•  Salary: Competitive Salary (With Benefits for International Staff)
•  Contract duration: 12 Months with the Possibility of Extension
•  Location: Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
•  Closing date: 24 August 2022 (23:59 UK Time)

This is an exciting opportunity to join Alert’s largest country programme – the Democratic Republic of Congo team – as the Chief of Party (COP) of the Dutch funded Improving security, social cohesion and human rights in conflict mineral rich regions of Eastern DRC project. The project is coming to an end in December 2023 but there is a high likelihood that there will be a follow up phase.

This senior manager reports to the DRC Director of Programmes (DOP). The COP will be responsible for the oversight of a team of a consortia including 4 other partners (two international and two national partners). They will be responsible for overseeing a team of 28 and will directly line manage 4 people.

The main goal of the project is to strengthen regional stability in the Great Lakes with the following two specific objectives:

•  Reduced levels of violent conflict and improved security in targeted red 3T and gold mines of South Kivu and Ituri
•  Improved regional security and stability through cleaner chains, more effective governance of mineral chains at all levels

The COP is responsible for the overall implementation of the project; is the primary project representative manages and monitors the budget, the workplan and the progress of the project towards its intended results. He/she is the strategic lead of the project and oversees reporting and coordination across the consortium.

He/she will be required to travel regularly to project locations, specifically Bunia, where they will supervise the sub-team ; frequent travel to regional centres (Kinshasa, Kigali, Bujumbura) and some international travel (specifically in Europe) will also be required for national and regional level advocacy.

Essential qualifications include: extensive experience of implementing large and complex projects in consortia and with several international and local partners; 10 years of professional experience in programme management (strategy, planning, reflection, implementation, monitoring, evaluation); specifically strategic decision making of complex programmes on issues involving extensive political engagement in the DRC or in a similar context. DRC or in a similar context. Substantial NGO project management experience, including responsibility for contract management

To succeed in this job you will have a talent for working effectively in complex, politically charged, unstable environments, and across different cultures. You will be able to communicate effectively with a wide range of actors working on conflict management, social cohesion and development programmes.

Furthermore, we are looking for someone well organized, results and detail-oriented with a proven experience in peacebuilding/ conflict transformation and familiarity with gender- and conflict-sensitive approaches. In addition, experience of developing donor reports and nurturing constructive relationships with international and local partners (governmental and non-governmental) is essential as well as an excellent working knowledge (spoken and written) of both French and English.

Please note that these are just some of the requirements of this role. For the full job description, please visit the original announcement (button below).

Candidates will be interviewed on a rolling basis and interviews will tentatively take place in Bukavu, Goma or via Skype.

International Alert prides itself on being an equal opportunity employer and particularly welcomes applications from underrepresented people including women, people from the Global South, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ people, disabled people, and other historically marginalised people.

While International Alert will endeavour to contact all candidates within a reasonable time, this may not always be possible due to limited resources. Therefore, if you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date, you can assume that your application has, on this occasion, been unsuccessful.