Executive Officer | ReliefWeb

Job Title: Executive Officer

Reports to: Chairperson

Supervises: Program Managers, Lead researchers

Start Date: Immediate

Location: Nairobi

Program Overview

The Women Educational Researchers of Kenya (WERK) is a professional association of researchers committed to democratic principles and the principle of non-discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion or gender with interest in education, gender and development. The goal of WERK is to build a gender equitable Kenyan society through linking research to action and advocacy.

Overall responsibility:

As the chief administrative officer and legal representative of WERK, the Executive Officer will provide the vision, leadership and direction that WERK needs to achieve its goals; reporting to the Board of Directors and under the supervision of the Chairperson shall support the Board to carry out its governance functions; recommend and participate in the formulation of new policies and make decisions within existing policies as approved by the Board; provide management and leadership to achieve economical, productive performance, forward looking programming and constructive growth of the organization.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and management:

· Provide overall program leadership, that is strategic and in line with the organizational vision, mission and values;

· Ensure that the organization is of sound health, with functioning systems, well-funded and able to carry out its mandate;

· Ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations including filing of all legal and regulatory documents;

· Provide operational leadership and management of the human, financial and physical resources of WERK in line with established policies and guidelines;

· Plan, formulate and recommend for the approval of the Board of Directors basic policies and programs which will further the objectives of the organization; and execute all decisions of the Board as directed;

· Work with the Chairperson to enable the Board fulfill its governance function by facilitating optimum performance of its committees, and individual Board members while focusing on long-range strategic issues;

Fundraising and communications:

· Articulate new proposals and initiatives for funding by donors and Governments by developing and securing a sustainable, diversified local and international funding base of foundations,development agencies, corporations, etc.

· Initiate, develop and maintain strategic relationships with key stakeholders and partners;

· Serve as an external voice for the organization,communicating WERK’s expertise and impact broadly and effectively;

· Ensure that the Board of Directors, staff and members are kept fully informed on the conditions and operations of the organization, and on all important factors influencing them;

Program Leadership:

· Assure program quality and organizational stability through development and implementation of standards and controls, systems and procedures, and regular monitoring, evaluation and learning of all WERK activities and programs;

· Ensure inter programme synergy, linkages and learning

· Form strategic partnerships to support WERK programs and use WERK external presence and relationships to garner new opportunities;

· Monitor and understand the broader Kenyan education space and changes within the field; apply this understanding to organizational priorities and programmatic offerings;

General Responsibilities

· Attend all meetings of the Board of Directors;

· Promote interest and active participation in the organization’s activities on the part of the membership;

· Lead, plan and organize the activities of the association including official meetings;

· Acts as the official spokesperson of the organization;

· Undertake any other lawful tasks as may be assigned by the Chairperson of WERK

Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements

· Highly computer literate with extensive knowledge of Word and Excel

· Very strong technical knowledge of education programming, policy trends in education, and recent developments in child protection, community involvement in education and teacher professional development interventions

· Ability to translate monitoring and evaluation into practical evidence that can be used to inform lobbying and advocacy messages

· Training and facilitation skills; ability to motivate and develop skills of others

· Flexible, reliable and culturally sensitive

· Initiative and ability to work independently

· Cross cultural awareness and sensitivity

· Ability to work both as part of a team and independently

· Empathy with organizational Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives

· Positive thinking and attitude.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

· The candidate should possess a Master’s Degree acquired no less than 5 years agoin a relevant or a related field such as education, a PhD acquired not less than 3 years ago is an added advantage;

· 10 years or more of senior management experience;track record of effectively leading and scaling sustainable programs in the education sector;

· Demonstrable experience in fund raising and grant management;track record of revenue generation preferred;

· Ability to write clear, structured, articulate, and persuasive proposals;

· Strong leadership skills and good motivator;

· Experience in management and governance;

· Excellent project management and organizational skills;

· Ability to balance multiple tasks simultaneously and make rapid decisions regarding detailed complex concepts and administrative issues;

· Creative thinker with an indisputable passion for results; with the ability to establish and build a wide range of key relationships across the education, business, and government sectors;

· Excellent verbal and strong writing skills in English and Swahili.