Jude A. Mutah
Saint Charles,United States
Summary
Professional with comprehensive experience ready for this role. Equipped with solid skills in leadership, problem-solving, and strategic planning. Known for team collaboration and adaptability, consistently delivering results. Strong communicator with a focus on integrity and accountability.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Programs Officer, Africa
National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
09.2022 - Current
- Manage a portfolio of over 40 grants worth about $2 million in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cameroon, and in the West Africa region more broadly
- Provide technical assistance and guidance to the NED leadership and other operating units to design strategies related to civil society development programming, utilizing appropriate diagnostic tools and approaches
- Manage civil society activities, guide the design of evidence-based programs, and encourage innovation to address emerging issues related to civic space in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cameroon, and the broader West Africa region
- Draft summaries of proposals to present at quarterly board meetings to the NED Board of Directors
- Monitoring the work of existing grantees, including review and analysis of any publications or other products, and providing feedback to improve performance and product
- Coordinate with other units within the Endowment to enhance and increase staff's civil society development, knowledge, skills, and abilities throughout the Institute through training, coaching, and other means
- Track and analyze political developments in the West Africa region and provide briefing to leadership as needed
- Help organize events highlighting specific democracy and civil society-related issues in coordination with other relevant departments at the Endowment and Think Tanks in Washington, DC
- Generate and disseminate information on current trends and best practices in civil society development and local capacity strengthening and provide guidance on related policy and strategy design, implementation, job aids, and tools
- Travel to the region as needed, and occasionally under challenging conditions, to identify new civil society partners
- Represent the Endowment's work in the assigned portfolio internally and with external audiences
Adjunct Professor
The University of Baltimore
01.2021 - Current
- Teach courses in global affairs and human security at the School of Public and International Affairs, including, among others:
- PPIA 284 - Comparative Politics in a Changing World
- GAHS 740 - Global Affairs and Human Security Capstone
- PPIA 210 - Introduction to International Studies
- Advise and mentor course participants during the academic program and beyond; explain key policy development and implementation concepts;
Founder & President
The JM Foundation for Youth Advocacy
06.2011 - Current
- Company Overview: www.facebook.com/TheJmFoundationForYouthAdvocacy
- Leads the planning and execution of humanitarian activities to improve living standards for underprivileged street children and orphans in Africa, focusing mainly on Cameroon
- Empowered underprivileged children enrolled in school by providing them with tuition, school materials, mentorship
- Invited to the Fomunyoh Foundation Radio (FM 100) in Bamenda and interviewed on the JM Foundation's work supporting the underprivileged and its community development initiatives
- Www.facebook.com/TheJmFoundationForYouthAdvocacy
Programs Officer, Africa
United States Institute of Peace
06.2022 - 09.2022
- Led the day-to-day management of USIP Programs in Nigeria and coastal West Africa
- Provided technical assistance and guidance to the USIP leadership and other operating units to design strategies, projects, and activities related to civil society development programming, utilizing appropriate diagnostic tools and approaches
- Provided oversight and technical support to USIP partners in the field, supervised field staff
- Coordinated and engaged with various USAID, interagency, executive branch, and external stakeholders on critical and emerging issues, including civil society development and policy;
- Contributed to the development of overall program direction and strategy
- Contributed to designing programs and identifying resources to support them by drafting work plans, concept notes, and proposals
- Contributed to the development of and execution of research, writing, and public event agenda
- Drafted/supervised the drafting of program materials, communications, and other documents
- Supervised and managed the West Africa junior staff at HQ
- Maintained project work plans, managed over 20 contracts, and oversaw a budget worth over $5 million
Penn Kemble Fellow
National Endowment for Democracy
09.2021 - 06.2022
- Actively participated in and contributed to monthly off-the-record foreign policy discussions
Programs Specialist, Africa
United States Institute of Peace
08.2020 - 06.2022
- Established rapport and achieved Nigeria program goals with internal and external stakeholders across West and Central Africa
- Drafted Congressional Budget Justifications (CBJ), Strategic and annual plans, and quarterly reports for a State Department-funded project
- Coordinated and served as POC of the high-level working group on Cameroon
- Developed work plans and project frameworks for six Nigeria projects to ensure activities were implemented on time and achieved programmatic objectives
- Oversaw budgets totaling about $2 million of US State Department and USIP funds; drafted and monitored contracts with domestic and international vendors to ensure receipt of high-quality deliverables and on-time payment; Served as COTR for over a dozen contracts
