Employment category: Band G, National staff (management)

Reporting to: Programme Area Manager

Location: Central Darfur

Authorization level: N/A

Period: 12 months (May 1, 2023 – April 31, 2024)

Overall purpose of the role:                                                       

DRC strives to identify conflict sensitivity needs/issues from the perspective of those living in conflict areas and to help them find peaceful ways of co-existing. These include among others community engagement, peace building and promoting social cohesion programming that specifically seeks to engage communities in addressing conflict resolutions and Peace building initiatives. These may take different forms i.e. Community Safety Planning, Conflict Mediation trainings and Youth Campaigns in target locations.

DRC is looking for a dedicated Peace building and community Engagement team Leader/Specialist to lead the planning and implementation of DRCs Peace building initiatives in Central Darfur. He/She will act as the thematic lead for all peacebuilding activities under building resilience towards Durable solutions funded project led by DRC. Particularly, the Conflict Sensitivity & Peacebuilding Team Leader will liaise with DRC’s overall DS Programme Manager, Programme Area Manager, Technical Coordinators, and key stakeholders to ensure consistent standards are applied across social cohesion activities, with a focus on ensuring conflict sensitivity is mainstreamed across the project. Peacebuilding & Conflict sensitivity Team Leader is responsible for development and implementation of a robust conflict sensitivity system, including technical management of Conflict Sensitivity and peace building Officers in field locations.

The PB &CE Team Leader/Specialist will also lead and coordinate conflict analysis related assessments in the target locations and support project monitoring, evaluation and reporting. He or she will contribute to fundraising for potential scale up of peace building initiative in Central Darfur. The PB&CE Team Leader/Specialist is expected to mentor and conduct capacity building of Area based staffs. 

Responsibilities:  

• Provide technical assistance in the development of peacebuilding and conflict resolution strategies and programs.
• Design and implement peacebuilding and conflict resolution interventions in various states.
• Support research and intervention-based assessments on conflict and peacebuilding issues in target states and implement monitoring and evaluation systems for peacebuilding and conflict resolution programs.
• Engage with stakeholders to build relationships and facilitate partnerships in the field of conflict mediation and peacebuilding.
• Technical support and guidance to the Area Programme Manager, Peacebuilding teams and other teams implementing integrated peacebuilding programming through trainings, ToT, technical reviews of workplans on request and support on conflict analysis.
• Work closely with DRC Protection, food security and livelihoods, Durable Solutions and other Technical Coordinators to identify opportunities for complementary or integrated programming, including identification of specific funding opportunities to support cross-sector approaches
• Provide technical support on the Peacebuilding/Social Cohesion component of the project, within DRC and to key stakeholders through trainings, ToTs, technical review of workplans on request.
• Participate in project review meetings with DS Programme Manager, Area Programme Manager, Technical Coordinators, and key stakeholders to reflect on progress of the project Social Cohesion component, identify necessary program adaptations and ensure these adaptations are implemented
• Support DRC team in central Darfur on conflict sensitivity analysis and decision-making processes, including development of tools, facilitation of trainings/workshops, technical support on programming decisions
• Ensure understanding and adoption of conflict sensitivity concepts and approaches across all DRC interventions in central Darfur
• Conduct context and conflict analysis for and with field teams, and identify (potential) conflict sensitivity challenges and opportunities.
• Facilitate reflections with field teams on potential conflict sensitivity challenges and opportunities
• Technical management of conflict sensitivity officers.
• Act as the focal point for all Peacebuilding and conflict sensitivity programme liaisons with DRC sectors in central Darfur and external partners, to facilitate multi-sectoral and conflict sensitive support to DRC’s beneficiaries.
• Organize and conduct trainings plus learning workshops on peace building and social cohesion (community mapping and conflict analysis) and conflict mediation.
• Maintain regular communication with programme staffs in area locality offices for mentorship and reporting; plus establishing and maintaining linkages among relevant stakeholders, and other coordination mechanisms
• Profile and Collect relevant data on drivers/triggers of conflict and community tensions in central Darfur area of operation and update Area Manager on any information related to conflict triggers, and possible peace building initiatives and strengthen social cohesion.
• Support the MEAL department in establishing an appropriate and relevant M&E mechanism for social cohesion and community engagement activities and in generating qualitative and quantitative data for reporting purposes.
• In collaboration with the MEAL Team leader, support in designing all MEAL processes relating to Peacebuilding across the DRC programme in central Darfur, including coordination across sectors to ensure that learning is used to adapt future programming.
• Ensure comprehensive impact assessments of community engagements and peace building initiatives are carried out; and lead on reporting of community engagement and peace building activities. 
• Promote a culture of learning within the team and actively share challenges and lessons learned. 
• Be the focal point for conflict analysis, peace building and social cohesion in the programme area
• Work closely with the DRC mobile protection teams in carrying out conflict assessments in newly accessible areas, ensure that they are updated and shared with relevant DRC staffs
• Provide guidance and recommendations on conflict sensitivity programming to DRC and implementing partners

Education/qualifications: 

• University degree in conflict management, peacebuilding, conflict prevention, development studies, and social sciences or other relevant fields, or relevant working experience
• Qualified females are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Experience and Competencies

• A minimum of 5 years of working experience providing technical guidance and training within the peacebuilding, conflict sensitivity or similar sectors
• Extensive understanding of working on issues related to peacebuilding, conflict sensitivity, community-based approaches, awareness-raising, and development of policy recommendations
• Minimum 2 years of project management experience at the programme implementation level
• Demonstrated experience ensuring conflict-sensitive programming at the programme implementation level
• The ability to translate develop realistic strategic plans that shape programming
• Experience coordinating across departments and sectors at field and country office levels.
• Experience designing and delivering training of trainers (ToT) sessions
• Experience designing and/or managing the delivery of MEAL plans
• Experience with the liaison with donors and Government authorities
• Experience in working in complex and politically-sensitive contexts
• A team player – able to demonstrate a constructive, cooperative and problem-solving approach
• Ability and flexibility to understand the cultural and political environment

Languages: (indicate fluency level)

• Fluency in Arabic 
• Ability to work in English

Key stakeholders: (internal and external)

• Mobile protection teams
• Community outreach volunteer networks
• Beneficiary communities, including IDPs, returnees and host community members
• DRC staff in project area
• Implementing partners
• Government stakeholders and other NGOs

Find the definition of DRC’s Core competencies here

• Basic: I master the essentials, but may at times need help from others
• Advanced: I can work independently at full professional level. 
• Expert: I am the go-to person when others need help.