Peacebuiding Director

Peacebuilding Director

The Peacebuilding Director will promote the American Friends Service Committee's (AFSC's) peacebuilding work around the world. AFSC has a 10-year strategic plan with three key program themes (Just Peace, Just Migration and Just Economies).

The Peacebuilding Director will lead the development and monitoring of strategic objectives for the thematic goal for International Programs. They will advise program staff on best practices in the field and support program development, establish thematic priorities, implement peacebuilding initiatives, and represent AFSC in global conversations on peacebuilding. This position has a critical role to help build cohesion within international programs and across the US and Global Cohesion Division.

The Peacebuilding Director will report to the Associate General Secretary (AGS) for International Programs and will be part of the IP Management Team which includes the IP AGS, Operations Director, the Migration Director and the IP Regional Directors. The Director can be remote or based in any of the four international regional offices or in the central office in Philadelphia.

The Peacebuilding Director plays a crucial role in implementing AFSC's 10-year strategic plan by developing a cohesive peacebuilding strategy across 17 country programs. This position involves advising program staff on high-impact program plans and coordinating activities, dialogues, and research to build networks, influence key stakeholders, and drive systems change in the field. As a thought leader, the Director will represent AFSC in global conversations on peacebuilding.

Working closely with Regional Directors in International Programs, the director will oversee the peacebuilding strategy and budget, advise on best practices, and lead global Dialogue and Exchange Programs (DEPs) in collaboration with relevant country teams. They will also support implementation and monitoring efforts with the PMEL team, set strategic objectives, and enhance IP capacity in discussions around peace, climate justice, and organizational commitments.

Additionally, the Peacebuilding Director will promote AFSC's peacebuilding work globally, build networks that benefit programs, and identify opportunities to present the AFSC narrative to external audiences. They will assist Regional Directors and Country Representatives on programmatic, communication, and resource development matters, guiding teams in creating strategic and effective proposals and plans. The Director will also collaborate with program staff and advancement teams to develop proposals, reports, research, and communication materials, dedicating 20% of their time to the Global Cohesion Division and working with teams such as PMEL and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

Within the Global Cohesion Division, and its Just Peace Hub, the Peacebuilding Director will take a leadership role with the US Programs Peacebuilding Director, to further a cohesive organizational vision that promotes synergy among programs across the organization. This will include identifying shared global theories of change, shared outcomes and collaborative systems change efforts.

Essential Functions / Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Thought Leadership :

• Create, and curate field-wide best practices and resources on peacebuilding including the development of research, guidelines, and innovative practices to help increase program effectiveness.
• Provide technical assistance, in partnership with the Regional Directors, to program staff. With regional and country teams, support the development of research and writing (policy briefs, case studies, white papers) and editing.
• Develop and monitor strategic objectives across International Programs and in collaboration with US Programs and Global Cohesion Division.
• Produce a periodic update on issues relating to the Just Peace thematic work and provide periodic reports and short articles on trends, issues, and developments for internal use and / or for publication. Participate in speaking tours and informational exchanges globally as needed and support staff in externally facing presentations.

Socio-political Analysis and Facilitation of Dialogue :

Capacity Building and Support :

Program Management and Reporting :

Relationship :

Supervisory / Management Requirements

Directly or indirectly supervises employees. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include training and engaging employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Minimum Experience and Qualifications