeting,
activities accordingly.
forecasting and spend.
• Ensure that the country programme is in line with Alert’s global strategies and thematic priorities.
• Ensure that project budgets cover the full costs of project activity, including recovering DRC and organisational shared costs.
• Ensure that the country programme is properly resourced including the
• Oversee that effective systems for financial and narrative reporting on grants
necessary expertise and that the minimum structure is adapted to the
and contracts are in use, and that donor reports provide a clear narrative of
changes and needs of the country programme.
Leadership and Management
• Lead Alert’s work and team in the DRC, working to ensure ownership of our mission and effective staff collaboration to achieve common objectives. • Provide effective leadership, mentorship, and support to a diverse team of staff, ensuring their professional development and well-being. • Foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment, promoting teamwork, creativity, and innovation. • Conduct performance evaluations, identify capacity-building needs, and facilitate training opportunities for staff members. • Ensure the team is well staffed with the appropriate mix of talents, knowledge and skills. • Line manage four staff directly, providing support and encouragement (including
activities, impact and lessons learned, and are submitted on time. • Oversee responses to concerns raised by DRC staff, partners or participants
stabilisation programme in DRC, on the Nexus and Conflict Sensitivity, on localisation in the context of DRC, etc. • Position Alert in the different coordination and collaboration platforms and working groups. • Ensure that Alert’s good reputation and acceptance based on its close to 20 years of work in DRC and the GL region are maintained.
Advocacy, Political Engagement and Communication • Give strategic and quality support to the programme’s advocacy and communication activities. • Liaise with Alert’s HQ on advocacy and communication priorities to connect local voices with the global level. • Responsible for Alert’s political engagement and influencing with provincial, national, and regional actors and collaborates with platforms such as the
(whistleblowing, fraud, safeguarding, other concerns) in coordination with the
Community of Practice of Peacebuilding organisations (CPP) in eastern DRC
Director of Global Delivery.
on joint advocacy and lobby.
Stakeholder Engagement and Representation
• Maintain and build strategic relationships with government officials, civil
Resource Mobilisation
• Lead efforts to secure funding for Alert’s programmes in the DRC through
society organizations, local communities, donors, and other key stakeholders
proposal development, donor engagement, and partnership building in
in the DRC.
collaboration with the Director of Programmes and the GLR Senior Regional
• Collaborate and coordinate with relevant actors, including the different and relevant ministries, government offices and programmes (i.e., the new community-based DDR programme), the UN mission and agencies, (i) NGOs, diverse experts including in universities and research institutions, peacebuilding networks, to enhance synergies and maximize impact.
Programme Officer. • Identify new funding opportunities, diversify funding sources, and ensure the sustainability of the country programme in collaboration with the senior management team. • Cultivate strong relationships with donors (including the Peace and Security
staff development as necessary) and ensuring efficiency and accountability.
• Represent Alert at various forums, conferences, and meetings to advocate for
Working Group in Kinshasa, the Nexus donor group and others) and funding
• Lead and develop DRC country management and coordination mechanisms
peacebuilding and conflict resolution in the country. For example, ensure that
agencies, providing regular updates on programme achievements and impact.
and work to ensure strategic coherence within and across the DRC team.
Alert is part of the discussion on the future of the internationally supported
5 | International Alert Country Director, DRC
Duties and Responsibilities
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
• Support the Programme and MEAL teams to
Contribute to Alert’s organisational development
• As a member of Alert’s Global Leadership Team,
develop and implement robust monitoring and
contribute to organisational development,
evaluation systems to measure the impact
raising and engaging on organisational issues,
and effectiveness of International Alert’s
policy development and staff development,
programme in the DRC.
regional strategic workshops, and organisation-
• Ensure that programme activities are evidencebased, learning-oriented, and responsive to changing conflict dynamics. • In collaboration with the Director of Programmes,
wide discussions. • Play an active role in the generation and dissemination of knowledge throughout the team and Alert as a whole, including engagement
review and analyse programme data to identify
on thematic and regional discussions. Provide
lessons learned and best practices and use this
information to the Africa Regional Director and
information to inform programmatic decisions
others as necessary on the programme progress
and strategic directions.
