Peacebuilding and governance specialist
More than 40 years of work in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, ranging from humanitarian relief to sustainable development.
Robert Groelsema has spent more than four decades in international development and humanitarian work, serving with international, governmental and non-governmental organizations as UN Field Officer, Social Scientist and Chief of Party.
His core interests are devolved democratic governance, civil society participation, cross-sectoral development and peacebuilding. He has conducted applied research and evaluation, and managed programs designed to increase civil society participation in emerging democracies, to develop conflict early warning methodologies and systems, and to help pastoralist communities cope with drought and other shocks.
Most recently he led Catholic Relief Services' Africa Justice and Peacebuilding Working Group, a team of technical advisors supporting CRS country programs across sub-Saharan Africa on peace, conflict, social cohesion and good governance.
Languages
French and Spanish (fluent); some proficiency in German, Dutch, Lingala, Swahili and Tagalog
From Peace Corps volunteer in Zaire to Chief of Party in Ghana and Kenya and team leader at Catholic Relief Services: nearly five decades with international, governmental and non-governmental organizations.
2014–2025
Team Leader, Africa Justice and Peacebuilding Working Group (AJPWG)
As part of Catholic Relief Services, the AJPWG included five technical advisors supporting CRS' regional offices and country programs in Africa concerning peace, conflict, social cohesion and good governance. In this capacity, hosted and mentored four Mandela Washington Fellows in their Professional Development Experiences.
2012–2014
Chief of Party, REGAL-IR: Resilience and Economic Growth in Arid Lands – Improving Resilience in Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
Managed a $45.5m five-year resilience strengthening project in northern Kenya, funded by USAID/Kenya with support from the Bureau of Food Security and Feed the Future in Washington, DC. The project aimed to raise living standards, improve community well-being, and increase food security for drought-affected and impoverished pastoralists in northern Kenya.
2009–2011
Chief of Party, EWARDS: Early Warning and Response Design Support, Accra, Ghana
Managed all facets of a $4.5m two-and-a-half-year conflict early warning and response project in West Africa, contracted under USAID/West Africa with technical support from the Office for Conflict Management and Mitigation (CMM).
2006–2009
Senior Associate, Arlington, Virginia
Provided technical leadership for ARD's institutional development and governance sector; led ARD's Civil Society Strengthening Practice Area; contributed specialized short- and long-term expertise for task orders and projects on demand; ensured client satisfaction in review, analysis, planning, training and implementation of projects; managed and provided guidance to ARD staff and consortium partners on USAID's Building Recovery and Reform through Democratic Governance (BRDG) IQC.
1998–2006
Civil Society Analyst and Social Scientist, Washington, DC
Provided technical assistance on behalf of USAID's Bureau for Africa, Office of Sustainable Development (AFR/SD), and Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance, Office of Democracy and Governance (DCHA/DG). Assisted USAID missions and US embassies in democracy and governance (DG) and civil society programming, including strategic planning, design, implementation, performance monitoring and evaluation; mentored field officers and implementing partners through TDYs, field assessments and backstopping; co-led efforts to integrate governance and other sectors, including food security and HIV/AIDS. As Cognizant Technical Officer (CTO), managed the African Leadership Program with the Les Aspin Center for Government at Marquette University; the Africa Liaison Program Initiative (ALPI) with InterAction; the Global Civil Society Strengthening Cooperative Agreement with AED; the Civil Society Sustainability Study with MSI; and the NGO Law Reform activity with ICNL. Was CTO for the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) activity implemented by the Foundation for Democracy in Africa (FDA).
1997–1998
Funding Assistance Specialist, Bloomington, Indiana
Provided technical assistance in private and public funding, program planning and proposal writing to community-based groups working to prevent alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) abuse among youth in local communities across Indiana.
1992–1993
Guinea Project Assistant and Deputy Chief of Party, Guinea
Provided technical assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MARA) to manage its physical inventory. Managed NASPAA's office in Guinea and supervised six local staff. Organized computer training for MARA personnel to manage human, financial and material resources.
1985–1986
Field Manager, Chad
Organized and operated emergency feeding programs and grain distributions, and designed and conducted nutritional surveys in the Mayo-Kebbi and Chari-Baguirmi regions of Chad; hired, trained and supervised 25 local staff; coordinated with local officials and maintained operational liaison with partners.
1984
Restaurant Manager, Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines
Co-managed a 60-seat facility with indoor-outdoor dining and nightly entertainment for a popular restaurant in Puerto Princesa City. Supervised and trained a local staff of 15, managed inventory, hired bands and entertainers, handled financial reports, and tended bar.
1982–1983
UNHCR Field Officer, Palawan, Philippines
Coordinated, monitored and reported on the implementation of protection and resettlement services within the Vietnamese Refugee Center (VRC); planned projects and budgets for the VRC; directed housing and maintenance projects; oversaw sanitation and food supply; maintained productive relationships with Philippine military and local government officials on behalf of UNHCR; coordinated international field staff of eight; liaised with 15 to 20 voluntary agencies operating inside the camp.
