International IDEA: Senior Regional Advisor in Addis Ababa

Senior Regional Advisor - Addis Ababa

Context

The position sits in the Office of the Director Africa and West Asia Region, and collaborates closely with all internal and external stakeholders of the Institute. The successful candidate will be joining the Africa and West Asia Programme of IDEA at a time of immense change across Africa and West Asia as governments, citizens, and politicians grapple with the task of renewing and/or strengthening their democratic systems. In addition to the entry by many countries in the region into a new phase of electoral pluralism and constitutionalism, the advice and input of the Institute is also being sought in several places in the area of post-conflict democracy promotion and the pursuit of reforms aimed at nurturing local level accountability. Furthermore, the Africa and West Asia Region oversees a large portfolio of work with the African Union and the African Regional Economic Communities; a similar portfolio is being nurtured in respect of West Asia through direct engagements with the League of Arab States and the Islamic Conference Organisation. As a growth pole of the Institute, the Africa and West Asia Region aspires to also to be a source of new knowledge about the progress and challenges of democracy promotion in a part of the world that is home to a large population of young people and where the agenda of women’s equal participation in public affairs is growing alongside demands for the greater inclusion of the youth in decision-making.  

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides on-going support to the Regional Director in the implementation of his mandate;
• Combines substantive programming duties; including the development of core project and activity initiatives, with strategic planning skills, fundraising and representational capacities and      programme monitoring and evaluation functions;
• Manages and directs the team of staff and consultants to ensure full delivery of agreed programme outputs while fostering a spirit of collaboration, work ethics and team cohesion;
• Oversees the work of the Regional Office in respect of IDEA’s cross cutting themes;
• Develops networking and partnership opportunities for International IDEA in Africa and West Asia, in close collaboration with the Regional Director;
• Assists with the piloting the various flagship initiatives which the regional office will pursue;
• Provides short policy briefs on thematic and programmatic activities;
• Supports the Regional Director in the coordination of activities between Headquarters and Regional/country offices, thus strengthening collaboration and knowledge sharing between entities of the Institute;
• Monitors contacts initiated by the Regional Director and their appropriate follow-up, as well as communication received by the Regional Director´s Office;
• Advises the Regional Director on the planning of his external and internal activities, to ensure coherence of initiatives and geographical and programmatic coverage;
• Participates in and contributes generally to the Africa and West Asia Region and its activities;
• Drives Programme monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment of the Africa and West Asia Region;
• Leads on the knowledge management activities of the Africa and West Asia Region.

General Profile

• Combines in-depth knowledge, acquired through post-graduate academic achievements, excellent skills including managerial skills and relevant experience in their field;
• Leads assigned projects with authority throughout the project life cycle, i.e. from strategic planning and project design, funding and budgeting to project assessment and accountability; leads meetings and discussions, oversees publications and input from external providers;
• Contributes to publications; is recognized as an expert in his/her broad professional community;
• Has the intellectual leadership to integrate innovation into his/her field of expertise;
• Leads a team of contributors to the project, including staff members and consultants;
• Fosters team-based activities in his/her unit; collaborates with other entities of the Institute;
• Acts as a model and mentor for colleagues;
• Is expected to travel globally to any geographical area involved in his/her projects;
• Follows internal procedures to ensure high standards of performance and compliance with Institutional guidelines;
• Anticipates internal challenges and issues and recommends process improvements;
• Integrates a gender and diversity perspective in all activities.

Reporting Line

• Director, Africa and West Asia.

Programmatic Knowledge

• Has excellent knowledge and extensive work experience in own discipline, combined with excellent understanding of related disciplines in order to approach programmatic activities in a holistic manner.

Operational Knowledge, skills and experience

• Integrates a results-based approach into the design, management and evaluation of all his/her programmatic activities;
• Has thorough understanding of relevant programmatic issues in the key geographical zone where his/her work is implemented;
• Is active in the search for information on donors and partners, preparation of reports and project briefs, identification of opportunities for initiation of new projects, and all other activities related to resource mobilization and partnership building;
• Illustrates integrity, a collaborative spirit, a sense of achievement, and an understanding of risk management;
• Understands and manages the budget and planning of his/her project(s).

Leadership

• Leads a multi-talented team, sets team priorities and manages resources;
• Acts as a model and resource for colleagues.

Problem Solving

• Will solve complex challenges, approach issues with new perspectives, and analyze situations from a multitude of intervening factors.

Impact

• Has a clear impact on the programme development and delivery;
• Will also impact other teams and projects in related fields.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

• Liaises permanently to all internal and external stakeholders involved in his/her project; acts and is perceived as an initiator of relevant communication to solve issues;
• Drives projects and assignments through communicative personal energy and engagement;
• Can explain sensitive information with diplomacy, and build consensus;
• Is able to present his/her activities and represent International IDEA effectively in all professional circles.

Education and Experience

• Post-graduate qualifications in political science, law, economics, development or related, plus 8-10 years of relevant experience.
• At least 5 years’ experience in management positions, including senior level positions, with direct supervision over complex international teams
• A variety of organizational experience (for example, national, multilateral or governmental), Strong interest in world affairs and a good grasp of the issues of democracy promotion is essential.