Peacebuilding Specialist

DanChurchAid (DCA) is seeking to recruit an energetic Kenyan National for the position of Peacebuilding Specialist. The position is Nairobi based – with frequent travel to DCA and partner areas of operation in Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan – and reports to the SPREAD Consortium Project Manager based in Kenya. The role will be supported by a group of global advisors. 

The Peacebuilding Specialist will provide technical support to the EU-funded project “Strengthening Integrated Peace, Resilience, and Disaster Risk Reduction for Cross-Border Communities in the border regions of South Omo (Ethiopia), Turkana (Kenya), and Eastern Equatoria (South Sudan)” (SPREAD).

They will offer strategic leadership and oversight for all peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and social cohesion interventions under the project. This includes strengthening community-based peace structures, facilitating cross-border dialogue processes, and ensuring that all activities are designed and implemented in a conflict-sensitive manner. The Specialist will collaborate closely with local authorities, traditional leaders, community structures, civil society organisations, and other partners to foster sustainable peace and stability across the targeted areas.

The position requires a highly analytical, diplomatic, and conflict-sensitive professional with strong experience in local peacebuilding, dialogue facilitation, cross-border dynamics, and stakeholder engagement.

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Technical Leadership & Peacebuilding Strategy

• Lead the design, implementation, and adaptation of peacebuilding and conflict mitigation strategies in line with project objectives.
• Conduct context analysis, conflict assessments, and provide real-time conflict sensitivity guidance to project teams.
• Support the integration of gender, youth, and social inclusion in all peacebuilding initiatives.
• Work closely with the regional resilience specialist to integrate resilience-building approaches into peacebuilding programming to address drivers and root causes of conflict, and to consult on conflict sensitive and peace responsive approaches in economic and climate resilience programming

2. Stakeholder Engagement & Coordination

• Build and maintain relationships with local government authorities, peacebuilding forums, traditional leaders, and civil society organizations.
• Represent the project in technical working groups, coordination platforms, county/regional peace meetings, and relevant national-level forums.
• Regularly consult and coordinate with DCA technical peacebuilding leads in implementing countries.

3. Capacity Building

• Provide training and mentorship to project staff, partners, and community structures on peacebuilding, mediation, negotiation, conflict early warning, and Do-No-Harm principles.
• Guide partners in developing peacebuilding plans, community agreements, and collaborative mechanisms across borders.
• Work closely with resilience specialist to build partner capacity in integrating conflict sensitivity assessments into resilience and development programming.

4. Monitoring, Analysis & Reporting

• Monitor conflict trends, produce analytical briefs, and advise the project on implications for programming.
• Contribute to work plans, progress reports, donor reports, and learning products.
• Support documentation of lessons learned, best practices, and success stories on peace and conflict mitigation, and social cohesion.

5. Programme Quality & Compliance

• Ensure that peacebuilding activities are delivered on time, on budget, and meet the highest technical quality standards.
• Ensure all interventions adhere to conflict sensitivity, safeguarding, and donor compliance requirements.
• Work with MEAL teams to design and track peacebuilding indicators, early warning systems, and community feedback mechanisms.
• Review and advise on project designs to strengthen integration across HDP Nexus. 

Qualifications and Experience

Qualifications

• A Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies, International Relations, Development Studies, Governance, or a related discipline is required. Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree and substantial relevant experience may also be considered. 
• Completion of recent HEAT training will be an added advantage.

Experience

• At least 5–7 years of experience in peacebuilding, conflict prevention, conflict analysis, or social cohesion programming, preferably in fragile or cross-border contexts.
• Experience working in the region, preferably from at least two of the countries in question: Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. Previous working experience in relevant provinces, such as Turkana, South Omo, and/or Eastern Equatoria is an added advantage.
• Experience working on EU-funded projects is an added advantage.
• Experience working in multi-country projects and/or big consortia projects is an added advantage.
• Demonstrated experience supporting the implementation of integrated projects across peace, resilience or development and/or climate change adaptation sectors. Practical experience with supporting local-level dialogue facilitation, community action planning, and/or early conflict warning and action activities is a distinct advantage.
• Demonstrated experience working and engaging with traditional governance systems, community peace structures, and local authorities. Demonstrated experience in conflict analysis and conflict-sensitive programming, with practical application of key methodologies and tools such as Do No Harm, Political Economy Analysis (PEA), Outcome Harvesting, and scenario planning.
• Strong understanding of pastoralist dynamics, communal resource-based conflicts, and cross-border issues.
• Excellent communication, diplomacy, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work in complex environments and manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Strong report writing, analytical, and documentation skills.

Personal qualities:

• Ability to work independently, provide technical leadership and facilitate good team collaboration and learning across peacebuilding colleagues in the three countries, and between the DCA-led and two other consortia engaged in the wider EU-funded programme.
• Ability to communicate complex technical information effectively, build capacities and engage a variety of stakeholders effectively for achievement of results.
• Ability to support and provide advice on challenging technical matters, energize colleagues and develop solutions.