- Mentored three junior staff
- Represented the Africa Center VP at Cameroon-related and other meetings
- Coordinated and briefed newly appointed Ambassadors to Africa
- Coordinated monitoring, evaluation, and reporting for Nigeria
- Coordinated the day-to-day implementation of the Nigeria Program and selected Lake Chad Basin Projects
- Oversees the Africa Center's engagements in Cameroon
Senior Programs Assistant, Africa
United States Institute of Peace
10.2019 - 08.2020
- Established rapport and achieved Nigeria program goals with internal and external stakeholders
- Developed work plans and project frameworks for six Nigeria projects to ensure activities were implemented on time and achieved programmatic objectives
- Supported budget management totaling about $1.3 million of US State Department and USIP funds; drafted and monitored contracts with domestic and international vendors to ensure receipt of high-quality deliverables and on-time payment
- Drafted State Department quarterly reports memos for USIP leadership, program updates, and web content
- Served as the logistical point person for Africa team events, including senior government officials visits from northern Nigeria governors' symposium (2016) attended by over 500 people, including state governors, federal ministers, senior US government officials, and civil society leaders
Programs Assistant, Africa
United States Institute of Peace
04.2016 - 10.2019
- Seamlessly supported the design and successful implementation of projects (including research) that promote inclusion, peacebuilding, and community security in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin area
- Contributed to the development and drafting of annual program work and strategic plans
- Supported the development, planning, and execution of private and public events, including the 2016 Northern Nigeria Governors' Forum and the screening of the documentary Boko Haram: Journey from Evil, which brought together over 250 guests
- Conducted research and writing for USIP's webpage, including three articles on Cameroon and others
- Drafted quarterly reports for a State Department-funded Interagency Agreement project- The Lake Chad Basin Project (Northern Governors Dialogue and Working Group Project)
- Supported the Africa program's project evaluation by drafting interview/evaluation questions and collecting data through archival reviews and expert subject matter interviews
- Seamlessly managed over a dozen contracts - developed budget and statement of works, processed contracts in the Financial Management System FMS, monitored deliverables, and processed invoices promptly
- Tracked program budget adequately and reported to senior program officer weekly
Expert - Cameroon Hate Speech Lexicon
PeaceTech Lab
01.2018 - 12.2018
- Served as an expert reviewer and provided detailed feedback and advice on the development of a hate speech lexicon on Cameroon
- Drafted sections of the lexicon, including a section on the current conflict dynamics in Cameroon
- Final Report: https://bit.ly/2DXftx7
Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Expert
International Research and Exchange Board (IREX)
01.2017 - 12.2017
- Evaluated and scored over forty program applications for former US President Obama's flagship program, the Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders (YALI), based on set guidelines and recommended qualified candidates to IREX
Research Assistant
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
01.2014 - 12.2014
- Assisted Public Policy Scholar Dr
- James Schear with proofreading and editing written work, summarizing research materials, checking references/quotations, and locating inter-library loan materials
- Conducted online database research and literature reviews and formatted bibliographies, endnotes, and footnotes
Africa Program Staff Intern
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
01.2014 - 12.2014
- Supported the Africa Program Director, staff, and visiting scholars by researching important Sub-Saharan African issues
- Assisted with grant application and management that awarded the program a $750,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York
- Supported event development and execution
Research Intern & Volunteer
Nonviolence International
05.2013 - 12.2014
- Provided general support in grant proposal development and writing to assist the organization's staff with program development and fundraising projects
- Researched and prepared reports analyzing the causes of conflict in Africa
Consultant
International Monetary Fund, Legal Department
05.2012 - 12.2012
- Digitized historical collections of paper records to the legal records database
- Analyzed, scanned, and entered the data into the records database
Intern
The Peace Alliance
09.2011 - 03.2012
- Conducted in-depth research on conflict and peacebuilding in the United States
- Attended at least four events on Capitol Hill and provided readouts to the team
- Managed phone communication, supporter emails and requests, and other operational tasks
Program Coordinator
Grassroots Population (NGO) -Defunct
05.2008 - 03.2010
- Assisted the Women and Gender unit of Grassroots Population in its mission to eradicate poverty and unwanted pregnancy among teenage girls in Cameroon by performing outreach campaigns in rural areas to connect underprivileged young women with essential benefits (e.g., financial and educational)
- Planned and presented seven workshops with at least 50 participants in public areas that educated adolescent girls on sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS
Education
Doctor of Public Administration - Focused on Global Affairs and Human Security
The University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MDLL.M - International and Comparative Law
