Recruitment of one (1) National Programme Officer at the Embassy of Switzerland in Addis Abeba for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

Background:

In Ethiopia, the Swiss Agency for Development & Cooperation (SDC) operates through the International Cooperation Department of the Embassy of Switzerland in Addis Ababa. It bears responsibility for all international development and humanitarian assistance programmes of the Government of Switzerland in the country, in close coordination with the Embassy of Switzerland in Kenya, with which it co-manages the Swiss Regional Programme Horn of Africa.

Switzerland’s international development cooperation has been active in refugee protection and assistance since the opening of a humanitarian programme office in 2009 in Nairobi. In 2013, after the Horn of Africa became one of Swit­zerland’s priority regions, the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), the Directorate of Political Affairs and the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) at the Federal Department of Justice and Police combined their respective instruments into a “Whole of Govern­ment Approach (WOGA)” for the implementation of the first Horn of Africa Cooperation Strategy 2013–17.

The current Swiss Cooperation Strategy Horn of Africa (HoA) 2018-2021 focuses on Somalia and the arid and semi-arid lands of South-Eastern Ethiopia and North-Eastern Kenya. The strategy covers four sectors: food security, health, governance and migration/protection. It is designed as a whole of government approach in which Swiss Development and Cooperation (SDC) teams in the Swiss Embassies in Nairobi and Addis Ababa are closely collaborating with other Swiss Government units such as the Human Security Division, the Political Directorate and the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration. The overall aim of the strategy is to respond to humanitarian needs, while contributing to poverty reduction, conflict transformation and inclusive state-building in support of participatory and sustainable socio-economic development. In addition, to the Swiss Cooperation Strategy Horn of Africa (HoA) 2018-2021, the Horn of Africa is a region of focus of the Global Programme Migration and Development (GPMD) of SDC. The GPMD aims at maximising the potential benefits of migration to the communities and countries of origin, and minimizing the risks and costs involved in the migration experiences for migrants and their families left behind. The GPMD seeks global solutions and takes an active part in structuring the political dialogue on migration and development at the regional and international level by contributing with concrete experiences from operational programmes.

The Migration Programme Officer HoA and GPMD based in Addis Abeba supports the International Cooperation Office (IC Office) in Addis Abeba and Nairobi in developing, managing projects and engage in policy dialogue of the Swiss Regional Programme Horn of Africa (RPHoA) and the regional projects of the Global Programme Migration and Development (GPMD). The consolidation of the operational migration/protection portfolio of the RPHoA and the GPMD and the linkage with policy dialogue at the national, regional and continental level represent an important objective of the positon. The Migration Programme Officer will represent Switzerland in different fora and manage key partners in the area of migration.

The Swiss Cooperation Strategy Horn of Africa (HoA) 2018-2021 together with the strategy of the GPMD 2018-2021 provide the necessary guidance and the overall framework of the position and respective responsibilities.  Swiss engagement with IGAD aims to strengthen national and regional migration governance capacities, as well as promote free movement of people within the IGAD region and in case of the African Union the focus of Switzerland is on aspects of labour migration.

Duties and competences that come along with this position:

1. Programme responsibilities / PCM

• Negotiate, in close collaboration with the operations department, programme and project implementation with partners and authorities and ensure contractual compliance and efficient and result oriented implementation (including project reporting).
• In collaboration with the relevant NPOs in NBO and ADD, contribute to the implementation of the regional Migration/Protection domain and provide technical support and monitor ongoing projects of the RPHoA portfolio.
• Ensure, in coordination with the GPMD, a sound operational management of the African Union (AU) Programme on Joint Labor Migration and on the IGAD’s project Regional Migration Governance.
• Act as Migration Focal point for IGAD in close collaboration with GPMD HQ and the WOGA partners.
• Identify and analyze potential new program’s engagements on Migration in the HoA and contribute to prepare required documentation for approval (EP, CPs, etc.).
• Provide technical contribution to the current RPHoA and GPMD programmes in the field of durable solutions, governance, urban migration, diaspora and financial inclusion for migrants.
• Provide technical assistance to regional partners (IOM, ILO, AUC-GIZ) implementing the AU Joint Labor Migration Programme.
• Contribute to integrate the transversal themes into all activities and projects of the Migration/Protection domain of the RPHoA in coordination with the relevant focal points at HQ level, and specifically ensure the gender mainstreaming.
• Ensure, in coordination with the IC Team in Cairo, a sound operational management of the Eastern Africa Migration Route Project.

