Sub-Saharan Africa Spring Internship Program, Search for Common Ground
Search for Common Ground (SFCG) is a non-profit organization that works to transform the way the world deals with conflict – away from adversarial approaches and towards collaborative problem solving.
The Africa Program is active in Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Liberia, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. The intern will support the Africa Team in providing programmatic, logistical, and financial support to SFCG’s projects in the region. For more information on our projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, please visit www.sfcg.org.
The internship begins in January and last until June 2013.
Duties for this unpaid internship positions include but are not limited to: Contributing to the production of donor reports and grant proposals; Attending policy meetings, representing the Africa Program; Backstopping the Washington DC-based Africa Team and country offices overseas; and Assisting with website, program literature and database system maintenance.
The ideal candidate will exhibit: Good writing, editing and communication skills (required); A self-starting, detail-oriented and flexible approach to tasks (required); Demonstrable interest in African issues and/or conflict resolution (required); and French Fluency (required); Portuguese Fluency (preferred); NGO and/or international experience (preferred).
Undergraduates (juniors and seniors), graduate students, and recent graduates are welcome to apply.
To apply, please send a resume, cover letter, two references, and two one-page writing samples one in French or Portuguese and one in English to: africainternships@sfcg.org.
For this position, we require commitments of no less than twenty-four hours a week. Please note that this position is unpaid. Credit can be arranged for students with their institution. For international applicants, Search for Common Ground is not responsible for providing student or work visas; you will need to make your own visa arrangements.
Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. We ask that you do not follow-up with calls or emails concerning the status of your application.
Candidates who fail to submit and/or complete the full application and do not meet the appropriate application deadline will not be considered.
DEADLINE: October 19, 2012
____________________________________________
Background
Saferworld is an international non-governmental organisation working to prevent violent conflict and help build safer lives. It is based in the UK with programmes in Europe, Africa and Asia. Saferworld promotes the development of policies to help ensure that international actors support peacebuilding in conflict-affected states.
Saferworld will commission an expert to produce a paper on South Africa’s engagement in conflict-affected states and its implications for the post-2015 development framework. The purpose is to contribute to the evidence-base that will inform post-2015 debates, and particularly to help identify entry-points for policy dialogue with rising powers in respect of the peacebuilding priorities for the post-2015 agenda that were presented to the United Nations and other stakeholders in a joint statement by a coalition of civil society actors in September 2012.
Task
To provide Saferworld with an analysis of the policies, practices and motivations that shape South Africa’s’ engagement in conflict-affected states, with reference to a number of specific examples; and to assess the implications for engaging South Africa on the post-2015 agenda with regard to peacebuilding.
Output
One 10-page paper produced by the consultant, which Saferworld will use to inform the development of a wider study considering the roles of a number of rising powers.
See Terms of Reference for more information about the structure and focus of the paper.
Methodology
The paper will be based on desk-research of open source materials and informed by the consultant’s own demonstrable experience and expertise of the topic.
Time-frame
The consultant is expected to spend 5 days working on the paper.
The paper must be submitted to Saferworld by Sunday, October 28th, 2012
Consultant profile
The consultant must have a track record of research on South Africa’s policy and practice relating to issues of peace and conflict, as well as understanding of the international policy discourse on conflict-affected states, and development more broadly. S/he must have excellent English writing skills and experience of producing research papers.
Application procedure
Interested candidates should submit the following to maziz@saferworld.org.uk
an Expression of Interest in the form of a letter outlining their relevant experience and suitability for the consultancy;
an example of their written work on a related topic;
Curriculum Vitae;
expected fee (expressed as a daily rate);
two references.
DEADLINE: Wednesday, October 17th, 2012.
______________________________________________
CARE Somalia: Conflict and Governance Program Coordinator
Anticipated Start Date: 11/01/2012
Location: International
Position Location: HARGEISA, SOMALIA
Expected Travel: up to 30%
Language Requirement: English
Employee Status: Full Time
Hrs Per Week (Part Time):
Type of Post: Unaccompanied
Funding: Approved
Our diversity is our strength; we encourage people from all backgrounds and experiences, particularly women, to apply.
Description
CARE is seeking an experienced Peace Building Governance Programme Coordinator. CARE, DRC, IRC and UNICEF have developed a joint programme to strengthen local governance and conflict management at the village level in Somalia. This position will provide overall leadership for the implementation of the Consortium, and will oversee the establishment and functioning of a joint Programme Quality Unit (PQU), to help ensure harmonisation and quality of the interventions of each of the partners. The implementation of the programme will be overseen by a Steering Committee comprised of the 4 agencies.
