Job Title: Country Director, Kenya
Organisation: Self Help Africa
Department: Programmes
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Contract Type: Three years
Salary: Competitive
About Self Help Africa:
Self Help Africa (SHA) is an international NGO, dedicated to taking an enterprise approach to reducing poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. Headquartered in Ireland, with offices in the UK, the US and six African countries, SHA focuses on agriculture and agribusiness as the engine of growth in Africa. Our approach is collaborative and market-based: although we see our primary clients as smallholder farmers in Africa, we work with all participants in agricultural value chains. With over 300 staff worldwide, and a global turnover of over €30m, SHA currently runs programmes on behalf of a range of organisations including the European Union, Irish Aid, the World Food Programme and the UK Department for International Development. SHA has an ambitious five-year growth strategy to increase its global footprint and expand into new areas.
The organisation also has a number of social enterprise subsidiaries – TruTrade, which supports market access for small-holder farmers in agricultural value-chains and Partner Africa, an ethical auditing and consultancy firm that operates across more than 40 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.
Self Help Africa has a long established and growing office in Kenya, with over 40 members of full-time staff running development projects that encompass enterprise development and climate resilience programming with smallholder farmers. The Kenya office has a particularly strong focus supporting and strengthening agricultural SMEs and value chains and is currently managing a blended finance facility on behalf of the EU, funding agricultural businesses to increase their sourcing capacity through working with smallholder farmers.
Job description:
SHA is looking for a dynamic and entrepreneurial professional with significant programme management and proven new business development experience, to drive forward SHA’s mission and vision and deepening of our impact, through delivering high quality programmes and ensuring that the processes of planning, implementation as well as monitoring, evaluation and learning, are robust. The Country Director will be responsible for overseeing all areas of SHA’s operations in Kenya, providing leadership and strategy guidance to the SHA team, with direct reports of four people and with potential of expansion as result of new business development.
The key responsibility of this role is the development, delivery and recalibration SHA’s Kenya’s country strategy to ensure the strategy is fit for purpose, aligned to SHA’s Global Strategy and that SHA is achieving significant impact for participants of its programming.
The Country Director will also take full ownership for growing SHA’s operations in Kenya. This will focus on growing the funding base and exploring new income streams to help SHA increase its footprint and maximise our impact through securing and implementing new programmes. The Country Director will collaborate with international organisations, national government and the private sector to design and finance innovative programmes that strengthen agricultural value chains, support entrepreneurs and their businesses and drive rural economic development and reduce poverty.
Key Responsibilities:
New business development and stakeholder relationship management
You will be responsible for building relationships in-country to identify new opportunities and win funding for new programmes
This will involve identifying likely funding opportunities, regular meetings and engagement with potential donors and developing funding proposals with support from SHA’s Programme Funding Team
You will also build in-country partnerships to expand our footprint in Kenya
This will involve identifying potential partners (other NGOs, private sector partners, research organisations and national governmental and non-governmental bodies) we can work with to both extend our capabilities and work together to pursue new funding opportunities
You will represent SHA and present in national, regional and international fora and in the media and publishing thought leadership to raise the profile of SHA and to promote and disseminate lessons learnt from SHA programmes
Programme management & operations
You will manage the Head of Programmes and will oversee the implementation of all programmes in Kenya, ensuring SHA meets all key targets and are adapted effectively to meet the changing needs of our clients
You will work with the Head of Programmes to ensure all programmes are effectively monitored and evaluated so we can demonstrate our success and value
You will work with the Head of Programmes to vet and manage any implementation partners
You will ensure that SHA is recognized as a thought leader in agriculture and agri-enterprise in Kenya
You will work with the Humanitarian Director to ensure growth of SHA’s portfolio of work in this space
Leadership
You will develop, present and implement the strategic vision, overall goals and objectives for SHA in Kenya
You will manage a large team and diverse team, providing direct line management of senior staff and maximising staff performance through reviews and proactive coaching and drive a high-performance culture throughout the organisation
You will oversee talent acquisition, with a particular focus on championing local talent
Finance, audit and risk:
You will line manage SHA’s Head of Finance and Administration in Kenya
You will oversee the financial management and will ensure programmes are delivered in a cost-effective manner and that major costs are successfully recovered from programme funding
You will ensure a culture of accountability and adherence to all SHA policies and to staff welfare and security
You will ensure compliance will all programme and donor requirements
Required skills and experience
Essential:
Minimum of five years senior management experience
Previous experience running multi-sectoral teams to deliver complex programmes to time and within budget, either in a development or private sector setting in sub-Saharan Africa
Ability to identify and deliver on new income opportunities through proactive and sustained business development activities
A proven ability to develop, implement and adapt organisational or business strategy
Excellent communication and presentation skills, both in formal and informal settings
Strong financial analysis and management skills
Fluency in English
How to apply
Please visit our website: https://selfhelpafrica.org/uk/country-director-kenya/
You will have to submit a CV, Cover Letter and Application Form (details on how to apply, documents and application link can be found on our website)
Please note incomplete applications will not be considered for shortlisting.
Closing date is 6th April 2020 at 5pm
Any candidate offered a job with Self Help Africa will be expected to sign Self Help Africa’s Safeguarding Policies and Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.
Garda/Police vetting is required.
Women applicants are highly encouraged; Self Help Africa is an Equal Opportunities Employer
More Information
- Job City Kenya