2. Analyse, and advise un thematic trends and policy dialogue

• Analyze national, regional, and continental trends (from an economic, political and society’s perspective) in the field of migration, and develop proposals and strategic orientation for the GPMD, IC offices in NBO and ADD, Embassies, and regional partners.
• Provide strategic and programmatic guidance throughout the entire project cycle and proactively seek opportunities for advocacy and policy influencing at national and regional level.
• Integrate the findings and recommendations of the regional and continental dialogue and debate on migration and development into the implementation of the RPHoA and GPMD programmes, and link the operational experiences of the programmes with the policy dialogue at national, regional and global level.

3. Partnerships, Coordination and Networking     

• Represent the IC in coordination meetings, workshops, conferences and other fora on migration and actively strengthen the relationship with a wide network of relevant stakeholders.
• Regularly participate to regional IGAD and AU coordination meetings and platforms on migration and development.
• Establish and further develop a national and regional network with relevant stakeholders on migration and development, including governmental, private sector and academic actors.
• Maintain and further enhance the regular exchanges with all regional migration actors (IGAD, World Bank, UN agencies, such as ILO and IOM, and NGOs).
• Ensure regular thematic exchanges with other IC offices in Africa and worldwide.

4. Knowledge Management

• Participate actively to the SDC Migration network’s activities and feed the discussions at HQ with the regional experience and good practices.
• Enhance the thematic knowledge of IC offices in NBO and ADD in terms of development oriented approaches to Migration and Protection, support and exchange with implementing partners towards enhanced efforts to support longer term sustainable development in a protracted crisis situation.
• Establish regular thematic exchanges between IC offices and embassies in NBO and ADD and beyond the HoA region on migration corridors.
• Identify innovative approaches and working modalities from IC partners and other agencies/organizations working on migration and development at regional level.

5. Additional tasks

• Fulfill specific tasks and duties on request/in consultation with the Head and the Deputy Head of IC offices in NBO and ADD; deputize for other NPOs in Migration.
• Participate to team building events and staff meetings’ consultation at regional and local level.
•  Attend relevant thematic meetings or events on behalf of the Embassy in ADD.

Direct superior: Head of International Cooperation

Directly subordinated employee(s): None

Starting on: As soon as possible (with probation period of 3 months)

Administrative Unit & Duty Station: Embassy of Switzerland in Ethiopia (Addis Ababa)

Competence:

• Master degree in social sciences, development studies or other relevant field
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in the global and regional dialogue on migration
• Sound experience in the areas of migration and high political sensitivity and excellent understanding of the social, economic and political situation in the Horn of Africa and of related migration challenges and opportunities.
• Good understanding of the continental, regional and national development policy agenda such as the ones formulated by the UN, IGAD, AU, and comparable global and regional bodies in the area of migration
• Sound experience in policy design, dialogue and negotiations with multilateral organizations and respective processes in Africa including with IGAD, AU and global processes
• In-depth understanding of current issues related to migration, labour migration, free movement, financial inclusion, forced displacement and development
• Proven experience and knowledge of project cycle management (PCM) and Project Finance Management.
• Strong sensitivity and responsiveness to bring forward and to deal with gender and social inclusion issues
• Previous experience in managing regional/multicounty program is an asset.

Skills:

• Able to work independently and under pressure
• High individual autonomy and high sense of personal responsibility, including creativity, innovative capacity and willingness to learn
• Proven ability to establish confidence among partners and colleagues, including excellent ability to network and work in a team
• Coaching experience of colleagues in the area of migration or related areas
• Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English
• Proven leadership skills in terms of policy dialogue and programme implementation/oversight.
• Knowledge of Somali language is an asset
• Proficiency in computer literacy (MS Office etc.)