Christopher Gabelle

Experience

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  DFID/European Union/Agrisystems (now Cardno) and Travers Morgan International

  Sept 1990 - Dec 1999

  Humanitarian Adviser/Independent Consultant/Regional Manager

  UK Department for International Development United Kingdom/Sierra LeoneHumanitarian Adviser 08/1999 – 05/2000Seconded as Special Assistant to the Executive Secretary, National Committee for Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR). Advised and influenced the delivery of the DDR process, drawing on a culturally sensitive understanding of both the rebel groups and affected populations and adjusting the methodology and incentives accordingly for maximum impact.European Commission Liberia Technical Assistant to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs 11/1997 – 06/1999First international technical assistant placed into Liberian line ministry following the civil war. Liaison between EU funded programmes and Government of Liberia. Agrisystems/Travers Morgan International World Wide/United KingdomRegional Manager for Africa/Agricultural Economist 09/1990 – 07/1999Responsible for building a business pipeline of projects for two international development private sector companies and for managing and delivering the implementation of those programmes. subsequently won. This involved developing short- and long-term business marketing strategies writing proposals and negotiating contracts – with funding agencies. Undertook extensive international travel to market the companies to Governments, donor agencies and to ensure programme implementation with stakeholders was on track and delivering agreed objectives. Also participated in a number of programme design missions for the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) as an Financial Analyst/Economist. Show less

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  European Commission

  Jun 2000 - May 2002

  ECHO Country Representative

  Designed the country and regional humanitarian aid strategy and sought to develop and fund a pipeline of NGO programmes and projects, resulting in timely humanitarian assistance to populations in desperate need, in a co-ordinated, transparent and coherent manner - avoiding duplication and ensuring full country coverage. Oversaw the roll out and effect of this strategy by undertaking regular co-ordination with Government, Rebel Forces, the UN Peace Keeping Mission, Bilateral Donors, NGO partners and directly with the recipient communities, using the monitoring and results to flex and shape the approach. Show less

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  FAO

  Sept 2002 - Dec 2003

  Senior Programme Co-ordinator

  Established the first FAO field office in Jerusalem with sub offices in West Bank and Gaza Strip. Created niche specialism and strategy for FAO in agricultural recovery and food security.Successfully marketed and promoted FAO’s skills and USP and secured funding from USAID and EU to support a large-scale food security survey (involving 2 other UN agencies and 40 team members) across the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Mmaintained strategic and high-level co-ordination and negotiation with Israeli Authorities, Palestinian Authorities, Quartet Representative and other UN Agencies, allowing unhindered access, adherence to strict security protocols and successful implementation of the survey work. Show less

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  UNDP - Liberia. European Commission - Liberia

  Jan 2004 - Jun 2004

  Independent Consultant

  Created and implemented a 9 million Euro programme of technical and institutional support for the European Commission as part of its support and commitment to the National Transitional Government of Liberia. Critically reviewed the requests for assistance, networked with Government officials and other donor partners, and proposed a series of distinctive interventions – within a constrained timeframe; and Designed the UNDP aid co-ordination mechanism for the Liberia Reconstruction Programme – this involved working with new and established partners, creating results scorecards and indicators to capture and report impact of proposed interventions – showing how field level results achieved higher level ambitions and impact Show less

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  European Commission - Liberia

  Aug 2004 - Jul 2007

  Senior Institutions and Governance Specialist

  Strategic lead for both the European Commission and the United Kingdom for the successful design, negotiation and start-up of the multi-sectoral Governance and Economic Management Assistance Programme (GEMAP); and Established the first UK bilateral aid programme in Liberia – identified niche opportunities and opportunities for programmes by mobilising and utilising targeted support missions from HQ (including Ministers, Senior Directors and specialised technical specialists).

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  Department for International Development (DFID)

  Sept 2007 - Apr 2010

  Senior Governance Adviser

  As a member of DFID Sierra Leone Senior Management Team, I directed and fronted components of the successful 2008/9 office re-structuring process. I created, motivated and empowered a new team to successfully deliver a £27 million portfolio within 3 months.With accountability and sensitivity, I led the drawdown of the UK bilateral portfolio in Liberia – handling sensitive and challenging discussions with courage and full transparency. This decision was taken to streamline both the operating costs and the range of programmatic interventions and free up funding and staffing resources for alternative programming in Sierra Leone; andProtected UK taxpayer money, by leading and directing forensic audits on potential fraud cases – and provided assurance to senior management on the financial compliance requirements for the overall country portfolio. Show less