The activities to be carried out in 160 villages include a variety of strategies to strengthen village institutions and enhance engagement of local citizens in village governance and peace building. This will take place through a range of trainings targeting the village institutions and representatives from the local population in project management, financial management, conflict resolution, advocacy and leadership skills, as well as public speaking. A participatory process of developing a Community Action Plan will result in a block grant for projects to be identified and developed by the community. Special emphasis is placed on marginalised groups, including minorities, women and youth. The proposed programme will coordinate and collaborate with the UN Joint Programme on Local Governance (JPLG). The Consortium will initially work in eight districts in Somaliland and Puntland. After the first year, the Consortium will consider implementation in other areas in less stable parts of Somalia, based on the lessons learned. Twenty villages will be selected in each district.
The incumbent will be responsible for the overall development of the programme approach, guided by the programme proposal, bringing together technical expertise from each agency, and develop harmonised ways of working, tools and manuals. The position will ensure coherent implementation of the programme across the 4 agencies, and synergies and learning between them. He/She will ensure that M&E systems are sound, and that best practice is shared and implemented. He/she will also be responsible for overall programme narrative reporting, collating data from each of the agencies, and overseeing and coordinating the work of the other key staff of the joint PQU.
Responsibilities: Manage inception activities; Programme quality and coherence; Learning; Coordinate the work of the quality unit and liaise with the Steering Commmittee; Reporting; Liaison and representation.
Required Skills: Master’s degree focusing on community development, sociology, political sciences or field relevant to the objective of the program; At least 7 years experience in progressively more senior positions in governance, peace building and/or community development; At least 4 years experience in managing projects or programs in peace or governance programming; Proven experience in managing consortia relationships and coherent programming in complex partnership settings; Experience in managing, coaching staff; Excellent communication, negotiation and facilitation skills; Strong experience and technical understanding of processes of peace building and governance strengthening in a fragile state environment; Ability to work in a challenging environment, under high pressure and ability to cope with and manage complexity and ambiguity.
Desired Skills: Somalia-specific experience.
______________________________________________
Consultant for Utilization-focused evaluation in Somalia, Life & Peace Institute
The Life & Peace Institute (LPI) is an international and ecumenical centre that supports and promotes nonviolent approaches to conflict transformation through a combination of research and action that entails the strengthening of existing local capacities and enhancing the preconditions for building peace.
The Life & Peace Institute envisions a world where peace, justice and non-violent relations prevail through people’s active work and commitment. We have been active towards achieving this goal since 1985.We work by supporting local civil society organisations in Somalia, Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Target Area: Banadir, Middle and Lower Shabelle, Bay
Duration: 18 months
Expected Results:
1. SPL, with the support of LPI, has engaged effectively in Track II middle-out peacebuilding initiatives in South-Central Somalia and has thereby complemented peace efforts at the national level.
2. Effective practices of inter-clan dialogue are operational in Banadir, Middle and Lower Shabelle and Bay.
3. Traditional elders have capitalised on already existing linkages to different track I actors in order to complement the peace process.
4. The councils of traditional elders targeted by the project have engaged in efforts of conflict transformation both within their own councils and between clans or groups in their areas of influence.
5. Traditional elders have effectively reached out to track III (grassroots groups, general public) through communication tools and have thereby created a conducive environment for peacebuilding in the areas targeted by the Project.
6. The experiences of all the partners involved in the Project are documented, reflected upon and shared with academia, practitioners, conflict parties and donors, systematically using LPI Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Tool.
The evaluator is expected to follow specific steps in Utilization focused evaluation such as but not limited to:
1. The evaluation should be designed to lead to useful findings. Methods should be selected and the evaluation designed to support and achieve intended use by primary intended users.
2. Before data are collected, a simulation of potential use should be done with fabricated findings in a real-enough way to provide a meaningful learning experience for primary intended users.
3. Data collected should be managed with use in mind.
4. Analysis should be organized to facilitate use by primary intended users.
Evaluator qualifications: Skilled and diplomatic facilitator; Well-versed in Conflict Transformation approach; Experience in building evaluation capacity in NGOs; Prior experience with Utilization Focused Evaluation
LPI is able provide a Somali speaking translator / co-facilitator
Timing: Between 22 October and 28 November 2012.
Location: Mogadishu and Nairobi.
To Apply
Please send CV and samples from portfolio showing experience with utilization-focused approach particularly as applied to peacebuilding programs to Marleen Renders, Somalia Programme Manager, Life & Peace Institute, Nairobi Marleen.Renders@life-peace.org.
DEADLINE: October 18, 2012