Resident Director
Resident Director
NDI - National Democratic Institute
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) seeks a Resident Director with excellent management skills and extensive experience leading high-level program support in transition environments. The Resident Director will advise political leaders and government officials to encourage inclusive and responsive participation in political and electoral processes; coordinate technical assistance to civic organizations on evidence based election observation methodologies, oversee implementation of research and public surveys in complex political environments, and provide leadership to a team of expatriate and local staff. This position works closely with Washington-based management who provide overall strategic guidance and support for field activities. The Resident Director reports to the DC-based Regional Director for Southern and East Africa and in coordination with headquarter based program staff. The position is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and will require occasional travel within the country.
Responsibilities:
- Provide high-level leadership of all country programs and coordinate day -to-day activity implementation and operations
- Ensure collaborative leadership and oversight of country team, ensuring accountability in the execution program activities and management of field operations and local staff based on established institutional procedures, local laws, donor regulations and best practice
- Serve as a technical resource liaison to program partners, including political parties, citizens led election observation networks and coalitions in response to program implementation needs and requests
- Anticipate trends or events in political, social and economic developments to gauge the impact on and opportunities for active and future new programs
- Lead development of new program initiatives; evaluate current programs, and engage with key program contacts, political leaders, civil society partners, donors and other relevant stakeholders
- Cultivates and maintain collaborative relationships with Ethiopian civic and political party leaders and key actors including the National Election Board, government ministries and departments, the media and other stakeholders in the political reform process
- Monitor programs to determine that programmatic goals are achieved and that operational and reporting requirements are adhered to
- Manage in-country program budget, develop and maintain financial management systems and ensure the submission of accurate monthly financial reconciliation statements to the DC office
- Ensure program compliance with donor requirements with regards to work plans and performance monitoring plans, and respect of procedures to ensure the integrity of all financial transactions
- Serve as principal liaison between NDI and international donor representatives in country, Ethiopian officials, international and local NGOs, the media, and the U.S. government representatives
- Develop fundraising strategies with donors to help raise additional funds in coordination with the NDI Washington staff
- Oversee the writing and timely submission of bi-weekly program activity reports, quarterly reports, monitoring and evaluation data, periodic updates on political/security developments, and other program related materials
- Collaborate with and build the capacity of NDI Ethiopian staff to play a substantive role in program development and implementation
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree, in international relations or related field. Additional years of relevant work experience may be substituted for educational requirement on a one-for-one basis
- A minimum of fourteen (14) years program management experience overseeing international development programs, preferably in the field of democracy and governance, and at least five in a senior leadership role
- Substantial work experience in multiple disciplines of democracy development, including elections knowledge (required), and civic education, civic engagement and/or civil society development (desired), preferably in Africa
- Substantial experience overseeing and implementing programs, managing staff, and ensuring compliance with financial regulations, and operations and human resources, including experience in overseeing sub-grants to local partners
- Experience with managing USAID funding projects
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with and build relationships with senior political and civic leaders, U.S. and foreign government personnel and policy makers, and members of donor organizations
- Substantial program design and management, proposal writing and financial management experience, including experience in initiating and managing sub-grants preferred
- Ability to motivate and inspire a diverse group of professionals in a challenging environment, instilling a strong sense of mission and team work to program implementation
- Ability to communicate skills and experience to others as a trainer, advisor and consultant
- Demonstrated ability to conduct and apply sophisticated political analysis to programmatic activities
- Knowledge of political processes and actors of Ethiopia preferred
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English required to effectively present information, respond to questions and negotiate outcomes
- Excellent organizational, networking and managerial skills, as well as the ability to conduct professional political relationships
- Experience working in the developing world, and an ability to work in a highly challenging and stressful environment
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Windows, Excel and Powerpoint, Google products, social media, use of Internet
- Ability and willingness to travel to regional locations which may be remote and difficult to reach
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