1979–1981
Peace Corps Volunteer, Zaire
Taught English as a foreign language (TEFL) and geography (in French) to high school students in Bas-Zaire; served as Faculty Advisor for the school's animal husbandry projects in pisciculture and rabbit-raising; trained incoming Peace Corps volunteers in TEFL for the Centre de Formation of the University of Zaire, Bukavu.
1977–1979
Area Coordinator, Michigan
Directed and implemented programs in emergency assistance, relocations, job placement and adult basic education for an NGO assisting migrant and seasonal farmworkers in southwestern Michigan; managed two offices; supervised 11 field office staff; helped establish an area migrant services advisory council.
Short-term assignments alongside these posts: leading evaluations in Liberia and the DRC, writing winning USAID proposals and assessing governance in Guinea, as well as university teaching and grant writing.
Aug–Oct 2012
Team Leader, mid-term evaluation of the Civil Society Media Leadership (CSML) program, Liberia
Evaluation conducted under The Mitchell Group's Liberia Monitoring and Evaluation Program (L-MEP) of a program implemented by IREX. Led a four-person team in a formative evaluation of a five-year $11.9m project that aimed to increase the capacity of civil society and community radio to inform and engage citizens and to encourage active participation in civic matters, policy and politics across seven counties of Liberia. The team made three presentations to stakeholders and produced a 30-page evaluation report. The evaluation combined a document and M&E data review with key informant interviews, focus groups, a radio call-in program, and on-site observations in Monrovia and across four counties.
Jul–Aug 2012
Team Leader, final evaluation of “Protecting Communities from Violence Through Improved Communications”, Eastern DRC
Funded by the US State Department's Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration (BPRM). Led a two-person team to evaluate a 22-month, $1.7m community protection project in eastern DRC. The project's goal was to develop local capacity for enhanced security and protection from armed attacks by organizing 40 community protection committees in South Kivu and Orientale provinces and equipping them with HF radios to communicate with UN (MONUSCO) field bases and with Caritas partners in four dioceses of eastern DRC. The team made two presentations and produced a 30-page report. The evaluation combined desk study, document review, key informant interviews, on-site observations in South Kivu, and a review of the project's M&E data.
May–Jun 2012
Lead Technical Writer, Nairobi, Kenya
Produced a winning 25-page technical proposal responding to a USAID/Kenya solicitation for “Resilience and Economic Growth in the Arid Lands – Improving Resilience Project in Kenya (REGAL-IR),” a five-year $45m award. Assisted Adeso and seven sub-partners to develop an integrated, cross-sector approach to strengthening resilience in five northern counties of Kenya. Advised on staffing and program design.
Apr–May 2012
Lead Technical Writer, Washington, DC
Produced a winning 30-page technical proposal responding to a USAID/West Africa solicitation for “Evaluation and Analytical Services for the Regional Peace and Governance Programs,” worth $8.2m over five years. Handled the full spectrum of proposal preparation: coordinated a partnership between TMG and the University of Pittsburgh, designed the staffing matrix, drafted and finalized the technical approach, supervised the M&E sections, recruited short-term technical assistance for the consultant roster, identified and recruited five West African NGO partners, and designed and administered a partner technical capacity building questionnaire.
Mar 2012
Lead Technical Writer, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Produced the Governance Group's technical concept note responding to a solicitation from the USAID Higher Education Solutions Network. The purpose of the solicitation was to find new approaches to solving major development challenges by creating and leveraging virtual networks of experts affiliated with universities and research institutions.
Mar 2012
Lead Technical Writer, Accra, Ghana
Conducted field research in West Africa and produced WANEP's technical proposal in response to USAID/DCHA/CMM's FY12 Annual Program Statement on people-to-people conflict management, “Conflict Mitigation and Reconciliation Programs and Activities.” The proposal supported USAID's aims to assist the people of Côte d'Ivoire to further national reconciliation following a decade of civil war, political partitioning of the country, and the presidential succession crisis of 2011–2012.
Feb 2012
Lead Technical Writer, Burundi
Produced CRS/Burundi's technical proposal in response to USAID/DCHA/CMM's FY12 Annual Program Statement on people-to-people conflict management, “Conflict Mitigation and Reconciliation Programs and Activities.” The proposal supported USAID's aims to assist the Government of Burundi to attain MCC Threshold Country Program status by controlling corruption, improving democratic rights, and applying a conflict lens to election-oriented programming. Conducted desk research, provided input to interview instruments, consulted with project stakeholders and CRS staff in Burundi, and drafted and finalized the technical content of the proposal.
Nov 2011
Keynote Speaker, Southern Africa
Gave the keynote address to the CRS and Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) Southern Africa Conference on Extractive Industries, “Connecting Resources, Connecting People.” Produced the presentation “Overview of Extractive Industries” and drafted the conference communiqué for media release.
Oct–Nov 1994
Democracy and Governance Consultant, Guinea
Conducted a democracy and governance assessment of Guinea for USAID. Analyzed and reported on political parties, media and civil society organizations, and produced the final report.
