Program Director & Governance Expert at Millennium Water Alliance

At the 2002 World Summit for Sustainable Development, then-Secretary of State Colin Powell announced the U.S. commitment to the Goals for Sustainable Development. One goal is to “reduce by half, the proportion of people without access to safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation” by the year 2015.

To help reach this goal, leading US-based non-governmental organizations working in water and sanitation formed the Millennium Water Alliance (MWA) as 501(c)(3) organization to offer sustainable solutions through advocacy, shared knowledge, and collaborative programming. Our vision mirrors our belief that no one should die or suffer chronic illness as the result of a water-related disease.

MWA now has nine implementing NGOs as full members (represented on the Board of Directors), and two organizations as affiliate members. All members must share in the mission and standards adopted by MWA, and demonstrate their commitment to water and sanitation programs that embody the values of transparency, accountability, efficiency, and sensitivity in all their work.

Job Summary

The Program Director (PD) reports to the MWA Deputy Director and will provide overall leadership to the execution and coordination of the RAPID+ program and provide governance expertise and support across the program.  The PD will work closely with the Technical Specialists and MWA Partners. You will be responsible for all the aspects of the Kenya RAPID Program in leading a robust and dynamic team at the MWA Program Hub and at the implementing partner level in interventions targeted at improving safe water access, sustainable livestock and rangeland management, and adoption of market systems development that stimulate growth in the ASAL counties of Kenya. This includes fostering and influencing existing strategic relationships with MWA members including private sector partners, National government, County government and local players, key stakeholders and donor community, and representing MWA at national and regional WASH, rangeland and livestock forums. You will lead the design effort for raising additional funds for improved impact of Kenya RAPID+. As the overall lead manager in Kenya, it is your responsibility to ensure that all Program objectives in WASH, rangeland and livestock management and market systems development for Kenya RAPID are fully met.  You will also lead the Governance Technical Specialist roles to support the program stakeholders with specific technical expertise related to the regulatory, county capacity building and legal frameworks related to the program design.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

Leadership: 

• Promote strong coalition building across MWA members in Kenya and provide consistent communication, shared learning and strategizing across MWA members


• Ensure high quality, well-coordinated program implementation and knowledge management and communication & documentation of program learnings and outcomes


• Promote and support development of an organisational culture that reflects collegiality and peer support, accountability and high performance, innovativeness and continuous quality improvement, respect and effective team communication


• Establish, maintain, and improve working relationships with key Kenya donors, governments, strategic partners and other collaborators within the country


• Provide high level representation and communication about program achievements to government and other key stakeholders

Programme Design and Technical Assistance

• Ensure that MWA is implementing quality WASH programs that are county-led/supported and proactively utilising market-based approaches to attain sustainability and scale


• Ensure that Kenya RAPID+ delivers quality technical programming, according to national and international standards, oversee the design, implementation and monitoring of technical goals, objectives and activities.


• Lead program support activities and provide advice, expertise and training to the program stakeholders, and lead relationship development activities with government officials and supporting government and the related legal and regulatory environment to achieve the WASH goals.


• Lead the other in-country management and Technical team and sectors for MWA and partners to ensure all aspects are coordinated, integrated and support each other to achieve Kenya RAPID program targets


• Convene and lead regular country program meetings including country director meetings and technical working group meetings as well as Program Management meetings


• Lead the program teams in developing and submitting all necessary reports and documents to the local/country governments and to donors


• Ensure that cross-cutting themes such as gender equity and sustainability are fully integrated into programming.


• Stay informed about activities in the country and innovations that MWA might want to consider testing or using


• Develop, in collaboration with MWA members, national and regional supporting strategies and take the lead in coordinating the implementation of those


• Support the Kenya RAPID team in identification of funding opportunities and lead technical writing to raise funds to add unto the Kenya RAPID+ program interventions

Knowledge Management

• Collect and share ideas from programs that should be disseminated for mutual learning


• Oversee Knowledge Management so that all program minutes, reports, proposals, documents are accurately labelled and stored in a shared MWA repository


• Help to position MWA as a regional and national expert via sharing of tools , presentations in high level forums and lessons learned


• Support members in documenting and share research, pilots, innovations and lessons learned.  Ensure that MWA staff have time to generate knowledge management pieces for learning and sharing.


• Write and design communications documents to leverage program based evidence for advocacy and development and learning purposes, including internal documents, narrative articles, and external publications


• Coordinate workshops/meetings in collaboration with program/country offices by country or region or topic to facilitate knowledge sharing


• Produce at least two learning documents each year for sharing among members or in the WASH sector


• Provide timely preparation and submission of high quality reports

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• Oversee development, execution and periodic review of program MEL


• Convene regular learning events to ensure that all members/WASH players are getting learning value from the program


• Utilize program learnings to influence modifications to the program to increase program value


• Support MEL personnel in analysis of field data to be used in program reporting, learning and program improvements, including qualitative and quantitative statistical analysis and narrative evidence from MWA programs


• Ensure that monitoring, evaluation, and learning processes are standardized throughout consortium partners to successfully manage knowledge on the project.


• Provide timely preparation and submission of high quality reports

 Finance and Administration:

• Provide strong budget management and oversight to quickly identify problems and take corrective action.


• Ensure program compliance with MWA policies and procedures and Donor regulations.


• Ensure accurate and timely reporting of program finances and the status of activities. Review actual financial performance against the budget for MWA and Partners


• Ensure good stewardship of resources and appropriate budget management.

Membership Value-add

• Provide and promote regular communication and transparency among MWA staff and MWA members in the country


• Engage in frequent communication with members to ensure collaborative relationships and shared value


• Seek ways to provide and improve value for MWA members through the above objectives and other opportunities that are developed


• Continuously look for new strategic partners that may add value or collective impact to MWA programs

Requirements

Qualifications: 

• Master’s degree preferred in a relevant field E.g. environmental studies, development studies, water resources management, engineering, and/or public health.


• Expertise in governance (relevant legal, regulatory, county government capacity and delivery) is required.


• Leadership and management experience and strong networks in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid counties preferred.


• At least 10 years of high level management experience in the development sector, preferably in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).


• Demonstrated experience of successful management including management of functions of complex multi-activity projects


• Experience engaging partners and strengthening partnerships.


• Proven ability to provide representation at high profile donor and governmental meeting


• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a good and productive working environment


• Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.


• Excellent relationship management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally.


• Trusted networks across relevant sectors of the program.


• Team leadership abilities with diverse/multi-disciplinary teams.


• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented, and results-oriented.

Location: Applicants must have the right to work in Kenya and will be based in Nairobi with travels to project sites.

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