Security, Safeguarding and Safety • Lead responsibility for the safety and security of
Alert staff and assets in the DRC in support of the Director of Operations and the Security Manager. • Develop and enforce security protocols
and contextual updates. • Take proactive steps to ensure that effective relationships are created and maintained with staff across the organisation.
Travel Requirements
The role is based in Goma in DRC with travel to
and procedures, ensuring compliance with
other locations within the country, particularly
organisational and donor requirements.
Bukavu where we also have an office. Travel may
• Ensure procedures and training are in place to
also be required within the Great Lakes region,
ensure staff, partner, and participant wellbeing,
as well as to Alert’s European headquarters
including safeguarding risk assessments,
offices for organisational events and key
procedures and survivor-centred support.
stakeholder engagement.
• Stay informed about the security situation in the country and provide timely updates and guidance to staff.
6 | International Alert Country Director, DRC
Person Specification Essential Requirements
• Experience implementing peacebuilding or conflict transformation work and working in conflict environments.
• Strategic thinking ability, strong analytical skills, excellent at grasping complex ideas and communicating effectively.
• Good experience of the political, social, and cultural
• Proven ability to engage and build effective relationships
context in DRC and the broader great lakes of Africa
with a wide range of stakeholders, including government
region and the conflict dynamics therein.
officials, civil society organisations, donors, and local
• Important experience managing a complex programme including strategic planning, programme design, implementation, and evaluation. • Strong management and leadership skills, including
communities, and engage with diverse staff, partners and participants. • Excellent communication, negotiation, and diplomacy skills to represent International Alert in various forums
ability to prioritise, plan, delegate, and flexibility to adapt
and advocate for peacebuilding and conflict resolution
to changing circumstances.
in the DRC.
• Cultural sensitivity and the ability to work effectively in a multicultural and diverse environment.
• Strong understanding of security and safeguarding procedures for operating in conflict-affected
• Strong financial management experience, including
environments. Experience assessing security risks,
management of budgets of at least £8 million,
implementing risk mitigation measures, and ensuring
budgeting, and donor compliance, ensuring responsible stewardship of resources. • Proven track record of success in fundraising, including developing programme ideas, securing programme funding, and developing and managing relationships with donors. • Effective decision-making and problem-solving skills, with the ability to analyse complex situations and develop appropriate strategies and solutions.
7 | International Alert Country Director, DRC
the safety and security of staff and assets. • Excellent writing skills, including experience of writing reports and analysis. • Spoken and written fluency in English and proficiency in French.
Desirable Requirements
• Proficiency in local languages spoken in DRC. • Experience of remote staff management.
How to Apply All correspondence, at this stage, should be via Oxford HR. To apply for this post, click on the “Apply”
Selection Process
All candidates will receive an update regarding
button on the job advert page, complete our online
their application after the closing date. We advise
application form, and submit your CV and cover
candidates to add the role email to their safe
letter as two different documents, which should be
senders list and regularly check their spam folder.
prepared before applying as they will be considered in the application process. The cover letter should be no more than two pages long and explain why
Equality Statement
Equality and diversity are at the core of International
you are interested in this post and how your skills
Alert values. Staff are expected to work collectively
and experience make you a good fit.
and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others from a variety of
The document should be saved in PDF in the
backgrounds, where the work of others is valued
following format: Your First Name-Your Last
and respected.
Name-Document Name-Date (mmyy) e.g., PatJones-CV-012024-InternationalAlert or Pat-JonesCoverLetter-012024- InternationalAlert.
Timeline
Queries
If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information, or would like to have an informal discussion, please
Closing Date:
3 March 2024
email at internationalalertcd@oxfordhr.com in the
First Stage Interviews:
TBC
first instance.
Final Interviews:
TBC
8 | International Alert Country Director, DRC
About Oxford HR Exceptional leaders can inspire change and propel purpose-led organisations towards reaching their world-changing goals. Finding such leaders can be a challenge; and yet their transition into leadership is vital to an organisations mission and success. Oxford HR is a global leadership consultancy dedicated to searching for and supporting remarkable leaders and teams in purpose-led organisations. We understand the nuances of purpose-led leadership because we’ve worked in organisations across the breadth of the sector ourselves. We’ve also worked with such organisations since 1995; so we appreciate just what benefits impactful people can bring.
9 | International Alert Country Director, DRC
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10 | International Alert Country Director, DRC