Director – Governance and Fragile States At Counterpart International

Counterpart International is currently seeking a Director – Governance and Fragile States (hereafter referred to as “Director”). This is a full-time position based in Counterpart’s office in Washington D.C. The Director will play a lead role in building Counterpart’s strategy and expertise in the designing and delivering of democracy, governance, and human rights programming in fragile and conflict affected states (FCAS). S/he will ensure Counterpart’s programming is conflict sensitive and promotes inclusive and resilient governance, with a particular focus on empowering youth and women (in collaboration with Counterpart’s Director for Women’s Empowerment).

The Director will refine Counterpart’s strategic approach to developing and delivering governance programs in fragile and conflict affected situations (FCAS), including identifying new opportunities in light of the U.S. Government’s Global Fragility Act. S/he will have responsibility for overseeing the effective delivery of a number of projects in FCAS, managing U.S. based support staff and Chiefs of Party, as well as offering technical support to projects throughout Counterpart’s program portfolio. S/he will support Counterpart’s business development efforts as it relates to FCAS, including building relationships with leading donors, particularly USAID and the U.S. State Department. S/he will expand Counterpart’s network of technical specialists, external consultants and strategic partners in governance programming in FCAS.

The Director will, under the leadership of the Senior Director for Governance, refine Counterpart’s frameworks and methodologies to fulfill best practices in governance programming in FCAS. Annually, s/he will deliver organization-wide reports that detail Counterpart’s ongoing governance work in FCAS and will present summary results on methodologies and team capabilities. This position will lead at least one internal and one external learning event that highlights thematic results and ties the findings back to Counterpart’s organizational approach. S/he will be expected to be an active member of relevant external communities of practice and working groups (Society for International Development, Alliance for Peacebuilding, Humentum, etc.), demonstrating Counterpart’s leadership in the sector, while identifying and integrating leading and innovative practices back into Counterpart’s programming.

Responsibilities

Technical Assistance, Capacity Building, and Program Management

• Provide direct technical assistance, training, consultations, and other analytical services to ongoing projects to improve governance programming, learning, and results in FCAS.
• Provide overall senior management leadership to designated projects, ensuring programs are implemented effectively and meet or exceed program objectives within budget and on-time.
• Develop tools and guidelines that advance Counterpart’s governance programming in FCAS; train staff in their use, carefully documenting successful methods.
• Support the development and implementation of project-level conflict analysis, strategies and action plans, and conflict-sensitive monitoring and evaluation strategies and ensure staff are effectively applying FCAS-sensitive approaches in relevant contexts.
• Ensure that attention to governance, peace and security dynamics is integrated into Counterpart’s approach, staff and partner trainings, all capacity building methodologies, and monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) platforms and priorities.

Partnership and New Business Development:

• Create opportunities to serve as internal and external spokesperson for governance, peace and security-related approaches, building understanding of the value of this work, and sharing success stories that illustrate how these approaches accelerate Counterpart’s results.
• Position Counterpart with external stakeholders (NGOs, contractors, donors, research organizations, etc.) as a preferred partner in Governance, Peace and Security program implementation through participation in select working groups, events, conferences, and fora.
• Participate in proposal development by contributing Governance, Peace, and Security expertise to program design, including leading, conducting, or advising:
  • Enhance Counterpart’s strategic approach to identifying and securing funding opportunities in the governance, peace, and security space.
  • Technical lead on proposals including developing win strategies and determining appropriate methodologies and impact indicators.
  • Develop new programming tools, as needed.
• Sensitize other proposal partners on the benefits of social inclusion and communities in conflict methods for achieving those benefits.

Strategy, Learning, and Innovation:

• Undertake annual analysis of Counterpart’s governance, peace, and security portfolio performance, with short updates on each program, to include lessons learned from successes and failures.
• Develop, refine and curate Counterpart’s Governance, Peace and Security toolkits, ensuring that information and tools are readily accessible through distance platforms (the Intranet, digital video platforms, etc.)
• Curate Governance, Peace and Security learning communities for exchange of knowledge, tools, and innovations across Counterpart stakeholders (to include gender focal points; implementing partners, grantees, donors; HQ staff; etc.)

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a field or sub-field of or related to international development, social sciences, and/or other relevant field, to include field-based implementation, research and program design.
• Minimum twelve (12) years’ experience working on international development programs in conflict-affected countries; including experience designing programs aimed at conflict resolution, peacebuilding, resilience, and/or post-conflict transitions.
• Desired seven (7) years of experience working with USAID or another bilateral international development agency.
• Prior experience working and/or supporting donor-based projects located in the Middle East North Africa, Horn of Africa, or Southern Africa regions.
• Ability to develop Governance, Peace and Security strategies that are successful across a range of geographies and thematic areas.
• Has excellent analysis, writing and presentation skills (written and oral).
• Approaches work with curiosity, innovative spirit, and hunger for effective delivery and portfolio growth.
• Brings a track record of programs delivering results in terms of community-level knowledge, attitudes, and practices.
• Demonstrates understanding of and experience working with program teams in challenging and multi-cultural settings.
• Brings excellent training and facilitation skills, interpersonal communication, and appreciative inquiry skills.
• Has ability to multi-task, work independently, and meet deadlines.
• Is proficient in Excel, Word and other software packages relevant to work (e.g., internet-based search engines and research tools, data analysis software).
• Secondary language preferred, particularly Arabic, French, or Spanish.
• Willingness to travel internationally up to 20% of the time.

Annual Salary Range: $116,000-$175,000