Benin Country Director

SCOPE OF WORK

Strengthening Regional Peace and Stability in West Africa Program

Position: Benin Country Director

Period of Performance: Life of Project (up to 5yrs)

Maximum Level of Effort: LTTA

Location: Porto-Novo, Benin

Position Reports to: Chief of Party

Application Link: https://fs23.formsite.com/OLJTgx/ihz8kftply/index

A. PROJECT BACKGROUND

DAI Global is implementing a five-year, USAID program in West Africa. The program supports the efforts of West Africans to address the risks of instability from democratic backsliding and from conflict, and prioritizes targeted governance, conflict and violence prevention, peacebuilding, and preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) interventions across the region. The program will engage with regional partners, such as ECOWAS, and with governments and non-government institutions to address causes of fragility, and focus on good governance approaches, conflict prevention and response, and P/CVE interventions across select target countries in the Sahel and across Coastal West Africa.

B. POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Benin Country Director (CD) is a senior level role, with technical expertise in preventing/countering violent extremism (P/CVE) and governance programming. S/he will lead country-level programming and supervise a small Benin Country Office to execute program activities. The Benin CD will liaise directly with local NGO and government partners in Benin, and counterparts across the West Africa region. The Benin CD’s team will implement project interventions in Benin, tailoring implementation to local needs, priorities, and timelines. S/he will represent the program in the country, build and maintain collaborative relationships with key stakeholders and civil society organizations, and ensure work plan alignment with local needs and priorities. The Benin CD will be supervised by the Chief of Party (COP) and work closely with the USAID/West Africa Mission and USAID Country representatives.

C. KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The following comprise main responsibilities of the Benin Country Director:

• Represent the program in Benin and liaise with national stakeholders, civil society organizations (CSOs), local communities, and other key stakeholders.
• Provide technical oversight to project activities in country.
• Participate in bi-annual programmatic strategic review meetings in Accra or other regional locations.
• Collaborate with program leadership, the USAID/West Africa Mission, and the USAID/Benin Mission to develop, implement, and support work plan activities, and ensure that work plan activities align with local needs and priorities.
• Actively coordinate with other ongoing USAID activities and programs in Benin to create synergies and target program interventions to fill gaps and bolster existing efforts.
• Develop and maintain relationships in target communities and with government institutions and CSOs.
• Lead in the co-design of grant proposals in coordination with the Benin country team, the COP, the Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) – Technical, and the grantee. Identify local organizations as promising potential grantees.
• Supervise the country-level programming unit staff, including the Grants Assistant, Administrative & Logistics Assistant, and Project Officer.
• Manage the country office on all issues of financial and administrative management and grant development and implementation, in consultation with the COP, DCOP – Technical, DCOP – Operations, Grants Manager, Finance Manager, and Operations Manager.
• Regularly communicate with the COP and DCOP – Technical regarding project planning and implementation, problem identification and rectification.
• Advise the team on the evaluation of the local, political, legal, and socioeconomic situation in the country, and how to adapt the program to ensure relevance and effectiveness.
• In coordination with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)/Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CLA) Director, capture and integrate programmatic lessons learned.
• In coordination with the Gender, Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Lead, ensure that women, peace and security and youth issues are integrated in program activities and implementation in country.
• Contribute to regular project reporting including USAID monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
• Other tasks as assigned by the COP.

D. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of relevant work experience managing country offices; overseeing programmatic, finance, administration, and operations activities for complex USAID-funded programs; and managing relationships with high-level national stakeholders, CSOs representatives and other key stakeholders.
• Technical expertise in preventing/countering violent extremism, conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and/or good governance.
• Relevant experience working in Benin.
• Demonstrated experience in a senior management/supervisory role for USAID programs.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating and collaborating with stakeholders. Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience managing grants.
• Experience in monitoring and documenting program activities and outcomes.
• Excellent communication, organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Fluency in French and English required.

About DAI:

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability.

DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work. DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.