Sep 1994
Questionnaire Development Consultant, Conakry, Guinea
Researched and developed the annual statistics questionnaire for the Ministry of Education and Professional Training (MEPU-FP) in Guinea.
Oct–Dec 1993
Computer Hardware and PC Training Consultant, Washington, DC
Jun and Nov 1991
Guinea Project Inventory Management Consultant, Guinea
Conducted bids, supervised installation of personal computers and peripherals, and designed a training program for secretaries, professionals and managers in the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MARA) in Guinea.
1995–1997
Grants Writing Consultant, Bloomington, Indiana
Provided one-on-one proposal writing assistance to graduate students for dissertation and thesis research, travel, course work and special projects. Designed and led workshops on grants writing and interviewing. Searched online and manual funding databases. Successfully wrote proposals for Fulbright-Hays, MUCIA and MacArthur Foundation funding.
1989–1995
Associate Instructor, Bloomington, Indiana
Taught “Introduction to African Politics.” Assisted professors in teaching and grading undergraduate students in “Introduction to World Politics,” “American Social Welfare Policy” and “Introduction to American Politics.”
1987–1988
Program Evaluator, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
As Graduate Student Assistant, researched, assessed and reported on training programs for IMDI; organized field trips and professional visits for participants in the Francophone Development Management Seminar.
USAID/Kenya ▪ 2012–2014
Chief of Party, Adeso
A $45.5m five-year project to raise living standards and food security for drought-affected pastoralists in northern Kenya.
USAID/West Africa ▪ 2009–2011
Chief of Party, Tetra Tech ARD
A $4.5m conflict early warning and response project for West Africa.
USAID/Liberia ▪ 2012
Team Leader
Mid-term evaluation of an $11.9m program building civil society and community radio across seven counties.
US State Department ▪ 2012
Team Leader
Final evaluation of 40 community protection committees linked by HF radio to UN field bases.
Robert Groelsema has published extensively on African politics, history, geography, religion and culture; US foreign policy and assistance; and peacebuilding and governance.
2023
In Are We Making a Difference? Global and Local Efforts to Assess Peacebuilding Efforts. Edited by Stacey L. Connaughton and Jasmine R. Linabary. Rowman & Littlefield. With Nell Bolton.
2020
In Locally-Led Peacebuilding: Global Case Studies. Edited by Stacey L. Connaughton and Jessica Berns. Rowman & Littlefield. With Maureen Herman, Michelle Marland and Muminu Mutaru.
2017
In Why Global Health Matters: How to (Actually) Make the World a Better Place. Edited by Chris E. Stout. With Tristan Hansell and Lisa M. Brown.
2008
Edited book. Edited by Louis A. Picard, Robert Groelsema and Terry F. Buss. Routledge.
2008
In Foreign Aid and Foreign Policy: Lessons for the Next Half-Century. Routledge. With Louis A. Picard.
2008
In Foreign Aid and Foreign Policy: Lessons for the Next Half-Century. Routledge. With Louis A. Picard and Ted Lawrence.
2004
Journal of Asian and African Studies 39 (5): 467–469.
1998
Africa Today 45 (3–4): 411–421.
Reference articles on the geography, language, religion, history and daily life of three West African peoples. In Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life
2008
USAID/Mozambique. Principal author. With J. Michael Turner and Carlos Shenga.
2008
USAID/DRC. With Timothy Longman (principal author), Mark Billera, Nils Meuller, Zeric Smith and Emmanuel Mabaya.
2007
Scoping phase trip report for the US State Department and USAID. With Kent Elbow.
2005
USAID Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance. With Carol Sahley, Tom Marchione and David Nelson.
2005
USAID/Ghana. Team leader. With Patrick Fosu-Siaw and Clement Tandoh.
2004
USAID/Ethiopia. With Anita Spring.
2003
USAID/Ghana. With Kwesi Appiah, Avril Kudzi, Ted Lawrence, Elsie Menorkpor and Louis A. Picard.
2002
USAID/Ghana. Team leader. With Ed Connerley.
2001
USAID/Senegal. Team leader. With Don Muncy, Sidy Cissokho and Moribadjan Keita.
2000
USAID.
1995
USAID/Guinea. With Sheldon Gellar, Mamadou Kante and Mary Reintsma.
1993
Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Guinea. In French. With Sory Doumbouya and Amadou Oury Diallo.
1998
Indiana University (opens in a new tab)
Comparative politics and comparative public policy, with a minor in African studies.
1990
University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (opens in a new tab)
Concentration in economic and social development.
1985
Conflict analysis, reconciliation and locally led peacebuilding.
Decentralization, accountability and governance assessments.
Strengthening civil society and community media in emerging democracies.
Methodologies and systems for early warning in West Africa.
Helping pastoralist communities cope with drought and other shocks.
Evaluations, assessments and winning technical proposals.
Robert works with organizations and individuals on peacebuilding, governance and development. To explore how his experience could support your work, please get in touch.