The George Washington University Law School
Washington, DCMaster of Advanced Studies - Peace and Conflict Transformation
The University of Basel World Peace Academy
Basel, SwitzerlandBachelor of Laws (Legum Baccalaureus) - LL.B
The University of Yaoundé
Yaoundé, CameroonSkills
- Work coordination
- Report writing
- Strategic planning
- Innovation and creativity
- Public speaking
- Analytical thinking
- Relationship building
- Interpersonal communication
- Project planning
Unpublishedpapers
- Multitrack Diplomacy in the Lake Chad Basin: Good Governance, not Weapons can End Boko Haram, 07/29/19
- An Assessment of Transnational Cooperation to Combat the Boko Haram Terrorist Group in the Lake Chad Basin - Africa: A study of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), 08/19
- Red Tape - Its Causes, Effects, and Pathways in Public Organizations: A Y of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in Africa, 05/19
- Russia in West Africa: Its Motives, Approach, and Implication for US Foreign Policy, 01/22
- Nigeria 2023 Elections: The Young Decide
Conferencespresented
- International Studies Association-South Conference, 10/04/19, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- The Southern Political Science Association Annual Conference, 01/09/20 - 01/11/20, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- The Western Political Science Association Annual Conference, 05/21/20 - 05/23/20, Virtual
Citizenship
United States
Researchandpublication
- Global Responses to Cameroon's Anglophone Crisis: The Inadequate International Efforts to End the World's Most Neglected Conflict, The SAIS Review of International Affairs, 11/08/22, https://saisreview.sais.jhu.edu/cameroon-anglophone-crisis-global-response/
- Is there such a thing as a good coup in Africa?, National Endowment for Democracy, 09/23/21, https://www.demdigest.org/category/africa/central-african-republic/
- Transnational Cooperation to Combat Boko Haram: The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Dissertation, https://mdsoar.org/handle/11603/22564
- Cameroon: is the absence of war peace?, Pan African Visions, 09/30/14, http://panafricanvisions.com/2014/cameroon-absence-war-peace/
- Rule of Law and Conflict Prevention in Cameroon, Academia.com, 04/12/16, https://www.academia.edu/25497631/Rule_of_Law_and_Conflict_Prevention_in_Cameroon
- Cameroon in Crisis as President Biya refuses to compromise., Today News Africa, 08/29/18, https://todaynewsafrica.com/opinion-cameroon-in-crisis-as-president-biya-refuses-to-compromise/
- Cameroon's Anglophone Uprising: A Crisis Overlooked - The US and Central Africa need Cameroon to build stability rather than prolong authoritarian rule., United States Institute of Peace, 10/04/18, https://www.usip.org/publications/2018/10/cameroons-anglophone-uprising-crisis-overlooked
- After Election, Cameroon's Governance Crisis Continues: Increasing voter apathy points to a worrying distrust of the political process, 12/17/18, https://www.usip.org/publications/2018/12/afterelection-cameroons-governance-crisis-continues
- Amid War in Ukraine, Russia's Lavrov Goes on Diplomatic Offensive: In search of partners to ease its international isolation, Russia has shifted its focus to Africa and Asia., United States Institute of Peace, 08/25/22, https://www.usip.org/publications/2022/08/amid-war-ukraine-russias-lavrov-goesdiplomatic-offensive
- What Russia's Invasion of Ukraine Means for African Governments: While some see the chance to bolster the continent's energy markets, others double-down on ties with Moscow., United States Institute of Peace, 04/14/22, https://www.usip.org/publications/2022/04/what-russias-invasion-ukraine-meansafrican-governments
- How Putin's Invasion of Ukraine Affects the Rest of Russian Foreign Policy: Could the decision to attack Ukraine portend a shift in Moscow's international decision-making?, United States Institute of Peace, 02/24/22, https://www.usip.org/publications/2022/02/how-putins-invasion-ukraine-affects-restrussian-foreign-policy
Languages
French
Elementary
Timeline
Programs Officer, Africa
National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
09.2022 - Current
Programs Officer, Africa
United States Institute of Peace
06.2022 - 09.2022
Penn Kemble Fellow
National Endowment for Democracy
09.2021 - 06.2022
Adjunct Professor
The University of Baltimore
01.2021 - Current
Programs Specialist, Africa
United States Institute of Peace
08.2020 - 06.2022
Senior Programs Assistant, Africa
United States Institute of Peace
10.2019 - 08.2020
Expert - Cameroon Hate Speech Lexicon
PeaceTech Lab
01.2018 - 12.2018
Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Expert
International Research and Exchange Board (IREX)
01.2017 - 12.2017
Programs Assistant, Africa
United States Institute of Peace
04.2016 - 10.2019
Research Assistant
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
01.2014 - 12.2014
Africa Program Staff Intern
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
01.2014 - 12.2014
Research Intern & Volunteer
Nonviolence International
05.2013 - 12.2014
Consultant
International Monetary Fund, Legal Department
05.2012 - 12.2012
Intern
The Peace Alliance
09.2011 - 03.2012
Founder & President
The JM Foundation for Youth Advocacy
06.2011 - Current
Program Coordinator
Grassroots Population (NGO) -Defunct
05.2008 - 03.2010
LL.M - International and Comparative Law
The George Washington University Law School
Master of Advanced Studies - Peace and Conflict Transformation
The University of Basel World Peace Academy
Bachelor of Laws (Legum Baccalaureus) - LL.B
The University of Yaoundé
Doctor of Public Administration - Focused on Global Affairs and Human Security
The University of Baltimore