Director of the African Centre for the Study & Research on Terrorism at the African Union (AU)

The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent. It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organization of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999). We are an Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Director of the African Centre for the Study & Research on Terrorism

Requisition ID: 2176
Location: Algiers, Algeria 
Employment Type: Full time
Job Grade: P6
Contract Type: Regular
Division: Clinical Services
Reports to: Director, Conflict Management Directorate
Directorate/Department/Organ: Political Affairs, Peace & Seccurity

Purpose of Job

• Coordinate center’s activities and ensure timely delivery of goals and objectives.

Main Functions

• Coordinate center’s activities and ensure timely delivery of goals and objectives;
• Supervise and manage employees to ensure successful performance;
• Design strategies and policies consistent with the department’s goal in order to address the pertinent issues in the relevant area;
• Lead and supervise the design and plan policy programs to achieve these strategies;
• Develop new and review activities as components of these strategies and policies;
• Represent the Organisation and explain its position at conferences;
• Mobilize resources for execution of programmes and activities of the department;
• Manage risk and recommend mitigation strategies.

Specific Responsibilities

• Submits annual reports on the activities of the Centre to the Director of CMD
• Represent the Centre in continental and international forums and maintain outreach and liaisons between the Centre and relevant Centres and Institutions at the national, regional, continental and international levels to consolidate cooperation and joint activities
• Follow up on all aspects of the implementation of the host-agreement, the application of the rules and regulations of the Commission, including the applicable staff rules and regulations of the Commission
• Work in close collaboration with the PAPS Department in all aspects of preventing and combating terrorism and other related threats to peace and security in Africa.
• Assist the PAPS Department in the implementation of its counterterrorism programmes.
• Provide technical, managerial and leadership skills as well as direction to the ACSRT to achieve its objectives
• Coordinate, supervise, renew and manage the human and financial resources and other properties of the Centre.
• Leads the formulation of the Centre’s Strategy
• Initiate and implement activities related to the functions of the Centre
• Draw up the programmes and budget of the Centre and oversee their implementation
• Review the structure and budget of the Centre vis-à-vis its activities and needs with the view to making recommendations to the policy Organs of the Union; 
• Lead the review and assessment of the curriculum and programmes of the Centre to ensure that they are focused and practicable within a given timeframe, consistent with the mandate and functions of the Centre as contained in these Modalities, and up-to-date with prevailing trends on terrorism as well as meet the needs of Member States of the Union;
• Lead the promotion of the Centre, its activities and projects on security and counter-terrorism and maintain contacts with international organizations and possible donors. 
• Lead and manage the Centre’s Communication Strategy in cooperation with other international interested organizations and institutes;
• Cooperate and coordinate with other relevant international organizations dealing with security issues/studies on implementation arrangements, potential partners and detailed specifications;
• Undertake consultations on security and counter-terrorism issues with relevant international, governmental and non-governmental organizations, as required;
• Ensure the maximum performance of the Centre
• Make recommendations to the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security on how to achieve the maximum performance of the Centre.
• Undertake fund-raising activities for the Centre in consultation with the PAPS Department;
• Ensure and protect the confidentiality of the activities of the Centre
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the Commissioner for PAPS or as directed by the Chairperson of the Commission.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• A Master's Degree in International Relations, Public Administration or Law, Political Science, Peace and Security.
• Any Certificate in Criminal Investigation/Intelligence from a national police or law enforcement academy, military academy or any related fields of study, with fourteen (14) years of experience in progressively responsible Public Institutions (Government Ministry, National Institutions) and International Institutions, and/or extensive professional, progressively, responsible experience in counterterrorism, out of which seven (7) years at managerial level and five (5) years at supervisory level.

Required Skills:

• Ability to initiate and promote collaborative approaches between geographically and culturally disparate partners.
• Excellent communication (spoken, written, presentation) skills, including ability to defend difficult issues and positions, excellent analytical skills, and ability to prepare reports with sound rationale, demonstrating openness in sharing information. 
• Expert knowledge and command of planning, programming, budgeting and other relevant administrative policies.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations both internally and externally.
• Ability to develop and delegate clear program goals, plans and actions, including budgets, that are consistent with agreed strategies.
• Outstanding inter-personal skills, working collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals, ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with the entire staff.
• Ability to effectively lead, supervise, mentor, develop and evaluate staff.
• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages, and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic Perspective
• Change Management
• Developing Others

Core Competencies:

• Building Relationship
• Foster Accountability Culture

Functional Competencies:

• Drive for Results

Tenure of Appointment

• The appointment will be made on a regular term contract for a period of three (3) years, of which the first twelve months shall be considered as a probationary period. Thereafter, the contract will be for a period of two years renewable, subject to satisfactory performance and deliverables.

Gender mainstreaming

• The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Languages:

• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (Arabic, English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, and Spanish) is mandatory and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage

Remuneration
Indicative basic salary of US$  61,023.00 (P6 Step1) per annum plus other related entitlements e.g. Post adjustment ( 48% of basic salary), Housing allowance US$  23,544.00   (per annum), and education allowance (100% of tuition and other education-related expenses for every eligible dependent up to a maximum of US$ 10,000.00 per child per annum), for internationally recruited staff and a maximum of $3,300 per child per annum for locally recruited staff.

Application Closing Date
8th May, 2024; 11h59 p.m. EAT