Context

International IDEA will increase its level of support to Constitution Building Processes in Africa, with a focus on countries in transition. This requires a team with substantive knowledge and competencies to operate in complex, high-risk environments to assist in the development of new projects and support their ongoing implementation. Based in the Regional Office of the Africa and West Asia Programme, the Senior Programme Officer will support the projects by providing key technical assistance to key boundary partners – including senior political representatives, regional and sub-regional organizations and civil society actors; by conceptualizing networking events and dialogues and in the development of new proposals.

Working under the guidance of the Director (Africa and West Asia Region) and in close coordination with other Senior Programme Officers in the AWA Region, as well the Global Programmes Constitution Building Team, the Senior Programme Officer will also act as a focal point to support the operational aspects of the various projects implemented by the AWA Regional Office in Constitution Building.

The wave of political and governance reforms that ushered many of the countries of the Africa and West Asia into processes of democratic reforms involved a considerable investment of energy in the remaking of constitutions. The decade of the 1990s across Africa and West Asia can rightly be described as a period of intense constitutionalism as different countries which either completely re-wrote their constitutions or subjected them to deep reforms focused on clauses that were adjudged to be detrimental to the quest for democratization. The new drive for a new constitutional order was bolstered at the regional and continental levels through, inter alia, decisions rejecting all unconstitutional changes of power and support for the strengthening of key institutions and processes of constitutional order.

Over the last few years, there has been a resurgence in a new round of constitutionalism involving the revamping of constitutional clauses motivated by various considerations. While some of the amendments to the constitutions that emerged out of the democratic struggles of the 1990s have been benign and even forward-looking, others have represented a setback to constitutional order and the rule of law. With new contestations building up around the constitution, the work which International IDEA carries out under the ambit of its CBP will be ever more important and necessary. Taken alongside the expansion of the market for transitional justice, power-sharing arrangements, and civic education, there is a considerable amount of work that the AWA Region will need to carry out to support various stakeholders and partners.

With a solid expertise in constitution-building matters, the Senior Programme Officer will have extensive experience in working with constitution-building processes and actors, the provision of unique knowledge resources and tools, and the delivery of technical and advisory assistance to stakeholders.

The Senior Programme Officer will support the implementation of International IDEA’s CBP through direct engagement with various key stakeholders, the commissioning and production of options papers and facilitates capacity building on constitutions and constitutional processes using International IDEA tools and knowledge resources.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Analyses relevant constitutional frameworks and provides comparative research on best practices, delivering a diagnostic on the current procedures and recommendations to improve constitution-building and reform processes, drawing on regional norms and international standards;
• Drafts options papers and presentations to be discussed at trainings and meetings of senior national stakeholders;
• Supports national stakeholders in the development of position papers by offering comparative knowledge and other relevant substantive information as required;
• Manages the organization of events in coordination with national stakeholders, administrative staff and other colleagues;
• Conducts trainings and presentations for project activities, to enhance the capacity of civil society and other stakeholders to engage in constitutional negotiations and provides technical assistance and advisory services for the design, revamping, and strengthening of national constitutions and associated processes. Devotes particular attention to the full involvement of women and the youth in constitutional processes;
• Leads the development of knowledge products (reports, briefs, comparative analysis) and supports the contextualizing and updating of existing International IDEA publications**;**
• Provides specific expert advice on project countries to partners and programme staff;
• Develops and maintains strategic/key partnerships and contributes to relevant knowledge networks and communities of practices;
• Identifies opportunities for new projects, develops project proposals including the drafting of project related budgets and nurtures relations with key funding partners in the domain of constitution-building and forges partnerships with like-minded local and institutional organizations;
• Drafts written reports on programme activities (workshops reports, donor reports, output and outcome reports) and ensures compliance with the project monitoring frameworks, in accordance with donor requirements and International IDEA’s policies and procedures. Liaises with the programme team and regional Monitoring and Evaluation Officer to produce impact stories/reports.

General Profile

• Experience working at continental and regional organizations/levels in Africa
• Combines in-depth knowledge, acquired through post-graduate academic achievements, excellent skills and significant experience in their field;
• Contributes to assigned projects with authority, and provides policy analysis and design as appropriate;
• Contributes to publications; is recognized as an expert in his/her broad professional community;
• Has the intellectual leadership to integrate innovation into his/her field of expertise;
• Fosters team-based activities in his/her unit; collaborates with other entities of the Institute;
• Acts as a model and mentor for less experienced colleagues;
• Is expected to travel globally to any geographical area involved in his/her projects;
• Follows internal procedures to ensure high standards of performance and compliance with Institutional guidelines;
• Acts in accordance with International IDEA’ s core values; Respect, Integrity and Professionalism;
• Integrates a gender and diversity perspective in all activities.

Reporting line

• Director, Africa and West Asia Region

Education and Experience

• Post Graduate degree in law, political science, peace and development studies or other related discipline; Specialization on issues of democratization, conflict resolution and constitutionalism is a strong advantage;
• A minimum of eight (8) years’ practical experience working in the field of international assistance on topics related to constitution building processes, rule of law or democracy support projects in the Africa and West Asia region;
• Experience in both common law and civil law systems;
• Experience working in post-conflict countries and/or countries in political transition in the Africa and West Asia Region;
• Experience providing high-level technical assistance, delivering presentations and trainings on comparative constitutional design is essential;
• Relevant experience from an international and/or regional organization in the work of democracy assistance would be an asset;
• Fluency in written and oral English and French is required; Any other widely spoken language in an International IDEA priority region (Arabic and Spanish) would be an asset;
• The position will involve frequent travel to hardship locations. Experience working in complex working environments is essential.

Terms of Contract:

• International Post
• Two (2) year  fixed term appointment
• Remuneration – EUR 5 884 NET per month + benefits

Applying for this position:

• Applications should be submitted no later than 23:59 (CET) 24 February 2023.
• Please note that all applications must be made in English.

Selection Process:

• Evaluation of qualified candidates will include a written test assessment and up to two (2) interviews.
• Candidates selected to proceed to the next stage of the process will be contacted once all applications have been carefully reviewed.
• All candidates will be notified on the status of their application via email once the process has been finalized

International IDEA is an equal opportunity employer which seeks to further diversify its staff in terms of gender, culture and nationality