Resident Senior Program Director-Cote d’Ivoire

About Us

The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness, and accountability in government. Help support democracy worldwide by joining our team!

About the Role

The National Democratic Institute of International Affairs (NDI) seeks a Resident Senior Program Director to lead a forthcoming USAID-funded program. The Resident Senior Program director would manage a project that supports credible elections in Cote d’Ivoire over a five-year period, starting with a high-profile presidential election in 2025. The successful candidate will oversee activities that might include support for citizen election observation; fostering multi-stakeholder dialogue around electoral reform and interparty dialogue to prevent and resolve conflicts; strengthening citizen efforts to prevent and mitigate information manipulation; preventing electoral violence through early warning mechanisms; conveying messages promoting peace around elections; and increasing the safe and meaningful participation and leadership of women and youth in civic and political life.

The Resident Senior Program Director will also represent NDI to the US and other governments, donor agencies, and local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Close coordination with NDI’s Washington headquarters is expected, including regular contact with the Washington-based staff overseeing programs and activities. The Resident Senior Program Director will be based in Cote d’Ivoire.

This position is contingent on donor funding and the selected candidate is subject to donor approval.

Your Purpose and Impact:

• Oversee the implementation of all aspects of NDI’s work under the USAID-funded “Supporting Inclusive Elections and Civic Leadership” program, including activity design, strategy development, activity implementation and, monitoring, and capture and sharing of results and impact.
• Provide technical assistance and develop learning materials, as needed, to ensure a high quality of training and enriching exchanges for beneficiaries.
• Develop programmatic strategies and activities for the program, as appropriate, based on changing political conditions and in response to needs articulated by partners and/or funders.
• Establish and maintain strong working relations with the donor and diplomatic communities, international organizations, and in-country partners, including political and elected officials and local civic organizations.
• Coordinate and liaise regularly with consortium partners, including leading regular coordination meetings.
• Identify national staffing and consultant assignments in support of initiatives under the USAID-funded program.
• Lead and oversee the drafting of field-based program reports, work-plans and other written materials related to the USAID-funded program.
• Oversee reporting for the USAID-funded program, ensuring that monitoring and evaluation data, activity reports, and monthly reports are submitted for review to the Resident Country Director and DC-based program staff in a timely manner with thorough and high-quality data.
• Provide regular updates to DC-based team and help compile briefings from multiple partners to USAID on the political/security situation and other program related matters.
• Consult regularly with Washington-based staff on program progress.
• Liaise with multiple international consortium partners to come to consensus on overall program strategy and communications, and represent the consortium interests while serving as the main point of contact with USAID on program matters.
• In the Resident Country Director’s absence, oversee program spending and manage the reconciliation of program expenses.
• Provide day-to-day management and oversight of program staff in accordance with office and personnel management systems.
• Oversee subgrant issuance process and monitoring of performance for multiple simultaneous subawards.
• Within the USAID-funded program, ensure adherence to both NDI and donor financial regulations, and respect of procedures that guarantee the integrity of all financial transactions.
• Directly supervise local staff and international consultants to ensure that USAID-funded program activities are completed as planned and financial and program-related transactions adhere to internal NDI and donor regulations.
• Act as a management focal point in the absence of the Resident Country Director.
• Liaise with NDI’s DC-based program team and administrative departments to ensure all significant administrative issues are addressed and resolved and that all follow-up is performed as requested, as it applies to the USAID-funded program.
• In partnership with the Resident Country Director, ensure compliance with national laws, NDI and donor administrative and reporting requirements, as well as appropriate implementation of field office policies and handbook.
• Represent NDI and its program at public events and functions.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A graduate degree in a relevant social, technical, or political science (e.g., conflict management and peacebuilding, communications, public administration, business administration, international relations, political science, law etc.).
• Minimum 12 years’ of progressive work experience with elections and political processes, governance, advocacy, civil society mobilization, media strengthening, and context analysis in Africa (preferably some experience in francophone West Africa or a similar conflict-affected context).
• Six to eight years as a Chief of Party or in a senior project leadership position (such as component manager or deputy chief of party) demonstrating strategic planning, high-level liaising and partnership-building with US Embassy, USAID, other international donor-funded projects, and host country government entities.
• Professional bi-lingual proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in English and in French.
• Demonstrated experience presenting, briefing, and interacting with high-level U.S. Government officials.
• Progressive experience managing large USAID awards with multiple implementers including prime and sub implementers.
• Track record of customer service.
• Sound team communications, management, interpersonal and leadership skills, including sensitivity to gender equality and social inclusion principles.
• Experience in program design, strategic planning and monitoring and evaluation.
• Proven ability to manage budgets and to lead and manage a multi-national staff effectively.
• High degree of organization and attention to details.
• Ability to analyze political dynamics, and to collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to identify, define, and effectively and innovatively resolve problems or respond to opportunities.
• Ability and willingness to travel to locations which are often remote and difficult to reach.
• Proven dedication to the principles of universal human rights and democracy building.
• Working knowledge of PC-based word processing, and familiarity with Google software and applications including Google Docs, calendars and Gmail, etc.