Background to the Role:
Acting as Assistant Country Director the Director of Programmes is part of the Kenya Country Management Team and is responsible for all aspects of Trócaire’s country programme with a particular emphasis on programme and project quality, and the promotion of a results-based approach.
Reporting to:Country Director
Managing: (Individuals/Team) – 3 Programme Managers & 1 M&E Manager.
Contract Duration:3 years
Location of Position : Nairobi, Kenya
Safeguarding[1] Children Policy:
The successful applicant will be expected to sign up to and adhere to Trócaire’s Safeguarding Policy.
Key Duties & Responsibilities
Programme Development and Management
Deliver a Portfolio of integrated programmes that respond to the local context within the framework of the new Kenya Country Strategy Paper, and the wider organisational policy deliverables based on the Strategic Framework.
Ensure that Trócaire has a clearly identified niche in terms of programme interventions and that Trócaire’s added value is clear in terms of what we contribute to partners’ work.
Ensure that different thematic areas of work are mutually reinforcing and contribute collectively to the achievement of country and global level outcomes.
Establish regular discussions with the Programme Team, the Institutional Funding Unit and the Strategic Impact unit at HQ to ensure that they are engaged in, aware of and supporting Programme Development and Management and initiatives in the region.
Lead Programme Managers to identify and develop learning within their programme areas and facilitate the sharing of this learning with partners, across the programme and externally as appropriate.
Programme Design:
Provide technical support to Programme Managers to ensure that all bodies of work (projects and programmes) are designed, in line with Trocaire’s Organisational Strategy, the Kenya Country Strategy and Trócaire’s Programme Management and Accountability Framework.
Lead Programme Managers in ensuring that the design of all bodies of work are based on rigorous needs assessments, including participatory vulnerability and gender analyses.
Support Programme Managers and partners to ensure that all bodies of work are designed in line with principles of gender equity and women’s empowerment.
Programme Implementation and Monitoring:
Ensure that all programmes and projects have good quality M&E frameworks and plans in place. Ensure all M&E frameworks are designed in compliance with Trocaire’s global M&E policy and include mandatory indicators. Maintain oversight for monitoring and evaluation of all projects and programmes, ensuring Programme Managers make regular monitoring visits to the field.
Support the M&E Manager to develop and manage a standardised monitoring and reporting system for use by all programme partners, in line with organisational policy and any institutional funding requirements.
Lead monthly programme review meetings with Programme Managers and teams to ensure that the programme is on track and challenges are dealt with.
Support programme teams to draft good quality project reports and annual programme reviews.
Ensure all reports provide clear evidence of progress and can be used for programme management, internal reporting and reporting to donors..
Ensure the highest possible quality in the preparation of project documentation, including the assessment of project risk, by PMs, providing advice and guidance where necessary.
Ensure that all donor reports are submitted on time.
Programme Evaluation:
Ensure that all programme work is evaluated according to Trócaire’s evaluation policy and that learning from evaluations is incorporated into new programme design and shared across the organisation.
Promote evaluation methodologies that foster internalisation of learning, and where possible promote elements of peer review and evaluation including with Partners.
Together with Programme Managers identify relevant thematic working groups, networks and learning forums at national and international level in which the PMs can participate in order to improve programme and advocacy impact.
Humanitarian Programme Management
Support the development of a Humanitarian Preparedness, Management and Response strategy, including preparedness and response plans.
Ensure that Trocaire has identified Strategic Humanitarian response partners who will lead a response in case of emergency.
Ensure that relevant partners have up to date training in Sphere, HAP and the ICRC Code of Conduct, and that all Trócaire Humanitarian responses meet these minimum standards.
Human Resource Management
Line Manage 3 Programme Managers & 1 M&E Manager using performance management approach. Ensure that all managers are clear on the change to which they are contributing and on their roles and responsibilities.
Support, mentor and coach staff as part of their professional development and help them to become highly effective in their work.
Support the Finance Manager to ensure that the Programme Accountant and Programme Finance Officers are supported to work as members of the Programme Team.
Establish a team approach to programming, ensuring that PMs work together to design and manage programmes, share learning and to exchange skills.
Establish regular team meetings to ensure that Programme staff are familiar with each other’s work and to facilitate rolling out of organisational programme processes and policies.
Financial and Admin Management
As a member of the Country Management Team, collaborate with the Finance Manager to carry out regular programme budget reviews.