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  DFID Uganda

  Apr 2010 - Jul 2011

  Senior Goveranance and Conflict Adviser

  I pioneered aid effectiveness and strategic development partner engagement in democratic governance, by chairing, managing and directing the creation of a brand-new multi-partner Democratic Governance Facility (elections, justice, voice and accountability). Reported to a Board of 8 Ambassadors; Senior Adviser on £110 million Northern Uganda Post Conflict Recovery Programme. Designed and implemented a £28 million Uganda Accountability Programme, focusing on new and innovative accountability mechanisms in the governance and health sectors. Show less

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  World Bank

  Aug 2011 - Oct 2014

  Senior Governance Specialist

  I improved in country development partner collaboration and co-ordination by creating and operationalizing a multi-partner Governance and Accountability Working Group –providing technical and policy analysis, dialogue and solutions, used by Heads of Mission for high level Development Partner Aid Co-ordinations meeting with the President/Government; As a member of several multi-sectoral task teams, I was the Country Office singular point of contact and specialist for all governance and public sector inputs and analysis – frequently representing Washington based Task Team Leaders in negotiations and implementation challenges with senior Government officials and project management units; and Co-authored two highly sensitive political economy reports –on Extractives Governance and Social Capital, which directly shaped the inclusion of a new third pillar (Managing the Extractives Boom) into the Bank’s Country Assistance Strategy and the Bank’s 2013/14 Fragility Assessment for Sierra Leone. Both pieces of analysis changed both the Banks policy and operational approach to its Sierra Leone portfolio – as well as GoSL’s approach to institutional reform and transparency in minerals management. Show less

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  UK Dept. for International Development

  Oct 2014 - May 2017

  Deputy Head of Office - DFID Sierra Leone

  Led a cross office, multi-disciplinary team, providing strategic direction, motivation and challenge to deliver an extremely challenging, ambitious, high paced, high risk 2 year – UKAID £240 million post Ebola recovery portfolio – covering health, water and sanitation, governance, private sector development, anti-corruption and infrastructure;Successful Process Owner for 3 internal audit visits (in 16 months) applying at pace and with coherence, robust and innovative assurance, compliance and risk management controls across the portfolio – providing re-assurance to DFID Senior Management and the Department’s Audit Committee;Provided strategic support to Head of Office and the UK Ambassador– and created a united platform for demonstrating, showcasing and externally representing United Kingdom interventions in the country and to programme beneficiaries;Highly resilient and role modelled innovative approaches to team working during the Ebola outbreak and post Ebola recovery period; andHighly visible and responsive to UK Ministers and Senior Management, providing confidence and assurance for achievement of UKAID objectives, policy and compliance requirements in Sierra Leone. Show less

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  UK Department for International Development

  Jul 2017 - Jul 2020

  Deputy Head of Office

  Deputy Head of Office 06/2017 - ongoingInterim Head of Office 12/2017-04/2018I provide strategic direction to the DFID DRC team, in a complicated and difficult operating environment. I am responsible for business planning, steering our vision and objectives for the next 5 to 10 years – matching needs to resources and determining the scale of ambition in relation to context, financial resources and risk;I have overseen and managed an uplift in the country portfolio from £147 million to £191.5 million in one year - and changed office compliance and oversight procedures to provide a higher level of assurance and risk management for programme delivery. I lead quarterly portfolio review exercises with individual teams – an approach of collective delivery – allowing a bigger picture view of portfolio performances and challenges;I champion and lead strong and effective financial supervision and commercial management for the office I have brought in procedures used in previous roles to tighten spending variances, improve accuracy of forecasting, control administrative spend. I have designed and led open days for Implementing Partners with the aim of diversifying the pool of suppliers for the organization, to deliver better value for money. I am responsible for workforce planning, upskilling staff and setting out clear objectives for performance and roles; I have improved portfolio understanding through listening and responding to implementing partner (NGO, multilateral and private sector supplier) feedback and adapted approaches to deliver better impact, accountability and value for money; andI provide effective crisis management leadership to the UK in DRC Mission – as crisis manager for the staff drawdown over the turbulent election period (December 18 to January 19), I ran the UK’s crisis management team, at the same time providing leadership and direction to the scaled down DFID office, which was still delivering a £191.5 million portfolio Show less

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  The World Bank

  Jul 2020 - now

  • Senior Social Protection Specialist

    Jul 2023 - now

  • Senior Operations Officer (Fragility, Conflict, Violence (FCV) Unit)

    Jul 2020 - Jun 2023