Kenya: Project Development Manager Kenya/Somalia

Organization: Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development

Country: Kenya

Closing date: 28 Dec 2015

Department: Grant

Position: Project Development Manager Kenya/Somalia

Contract duration : 6 months

Location : Nairobi, Kenya

Starting date: ASAP

I. Background on ACTED

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 : 6 (Samburu, Baringo and Mandera in Kenya and Gedo, Baidoa and Lower Juba in Kismayo)

On-going programmes : 5

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 South-Central Somalia.

In 2015, ACTED has been delivering emergency as well as long term development programming across the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and is focussed on Early Warning, Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience interventions. Main activities have included strengthening its Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR) and improving and integrating community and County Early Warning Systems (EWS). A special emphasis has been placed on its work with the County Governments and the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) in order to improve coordination, financing, information sharing, dissemination and learning on emergency preparedness and response.

In 2015, ACTED’s operations in Somalia are focused on Food Security, Livelihood, WASH, and Multi-sector Resilience programming. ACTED has the capacity to deliver immediate emergency programming and longer term development, incorporating Social Safety Net and Disaster Risk Reduction components. ACTED is a leading player in the delivery of cash transfers programming.

ACTED’s interventions aim to support those districts which are underserved, difficult to access, and display high levels of vulnerability. ACTED is operational in Bay, Gedo and Lower Juba Regions. In some of these areas, ACTED is the only INGO present and therefore high security risks are experienced because of Al Shabab presence.

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

   
   


2. 
   

   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.

   
   


3. 
   

   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.

   
   


4. 
   

   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.

   
   


5. 
   

   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:

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

Ref : PDM/KEN/SA