Kenya: Project Development Manager

Organization: Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development

Country: Kenya

Closing date: 29 Nov 2015

Since 1993, as an international non-governmental organization, ACTED has been committed to immediate humanitarian relief to support those in urgent need and protect people’s dignity, while co-creating longer term opportunities for sustainable growth and fulfilling people’s potential.

ACTED endeavors to respond to humanitarian crises and build resilience; promote inclusive and sustainable growth; co-construct effective governance and support the building of civil society worldwide by investing in people and their potential.

We go the last kilometer: ACTED’s mission is to save lives and support people in meeting their needs in hard to reach areas. ACTED develops and implements programs that target the most vulnerable amongst populations that have suffered from conflict, natural disaster, or socio-economic hardship. ACTED’s approach looks beyond the immediate emergency towards opportunities for longer term livelihoods reconstruction and sustainable development.

With a budget of 164 million EUR in 2014, ACTED is active in 35 countries and implements more than 450 projects a year reaching over 8 million beneficiaries with 400 international staff and 4,300 national staff.

II. Country Profile

Capital Office : Nairobi

National Staff : 76

Areas : 2 (Pokot, Middle Juba)

On-going programmes : 10

Budget : 10 M

ACTED launched its Kenya mission in January of 2008 with an emergency assistance program for residents in Nairobi slums affected by the post election violence. Since 2009, Nairobi has also been the home base of ACTED’s relief operation in Southern Somalia.

In 2011, ACTED responded to the worst drought in Kenya in the past sixty years, providing vulnerable agro-pastoralists in Northern Kenya with emergency water and sanitation assistance, cash injections and destocking. ACTED facilitated dialogue and peace negotiations among and between conflicting communities, enabling pastoralists to peaceably access and share scarce water resources and pasture at the height of the crisis. Capacity-building and input support for agro-pastoralists in the beginning of the year sought to improve animal health and marketing, strengthen income-generating activities and aid in sustainable management of resources, protecting livelihoods from the impact of the drought and building community resilience.

In 2012, ACTED remains poised to respond to emergency needs in Northern Kenya.

ACTED also continues enhancing community and government capacity to prepare for and manage drought, building stronger, more resilient livelihoods in Samburu county and East Pokot district.

III. Position Profile

The program development manager is responsible for ensuring the production of timely reports for

Donors and for developing a country communication strategy, both internal and external.

1. Ensuring the Production of Timely, Accurate and Analytical Reports for Donors

Understand and disseminate Donors guidelines

Liaise regularly with Area Coordinators, Programme Managers and technical staff to ensure the

production of quality reports across areas and across Donors;

Recruit and train Reporting Officers (both expatriate interns and/or national staff, if appropriate) to

build up a productive and high performance team in line with ACTED’s principles of cost effectiveness

and capacity-building;

Supervise the work, learning and progress achieved by all Reporting staff on the field to ensure quality

and timeliness of reports;

Work in close relation with AME Department to develop and incorporate more solid monitoring and

evaluation components in reports;

Work in close relation with Finance Department to ensure greater coherence between financial and

narrative reports, and ensure steady cash inflow based on the timeliness and quality of report

submissions.

Work in close relation and communicate on a regular basis with HQ reporting department, notably on

the basis of the monthly Reporting follow up

1. Developing Internal Coordination and Communication mechanisms

In relation with the Country Director, ensure that all meetings are held and documented (capital

coordination meetings, area coordination meetings, monthly coordination meetings, quarterly country

coordination meetings);

Ensure in particular that reporting guidelines, formats, philosophy, deadlines for each project and

donor is communicated clearly and standardized across the country for new and on-going projects;

Follow-up meetings at the field level and in the capital, between the bases and between the country

programme and HQ/other ACTED operations through the ACTED Newsletter;

Draft agenda and minutes of country-wide meetings, with the assistance of the Reporting staff.

1. Developing an External Donor Relations Strategy

Update on a weekly and monthly basis the external relations database, which documents latest

negotiations and proposal possibilities with a number of key donors;

Manage a team of Area Coordinators, Programme Managers and technical staff to ensure that

proposals are developed in a cohesive and professional manner and in line with ACTED country

strategy and donor requirements;

Act as point of contact for all Donor communication, including the organisation of and hosting of Donor

visits in the field.

1. Developing an External Communication Strategy

Define the main target groups, activities, resources and partnerships needed;

Ensure continuum of PR activities, including formal presentations, engaging media for coverage on

success stories, updating project-specific and regional fact sheets, and documenting publications

featuring ACTED in the media ;

Identifying sources of funding for a more cohesive public information strategy in-country.

1. Assisting the Country Director in developing the country strategy, project proposals,

addressing ad hoc donor requests or catalysing action on specific projects or components of

projects

IV. Qualifications:

Postgraduate diploma in International Development and (or) relevant Master’s level degree

(anthropology, development studies, humanitarian aid, sociology);

•Previous experience in the humanitarian field, proposals development, and donor relations are

required

•Previous experience abroad is required

•Fluency in written and spoken English

•Strong writing abilities and analytical skills

•Skills in political sciences or international relations

•Ability to work efficiently under pressure

V. Conditions:

Salary defined by the ACTED salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and

performance are considered for pay bonus

•Additional monthly living allowance

•Free food and lodging provided at the organisation’s guesthouse

•Transportation costs covered, + luggage allowance

•Provision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance

How to apply:

VI. Submission of applications:

Please send, in English, your cover letter, CV, and three references to jobs@acted.org

Ref : PDM/KEN/SA

ACTED