Country Director, Senegal 300 views2 applications

Helen Keller Intl

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Country Director, Senegal

(Dakar, Senegal)

Helen Keller Intl is a global health organization dedicated to eliminating preventable vision loss, malnutrition and diseases of poverty. Cofounded by Helen Keller – and guided by her fierce optimism and belief in human potential – the organization delivers life-changing health solutions to vulnerable families where the need is great but access to care is limited. In the U.S., Africa, and Asia, Helen Keller’s proven, science-based programs empower people to create opportunities in their own lives and build lasting change.

Country Program Overview:

Helen Keller Intl has been working in Senegal since 2004. Helen Keller Senegal has had a major role in a range of public health and nutrition programs. For example, we are a key partner in vitamin A supplementation, significantly reducing vitamin A deficiency and child mortality. Currently, Helen Keller is supporting the Government of Senegal to facilitate the transition from bi-annual campaigns to routine VAS provision. We are also a key actor in strengthening regulation of the marketing of complementary foods for infants and young children, and we lead the nutrition components of two major USAID programs, in the areas of agricultural development and community health. We have also provided support in the battle against Neglected Tropical Diseases in Senegal. We work with other key stakeholders, including diverse national government ministries, local and international non-governmental organizations and communities. Helen Keller is working nationwide with about 40 staff and an annual operating budget of approximately $2.5 million. Our program in Senegal is funded by various donors, including the USAID, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Roros Foundation, Three Graces, Founders for Good Ltd. and Buddhist Global Relief.

We are currently seeking a Country Director (CD) in Senegal to represent Helen Keller, develop new programs, expand our funding and lead the country office and its programs in a manner that reflects our mission and values and ensures technical excellence in the delivery of all activities.

Functional Relationships

The CD reports directly to the Regional Director, West Africa, and leads the Country Management Team (CMT). The position directly supervises a team of professional-level staff, works closely with colleagues at all levels of Helen Keller’s global management structure and may be called upon to participate in global working groups or steering committees.

Helen Keller’s programs require close relations with governments, partner universities and NGOs, private industry, donors, and UN agencies. The CD will represent Helen Keller at relevant external meetings.

Helen Keller has a matrixed reporting structure that respects both the line management and authority within country office and global management hierarchies; and the accountability and oversight duties of the many subject matter experts that support our country offices. Regular communication and a spirit of teamwork among colleagues, both hierarchically and laterally, are essential to make this structure thrive.

Scope of the Position:

The Country Director provides strategic leadership and develops action plans that further the mission of Helen Keller and meet the evolving conditions in Senegal. S/he has overall responsibility for ensuring technical and operational excellence in the delivery of all activities to

achieve the objectives established in grants and strategic plans and representing Helen Keller to disseminate findings and secure and expand funding for project activities in Senegal. This position is based in Dakar with regular travel to project sites required.

Specific Responsibilities

Overall Management and Leadership

 Provide strategic vision and direction for overall program design, implementation, and proposal development; Work closely with the country team to accomplish the strategic goals.

 Lead and oversee the implementation of country programs and the management of the office.

 Represent Helen Keller in formal and informal meetings with government officials, international donor agencies, and national technical advisory groups pertinent to our project activities.

 Identify opportunities and generate funding from international and bilateral agencies and donor agencies.

 Develop and nurture in-country donor relationships and identify potential partners to participate in joint proposals.

 Lead and prepare concept papers and proposals and provide other information as needed for submission to donors and others for fundraising and marketing purposes.

Programmatic

 Oversee and coordinate the program portfolio to ensure the highest level of project quality and accountability, while fostering continuity through building local capacity.

 Provide technical input to the government, international donors, and technical advisory groups pertinent to project activities.

 Ensure implementation of strong program monitoring, evaluation, and learning functions.

 Oversee research design, methodology, and dissemination of information needed to monitor and evaluate project activities and/or advance programmatic and policy changes.

 Disseminate findings from Helen Keller projects that are of importance to decisionmakers in a position to fund or implement projects in Senegal and internationally.

 Keep the national partners and others informed about progress of the projects, plans for the development of new programs/projects/activities and donor involvement in the overall program.

Financial and Administrative

 Provide oversight to finance and administrative services including procurement, property management, human resources management, vehicle and facilities management, and staff safety and security.

 Work with regional office and headquarters to manage the development and implementation of annual country budgets.

 Authorize expenditures for grant or contract allocations and ensure compliance with procedures required by grant or contract agreements.

 Ensure the preparation and accuracy and timely submission of financial and narrative reports that comply with grant or contract agreements and ensure compliance with all aspects of donor funding and Helen Keller policies.

 Hire and manage personnel and lead initiatives to develop staff capacity.

Qualifications

 Minimum seven years of field experience in international public health, nutrition or Neglected Tropical Disease programs including demonstrated experience in program development, implementation and evaluation, plus a minimum master’s degree in public health, nutrition, development or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

 Experience in designing and implementing workshops, seminars, surveys, monitoring systems, and evaluations. Experience in research design, data analysis, and interpretation.

 Technical knowledge in an area related to Helen Keller’s mission and programs.

 Demonstrated ability to undertake high-level representation and advocacy.

 Experience working in Senegal and/or elsewhere in Africa, with Ministries, international and local NGOs, and donors based locally, is a substantial asset.

 Demonstrated experience and skills in leadership, staff management, program development and management, strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation and public speaking.

 Demonstrated ability to develop and create budgets and monitor financial status.

 Demonstrated capacity to mobilize program funding including donor cultivation and grants writing.

 Knowledge and experience managing compliance to diverse donors (USAID, DFID, GAC, EU, etc.,);

 Excellent interpersonal skills, including an ability to effectively lead a team, communicate a vision, make timely and transparent decisions, and manage conflict.

 Very good oral and written English and French language skills, including the ability to quickly synthesize complex technical and programmatic issues into concise communications.

 Well established and practiced organizational and planning skills;

 Computer literate in use of word-processing, spreadsheet and statistical software; experience in data analysis and interpretation is highly desirable

 Experience with staff security and safety issues is desirable.

 Ability and willingness to travel at least 25% within Senegal and, periodically, internationally.

The initial employment agreement is for two years with possibility of renewal.