Summary Of PositionIREX seeks qualified Chief of Party candidates for an anticipated five-year USAID-funded program in Kenya to empower youth and connect them directly to social and economic opportunities to improve their livelihoods and well-being. The Chief of Party will be based in Kenya (specific county to be determined) and will oversee all aspects of program implementation, providing vision to the program and ensuring that objectives are met on time and within budget.Citizens of Kenya are highly encouraged to apply. This position is contingent on funding.Summary Of Responsibilities
Provide strategic and technical leadership to the program and the team; bring dynamic and creative leadership to bring innovation to rigorous program implementation and meeting donor deliverables
Serve as the principal liaison with USAID, as well as with key government officials at the county and national level, other donors and implementers, private sector and civil society partners
Engage with program beneficiaries, youth leaders, youth cooperatives, youth networks, and other stakeholders; ensure that all stakeholder relationships are managed effectively
Develop annual workplans in collaboration with staff and stakeholders, and oversee workplan implementation
Develop and maintain effective partnerships with local, regional, and international organizations
Ensure project activities are implemented on schedule and within budget
Supervise, manage, and mentor project staff
Oversee project budgeting, financial management, and ensure contractual compliance
Oversee monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of program activities; promote a culture of learning and adaptation across the project
Oversee project communications
Ensure that IREX’s safety and security policies and procedures are applied to all project and staff operations
Represent IREX publicly and support its organizational development
Other duties, as assigned
Required Skills And Qualifications
Master’s degree in a relevant field such as education, international development, non-profit management with at least eight (8) years of relevant experience (or bachelor’s degree with 10 years of experience) in leading programs focused on research, youth services, workforce development, livelihoods, and/or private sector development
Successful track record of supervising, designing, managing, and implementing complex donor-funded technical assistance projects (with strong preference for past USAID-funded project management experience)
A successful track record of working substantially with local organizations, positioning them as authentic development partners and to lead major interventions
A minimum of four (4) years of experience in Africa, preferably Kenya or East Africa
Demonstrated success working at the community level assessing challenges, creating and implementing solutions, and achieving measurable results on donor-funded development projects
Ability to establish strong working relationships with senior government officials; youth-led groups, community officials, media, civil society, and private sector leaders; international donors; and other stakeholders
Demonstrated ability to track and manage budgets and plan both strategically and creatively to meet project objectives
Strong understanding of the Kenyan context preferred
Proven leadership qualities and excellent management skills
Strong representational and organizational skills
Fluency in written and spoken English
