Program Director, Halving Global Violence, Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies

Overview

For more than two decades, the Center on International Cooperation (CIC) has been a leader in applied policy that links politics, security, justice, development, and humanitarian issues. The CIC co-founded and currently hosts the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies, a multi-stakeholder partnership that brings together UN member states, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector to accelerate delivery of the SDG targets for peace, justice, and inclusion.

CIC, as part of NYU, is an applied policy research center that specializes in analysis and idea generation that is practical, principled, and policy-relevant, at the heart of a leading research university that spans the globe. We seek researchers and policy experts of the highest caliber, who embody the diversity of the global society in which we live. We strongly encourage applications from women, racial and ethnic minorities, and other individuals who are under-represented in the profession, across color, creed, race, ethnic and national origin, physical ability, gender and sexual identity, or any other legally protected basis.

Position Summary

CIC seeks a dynamic and innovative Program Director for its Pathfinders Halving Global Violence program to drive and shape the Center’s work in this area. The Program Director should have solid practical and theoretical expertise, including field experience in countries affected by fragility, conflict, and violence as well as expertise in policy formulation, fundraising and overall program management, for a growing multi-stakeholder program.

Responsibilities:

• Provide overall research and intellectual thought leadership to the Pathfinders Grand Challenge on Halving Global Violence program, including responsibility for the strategic direction and program oversight, defining the programs’ core objectives, strategy, and policy and research agendas.
• Manage the delivery of high-quality research products and implementation of program deliverables, including responsibility for the management and recruitment of the Pathfinders Grand Challenge on Halving Global Violence program research staff, consultants, and subaward recipients, as well as writing and overseeing practical, policy-oriented, and evidence-based work for publication for time sensitive dissemination to appropriate audiences.
• Lead the Pathfinders Grand Challenge on Halving Global Violence in the development and implementation of its research program goals and deliverables, as outlined in the CIC’s Business Plan, assuming responsibility for the development of new research objectives, agendas, and opportunities for impact. This will include synthesizing research developed in five domains of prevention: conflict, urban and criminal violence, interpersonal violence (in particular, violence against women and girls), human rights abusees and mass atrocities, and violent extremism.
• Initiate and contribute to research which evaluates pilots on what works and develop a case for investment in violence reduction and strengthening financing strategies for prevention.
• Take responsibility for sustainable funding of the Pathfinders Grand Challenge on Halving Global Violence program, to ensure continued financial sustainability and growth, including the management and oversight of donor relations, budgets, and regular grant and donor reporting on impact and value for money to donors. This includes identifying new partners, writing proposals, and securing the funding necessary to deliver the program’s objectives over the medium-term.
• Cultivate and maintain a productive and collaborative relationship with a variety of key partner countries, organizations, institutions, and individuals in this community of policy and practice.
• Represent the CIC, and the Pathfinders Grand Challenge on Halving Global Violence, on key research findings, to partners, global research leaders, ambassadors, national contacts in capital, as well as broad public and media
• Create and drive a clear communication strategy for the Pathfinders Grand Challenge on Halving Global Violence program for dissemination and impact mobilization of the program in collaboration with the CIC Director and communication staff.
• Contribute strategic leadership to the overall management of the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies program, in alignment with CIC business processes and strategic goals.
• Contribute, as a member of CIC’s strategic management team (SMT) to CIC’s overall management, strategic goal setting, annual work plan, and promote collaboration across all CIC research areas.
• Report to the CIC Director, and complete other tasks as required for the delivery of the CIC’s mission and Pathfinders Grand Challenge on Halving Global Violence program’s research and policy deliverables and objectives.

Qualifications

Required Education

Masters in a relevant field, combined with relevant practical experience.

A Bachelor’s degree with exceptional additional years of relevant experience with high performance may be accepted in lieu of a Master’s degree.

Required Experience

• 15+ years’ experience working on research and action to promote violence reduction, and the links between violence reduction, development, and political action.  
• Experience in translating research into policy and program engagement.
• Extensive program management experience, including field experience, in planning for results and managing donor relations.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Subject matter expert. Solid knowledge of the evidence for violence reduction solutions across the five domains (although candidates may have more knowledge of one domain than others; since the purpose of the program is to bridge gaps between the domains, we do not expect equal knowledge in all of them). 
• Ability to maintain an overview of a broad policy agenda related to violence reduction at the UN, the IFIs, regional organizations, member states and civil society and private sector partners. Associated networking skills to manage a positive relationship with member states, international organizations, civil society, and donors.
• Strategic and operational management skills to direct and develop a program, and the ability to follow through by planning, monitoring, adapting, and ensuring results and impact.
• Experience in fundraising and grant management, identifying opportunities, and budgeting and delivery tracking.
• Proven ability to manage and develop a team.
• Networking and representational skills at different levels, with the flexibility to move up and down between high level networking and representation and working level engagement.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, spanning research products, policy recommendations and donor proposals and reporting.
• Fluency in English and one additional language, with a preference for another UN language.

Preferred Experience            

• Track record of publishing influential policy research.
• Fundraising for a think tank, research center, or non-profit organization.
• Management of a research and advocacy team (including communications, goal setting, resource allocation, and professional development).
• French, Spanish, Arabic or Portuguese in addition to English

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 

• A leadership role within a multi-stakeholder policy research partnership or process, involving Global North and South, multilateral organizations and civil society.
• Specific knowledge in working with the United Nations, The World Bank, the IMF, regional organizations and bilateral donors on their strategy, policies, and constraints in developing better approaches to violence and conflict reduction.
• Broad experience with quantitative and qualitative research methods.