Lead monthly team meetings together with finance and PMs to review and monitor budget vs expenditure for all projects and programme partners.
Establish a system of ongoing communication with the Finance Manager to coordinate the work plan of the Programme Finance Officers and to ensure that the Finance Manager is aware of all relevant issues related to partner and programme finance.
Partner Relationships and Support
Ensure that the all partnerships are managed in line with Trocaire’s Partnership Policy and that all Programme team staff implement the policy.
Ensure partner capacity assessments are conducted regularly and partner capacity building plans are in place and being implemented, in line with Trocaire’s Partner Capacity Building Framework.
Develop and implement an accountability strategy and action plan to deliver roll out of Trócaire’s Programme Accountability Framework.
Institutional Funding
Work with the CD and Regional Institutional Funding Officer (RIFO) to implement and review the Institutional Funding Strategy for Kenya.
Develop relationships with key IF actors in Kenya and internationally to ensure an ongoing funding stream for programmes in the region.
Identify funding opportunities and lead Programme Managers in the development of winning project proposals for submission to institutional donors.
Provide technical support to the RIFO and PMs in drafting of reports to donors and ensure timely reporting for all IF.
Ensure that PMs provide the necessary support to partners to meet donor reporting and compliance requirements.
Ensure effective management of IF, ensuring that all IF projects are delivered in accordance with contractual obligations, in budget and in compliance with donor requirements.
Policy, Advocacy and Communications
Lead development and implementation of a country advocacy strategy, in line with the objectives of the Country Strategy.
Support PMs to pro-actively drive an evidence-based advocacy agenda in collaboration with partners.
Support the CD to respond to organisational needs for materials, or to host visits, related to organisational level policy, advocacy, campaigns, development education, fundraising and communications.
Develop and maintain strong links with communication teams in Ireland and the UK.
Other Duties and Responsibilities
Fulfil other reasonable duties and responsibilities, as requested by the Country Director, including deputising for the Country Director.The ideal candidate will have:
Qualification
Third level qualification in Development, Humanitarian or related field of study.
International Post-graduate qualification in a relevant area and significant experience beyond that outlined below.
Experience
Significant demonstrable experience in the management of poverty alleviation and livelihoods development programmes of substantial scale;
Demonstrable experience in designing and managing programmes on resilience and disaster risk reduction in arid lands, natural resource management and women’s empowerment highly desirable;
Demonstrable experience in the management of large-scale humanitarian programmes;
In-depth understanding of programming in a partnership model, working in a partnership-based NGO;
Sound and up to date knowledge of development concepts, methodologies and techniques, including results based management, rights based approach and participatory methodologies;
Demonstrable experience of promoting gender equity through programming and within an international organisation;
Demonstrable experience of designing projects and developing proposals to secure institutional donor funding and of managing large and complex donor grants;
Demonstrable experience in designing and managing complex M&E frameworks, including knowledge management and use of ICT systems;
Solid experience of managing teams in a multi-cultural environment and playing a leadership role in ensuring cohesiveness, inclusion and development of staff at all levels;
Experience of working in a faith-based organization;
Experience of working with management information systems.
Skills
Excellent programme management skills;
Demonstrated ability to manage complex programmes to deliver results in line with strategy and budget using results-based management approach;
Demonstrated ability to manage budgets and financial systems on a significant scale, in development and humanitarian contexts;
Highly organised, with excellent planning, prioritisation and problem-solving skills;
Excellent leadership skills;
Demonstrated ability to manage multi-cultural teams of national and international staff well, and to implement performance management effectively;
Ability to coach and help others develop in their professional lives;
Ability to motivate staff to align behind a shared vision and objectives;
Demonstrated ability to think strategically and to develop and implement a clear country level strategy in the context of organisational strategy;
Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills and demonstrated ability in using these with internal stakeholders (Trócaire staff in different locations) and external stakeholders (partners, Church, donors, Irish and UK and host governments etc.);
Excellent verbal and written communications skills
Competent in Microsoft packages (Word, Excel);
Fluency (written and spoken) in English;
A full driving licence.
Qualities
Understanding of, an empathy with, the role of the Catholic Church in development
A strong commitment to the work of justice and an empathy with the ethos and work of Trócaire.
Other
Ability and willingness to travel and represent Trocaire within the region and internationally including travel to HQ in Ireland and offices in the UK.
[1] All offers of employment with Trócaire may be subject to police clearance.
