Senior Program Officer/ Senior Researcher – Resources & Conflict (80 – 100 %)

swisspeace is a practice and research institute dedicated to advancing effective peacebuilding. Partnerships with local and international actors are at the core of our work. Together, we combine competence and creativity to reduce violence and promote peace in contexts affected by conflicts. As an associated institute of the University of Basel, we also foster national and international excellence in research, teaching, and training. We use inter- and transdisciplinary approaches to address topics relevant to peacebuilding and conflict prevention. Our research combines scientific rigor with practical relevance, and we are keen to feed our findings into respective academic, policy, and practice discussions. 

We are looking for a: 

Senior Program Officer/ Senior Researcher – Resources & Conflict (80 – 100 %) 

Starting date: 01 July 2024 (or by agreement)

swisspeace has recently consolidated two programs into a new Resources & Conflict (R&C) program that aims to contribute to a better understanding of and respond to the conflict risks and peacebuilding opportunities associated with climate change and climate policies, with a focus on formal and informal governance of natural resources in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. We are looking for an experienced Senior Program Officer and/or Senior Researcher interested in strengthening and expanding this new program. This role offers the opportunity to shape swisspeace’s work in this area going forward and to respond to the needs of different types of partners who are working towards ensuring climate-related projects are developed and implemented in a socially responsible and conflict-sensitive manner. Ideally, we are looking for a self-starter who is keen to contribute to strategic and conceptual thinking and hands-on implementation. We are open to practitioners as well as researchers who are interested in succeeding in practice-relevant work.

Your tasks:

• Develop the program’s network of partners and clients in Switzerland and internationally and conceptualize relevant practice offerings.
• Acquire, lead, manage and implement projects and mandates for Swiss-based and international partners and clients, including multilateral and bilateral development agencies, development banks, non-government organizations and/or private sector entities.
• Lead and manage and/or contribute to the development of program-relevant research projects – commissioned and/or competitive research funded by Swiss and international research funding bodies.
• Contribute to shaping and attaining the objectives of the organization’s strategy and representing swisspeace vis-à-vis partners and clients.
• Contribute to the financial sustainability of the program and create opportunities for more junior practitioners and researchers.