Kenya: Fellows Program

Organization: Habitat for Humanity

Country: Kenya

Closing date: 14 Jun 2016

Habitat For Humanity Kenya (HFHK) is a Non-Profit, Non-Government housing organization which since its inception in 1982 has been dedicated to the elimination of poverty housing in Kenya. HFH Kenya works with low income families to enable them own decent, durable and affordable housing through the provision of low interest micro mortgages on incremental basis to qualifying persons in both rural and urban areas in Kenya.

Habitat for Humanity Kenya will be implementing a five year Fellows program, designed to support the organisation design and/or expand of housing market development initiatives that are scalable and replicable. The principal goal of the program is to support the implementation of housing market-oriented projects, as part of their overall strategy and accelerate the development of innovative housing solutions.

Fellows Program (Ref: FP/06/16)

The program will support a full time position Fellow at a Habitat for Humanity Kenya for up to five years. The Fellow will contribute to efforts to improve access to affordable housing for low-income women and men – sustainably and at scale – in Kenya, and potentially supporting nearby countries. The Fellow will be in charge of seeking opportunities and actively working with businesses and, when needed, interacting with government agencies, assisting them in making housing markets work better for low-income households.

The Fellow will use a background in inclusive market development approaches while committing to actively grow her or his experience in the sector with support from mentors, to take forward Habitat for Humanity’s work on housing market development, focused on non-housing finance projects. The Fellow will work in Kenya and be expected to gain a deep understanding of the housing value chain and constraints to affordable housing solutions for low-income people, and work to respond by engaging market actors to develop adaptations to products and service offerings to better serve that segment.

Summary of Key Responsibilities of the Fellow:

· Actively identify the challenges and opportunities that are present within the affordable housing sector to support low and very low income populations.

· Seek out and pursue new business opportunities to intervene in different components of the housing market system through direct contacts, and prepare project proposals, including establishing project teams and consortia.

· Lead the design of a portfolio of projects related to housing market development for Habitat for Humanity’s national organization, which includes mapping local housing market and conduct interviews with stakeholders, , identifying any gap currently existing in service provision, examining the regulatory and policy framework that affects the affordable housing market, and analyzing qualitative data and write up results for program design

· Develop and maintain networks of local housing consultants and associates with skills in housing, private sector development, and monitoring and evaluation, and build partnerships with like-minded organizations with complementary skills and interests.

· Manage the budget and reporting required for housing market development work by Habitat for Humanity’s Kenya.

· Engage with Habitat for Humanity’s market systems practitioners and mentors through webinars, peer to peer networking events and learning forums, e-discussions, delivery of case studies; and through online interaction, develop and maintain links for potential collaboration

· Research and identify opportunities for events, when requested, including topics, attendees and collaborations, and assist with the organization and follow-through.

Qualifications & Experience:

· Four year degree in economics, business administration, international development or a related field.

· At least 3 years professional experience of applying market systems development approaches for international development programs or as part of a consulting firm.

· A demonstrated interest in the role of private sector actors, the functioning of markets and the opportunities for inclusive economic growth in the country of operations.

· Knowledge of affordable housing and the challenges inherent in the country and/or professional experience working in the housing sector is a plus.

· Good communication and interpersonal skills, such as a proven ability to deal with staff, collaborators and partners from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures.

· Fluency in one or more of the languages spoken in the country of operations.

· Outstanding written and verbal English communication skills – in particular the ability to write clearly, succinctly and engagingly about technical subjects.

· Facilitation skills, being able to articulate the participation of diverse market actors in a meaningful way.

· Excellent computer and information and communication technology skills.

· Must have the right to work in the country of operations.

· An individual who has the ability and aspiration to learn fast, be effective in a team and autonomously, and be challenged. Must be willing to travel to project locations around the country and regionally.

How to apply:

If you feel you meet the requirements of the position, send your application letter with an updated CV and telephone contacts of three professional references to hfhkenya@hfhkenya.org to be received by 14th June, 2016 5 p.m. East Africa time. Kenyan nationals are encouraged to apply. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

For a detailed job description, please visit our website: www.hfhkenya.org

HFH Kenya is an equal opportunity employer.