Agile and Harmonized Assistance for Devolved Institutions Jobs in Kenya

Senior Program Officer

Background Information: The Agile and Harmonized Assistance for Devolved Institutions (AHADI) is a five year USAID program implemented by the State University of New York’s (SUNY) Center for International Development (CID).

AHADI is funded by both USAID and DFID. The program is designed to support Kenya’s vision and agenda for achieving the promise of devolution.

The program’s interventions aim to promote governance systems that are transparent, accountable, effective in service delivery, and responsive to empowered citizens by working at both the national and county government levels.

AHADI has three main objectives;

Targeted counties provide higher quality services through improved governance

Improved representation of citizen interests and oversight of targeted county government performance

Functionality and effectiveness of the devolved system increased through intra-government engagement and cooperation.

AHADI is primarily a Democracy Rights and Governance (DRG) program focused on improving the governance of Kenya’s new decentralized system.

It is an integrated governance program that uses sector entry points to achieve both governance and sector outcomes. These sectors include but are not limited to good governance, resilience and economic growth, education, climate change and disaster risk reduction.

The program is currently seeking a skilled, diplomatic, effective, and highly motivated Senior Program officer

Position Summary: The Senior Program Officer for AHADI conceptualizes, designs, and coordinates a range of interventions to build the capacity of Kenyan institutions at the county and national level, including but not limited to: the Council of Governors; the County Executives; the County Assemblies, the County Assemblies Forum and diverse governmental and non-state actors.

Since many of AHADI’s interventions will be implemented through its grants facility, the Senior Program Officer will contribute to the drafting and design of grant proposals and contribute to in-kind grants and other supports to governmental and quasi-governmental organizations, developing synergies and constructive engagement between AHADI and Kenya’s devolved institutions.

She/he will also support the Chief of Party and Senior Grants Manager in the technical support of grantees in respect to timely, quality performance.

Reports to: Chief of Party

Interrelationships: COP; DCOP, Program Officer, Sector Heads, Procurement Manager; Senior Grants Manager, M&E specialist, Communication Specialist; other program staff as necessary.

Qualifications:

Advanced degree (Masters, ) in a governance-related field,

At least 7 years of experience in progressively responsible experience in designing, implementing and managing governance programs in Kenya

Demonstrated experience managing successful teams comprised of experienced professionals

Demonstrated results based program management, strategic planning, and problem solving skills working on complex projects in a highly sensitive environment are required.

Experience with USAID-funded programs

Ability to work effectively with a broad range of Kenyan elected officials, technocrats and leaders from civil society.

Ability to work both independently and in a team environment to achieve consensus on strategies, activities and administrative matters is a must.

Demonstrated outstanding oral communication skills, tact and diplomacy in establishing and sustaining working relationships with high-level GoK officials and building a high level of trust with public/private organizations.

Demonstrated oral communication skills in negotiating activity plans and resolving activity implementation

issues with AHADI partners, government counterparts, and team members

Excellent written communication skills are required to contribute to consultants’ Terms of Reference, regular and ad hoc project reports, snapshots, lessons learned and briefing notes.

Excellent computer skills (MS Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook)

Training and or experience in an education-related field is an added advantage.

Responsibilities:
The incumbent will report to the AHADI Chief of Party.

S/he will:

Assist the AHADI COP and staff members to initiate and build relationships with government officials (National, Parastatal, and County).

Collaborate with senior staff of AHADI and implementing partners, to coordinate activities and to identify appropriate interventions. This includes ensuring that AHADI is aware of all devolution activities that the partners are implementing,

Contributes to the development of grants strategies and negotiates technical scopes of work for grants; and coordinates support to governmental and other partners.

Prepare regular brief activity reports and updates, and contribute to activities under his/her purview to AHADI progress reporting and activity/M&E

Support the implementation of the AHADI work plan, including consolidating for submission to USAID, tracking, and updating.

Maintain and ensure the ongoing development of an appropriate framework for partner activity coordination

Maintaining regular communication with AHADI Partners

Maintain regular communication with other development partners, Government entities (National, Non-State Actors, and County).

Coordinate with the M&E team to ensure that lessons learned are used to adjust activity implementation

Monitor and advise on the program learning tools and websites, internally for AHADI team, for collaboration with USAID and other development partners, for inter-governmental sharing, and for collaboration with other civil society.

Monitor the Activity Database to ensure that all information is being captured and that the M&E team and communications team are accessing the information.

Any other task as assigned by COP or DCOP

Location: The Senior Program Officer will be based in the AHADI Nairobi office.

Travel: Travel in country is expected. Transportation, accommodations and per diem will be provided by the project in accordance with AHADI and USAID regulations.

It is anticipated that in the travel will be between 40%-50%.

If you possess the skills and qualifications as contained in the respective position descriptions, please send

(1) a Cover letter

(2) CV and

(3) References from three Professional Referees, one referee should be previous or current supervisor

to hr@ahadi-devolution.org

Closing date: 18th November 2016.

Please note only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Kindly put the subject line for the position you are applying for.

Applications without the subject line will not be evaluated.

SUNY-AHADI is an equal opportunities employer.


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