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Programme Manager – Urgent fill

Embassy of Ireland, Nairobi, KENYA

 

Our mission is to promote and protect abroad the values, interests and economic well-being of Ireland and its people. 

The Embassy’s role is to deepen bilateral political relations between Ireland and Kenya; serve the needs of Irish citizens; strengthen trade, tourism and investment between our countries and support Kenya’s socio-economic development through a targeted development assistance programme.

The Embassy wishes to contract the services of a full-time Programme Manager to support the management, oversight and implementation of our development cooperation portfolio. 

This is a senior position based at Embassy Nairobi and covering all four countries of accreditation: Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Eritrea.

We are seeking a highly-motivated and experienced manager with excellent knowledge of international development issues, substantive experience at a senior management level, including of strategy development, and knowledge of the Horn of Africa. This is a two-year fixed-term contract with possibility for extension. 

Overview of Role

The Programme Manager will report to the Deputy Head of Mission/Head of Cooperation and will have particular responsibility for managing the effective implementation of the Embassy’s development cooperation portfolio including work on climate/agriculture, trade and private sector development, gender, education, and humanitarian action.  The successful candidate will also support on developing a new, five-year mission strategy encompassing our countries of accreditation.

• Support the implementation of Ireland’s foreign policy and development priorities, including The Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World; Ireland’s international development policy A Better World and Global Ireland: Ireland’s Strategy for Africa to 2025 in the region.

• Work with the management and programme team to implement and ensure oversight of the Embassy’s development cooperation priorities, including upholding high standards in grant management and monitoring evaluation and learning.

• Contribute to the overall effectiveness and visibility of the Embassy by managing partnerships and grants, facilitating strategic planning/review processes, documenting and communicating learning and best practice.

• Performance manage Programme Officer and Trade Officer, including their learning and development.

• Contribute to overall strategic planning, annual business planning and reporting and support the design and implementation of a new mission strategy to guide our work between 2023 and 2027.

• Develop and maintain relationships across the Embassy’s development cooperation portfolio including Government of Kenya, Civil Society (governmental and non-governmental) and Private Sector, development partners, research institutes/think tanks etc.
  • Represent the Embassy in meetings of relevant sector working groups and coordination structures and provide timely and trusted reporting ensuring that Ireland’s policy priorities are effectively promoted.

• Work with the Embassy team to ensure a coherent and joined up approach to our overall mission business plan and strategy.

• Other duties as may be required.

Essential requirements candidates must be able to demonstrate:

• Candidates must hold a completed post-graduate qualification in international development/relations, economics, and/or relevant field.

• Candidates must be able to demonstrate excellent written and spoken English. Applicants may be contacted in advance to establish language proficiency and a short written language test may be required. 

• A minimum of eight years relevant experience working in a senior management role (managing people and projects) within a development and/or humanitarian agency nationally, regionally and/or internationally. Preference will be given to candidates with evidence of international management experience.

• Demonstrable experience working in at least two of our priority areas (climate smart agriculture, private sector development, gender equality and inclusive governance).

• Candidates must have demonstrable experience with budgeting and financial management gained through budget-holding responsibilities.

• Excellent project management experience with proven experience of managing complex cross-organisational projects with multiple stakeholders.

• Experience in building and sustaining strong collaborative relationships, networks and multi-stakeholder partnerships and effectively representing organisations at a variety of levels.

• Demonstrable experience of leading strategic planning and learning initiatives resulting in well-defined and achievable workplans, strategies and analysis.

• A sound understanding of the political economy and the socio-economic environment in Kenya, including a clear understanding of the relevant Kenyan development/humanitarian policies and institutional frameworks.

• A proven capacity for delivering timely results and taking responsibility for quality outcomes.

• A high degree of flexibility and adaptability including demonstrable capacity to manage competing priorities and deliver at pace.

• Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work independently and as part of a small and high paced team.

• Demonstrate a high degree of integrity and trust.

• Willingness and ability to travel regularly in Kenya and the region up to 30 days/year.

The successful candidate must have a legal entitlement to live and work in Kenya prior to recruitment.

Non-Essential but skills that will add to your application include:

• Experience working with or as part of an institutional donor.
• Experience with Thinking and Working Politically (TWP) and adaptive management.
• Experience conducting policy analysis and providing policy advice to management on a range of relevant policy priorities.

Terms and conditions of employment:

• The successful candidates will be hired on a 2 year fixed-term contract (with possibility of renewal) and will be based at the Embassy of Ireland’s Nairobi office.

• The starting annual salary for this position is 4,844,998 Ksh (base point with a scale to 5,083,491 Ksh per annum), paid locally on a monthly basis. A pension plan is available to the successful applicant. Salaries are paid direct to a bank account, therefore the successful candidate must have a bank account. 

• The positions will have an annual leave allowance of 21 days per annum, exclusive of public holidays, adjusted pro rata.

How to apply

Selection Process:

• A short-listing of candidates to be called for an initial online interview will be based on the Essential/Key Requirements above. A second in-person interview will be undertaken for those who progress from the first round. A test will be administered at the time of the second interview.

• It is planned that first interview will be held by video-conference in mid-January 2022 and the second/final round (including test) will be conducted by the end of January 2022.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

All personal information received will be kept in line with GDPR guidelines.

Security Clearance for Local Staff

Police security clearance will be sought in respect of individuals who come under consideration for appointment. Enquiries may also be made with the police force of any country in which the applicant under consideration for appointment resided. If unsuccessful this information will be destroyed. If the applicant subsequently comes under consideration for another position, they will be required to supply this information again.

Please note that canvassing will disqualify applicants.

The Embassy of Kenya is committed to a policy of Equal Opportunity.

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Programme Manager Application Form