Deputy Country Director for Program Development and Quality Assurance

Name of the position: Deputy Country Director for Program Development and Quality Assurance
Country: Kenya	Base:  Nairobi
Direct line manager: Country Director Line management of: Technical Coordinators and Advocacy Manager	Starting date: 1st August 2013	Ending date:
Founded in 1979, ACF International (Action Against Hunger) is an international humanitarian organization that delivers programs in over 40 countries. Recognized worldwide as a leader in the fight against hunger, our mission is to save lives through the prevention, detection, and treatment of malnutrition, especially during and after emergency situations and conflicts. From crisis to sustainability, ACF tackles the underlying causes of malnutrition and its effects. By integrating our programs with local and national systems, we further ensure that short-term interventions become long-term solutions. With Head Offices in France, the United Kingdom, Spain, the United States and Canada, our international network shares its combined resources, breadth of experience and technical expertise in pursuit of a world without hunger. ACF is present in Kenya since 2001. Currently the mission is implementing program activities in West Pokot, Isiolo, Tana River, Garissa and Dadaab refugee camps. Summary ACF Kenya is looking for an ambitious, innovative and passionate visionary leader with strategic thinking and strong organizational skills to lead the senior program team in Nairobi. The DCD has the overall responsibility for the direction and coordination of the country office programme. S/he will line manage the Heads of  the three technical departments within ACF Kenya as well as oversee parallel functions such as monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) and country wide advocacy. The ideal candidate should have proven ability to coordinate, manage and develop multimillion dollar programs, should be conversant with the changing operational context in Kenya (devolution), have excellent knowledge of the livelihoods transformation in the Arid and Semi-Arid lands and be able to adapt ACF’s programming under the humanitarian and development resilience agenda. The position is based in Nairobi but requires frequent visits to the field locations. Objectives and Activities: Objective 1: Program Development and Coordination Activities Take a lead role in developing and /or reviewing of the country program strategy (bi- annual). Ensure programs are coherent with the operational country strategy and with ACF’s mandate. Lead technical departments in drafting new concept notes and proposals. Promote, assist, and oversee the programmatic integration of the three technical departments. Identify new opportunities for project development in line with the overall mission country strategy Infuse innovation and streamline new technologies in ACF’s programming. Ensuring that technical coordination meetings take place at the capital level to share information and promote innovative solutions to programming challenges. Visit ACF field activities regularly and report on problems, challenges and obstacles while building an intimate knowledge of fieldwork realities. Ensure the coordination of planning and follow up of donor field visits. Ensure that the mission has up-to-date knowledge of donor strategies and frameworks, funding mechanisms and that these are fed into the coordination and country strategy planning process. Objective 2: Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (Quality Assurance) Activities In coordination with the technical and support departments ensure the overall planning, follow-up and writing up of donor reports. Ensure project objectives are met and that timelines, budgets, donor guidelines are respected by the senior program team. Ensure project development is line with ACF’s technical guidelines, SPHERE, HAP, CaLP and other technical protocols. Ensure that Technical Coordinators submit on time ACF’s Activity Project Reports (APRs) and Technical Monthly Reports (TMR). Participate in the drafting of TORs for all technical evaluations and oversee the work of external consultants. Support the Technical Coordinators in developing M&E plans for all new projects. Organize Monthly APR review meetings Support the Technical Coordinator in developing and maintaining a strong community based accountability system. Ensure that knowledge is captured through lessons learnt and best practices and facilitate dissemination across the missions. Facilitate a ‘trickle-down’ of information towards the field stemming from cluster/sectoral information in the capital. Liaise with HQ for all research related and quality assurance matters Objective 3: Representation and liaison for program related issues with donors, authorities, UN, NGOs and other stakeholders Activities ·         Liaise with stakeholders for program related issues whether senior level involvement is required ·         Liaise with donors and partners for all program related issues. ·         Focal point for academic and research partnerships Advance and disseminate ACF’s strategic positioning to donors and other stakeholders as this relates to humanitarian analysis and future financial planning. ·         Attend technical and/or humanitarian coordination fora such as KFSWG, NTF, WESCOORD when /if Technical Coordinators are not available. ·         Represent ACF in consortia, alliances and partnerships as appropriate Strengthen field and capital level information-sharing with IOs, INGOs and government. Objective 4: Advocacy Activities ·         Takes lead in identifying advocacy issues and develops organizational positions in each relevant thematic ·         Oversee advocacy initiatives across the three technical departments Attend policy and advocacy fora and promote ACF’s country strategy on advocacy Line manage the Advocacy Manager Objective 5: Humanitarian Context Analysis Activities Provide the coordination team with information relating to humanitarian and developmental events in the country Ensure information is analyzed and provide relevant future propositions for geographic and sectoral interventions throughout the country to CD in a timely fashion. ·         Information collection and analysis from external sources and from technical coordinators ·         Identify humanitarian needs, briefing the country management team and designing potential responses within the operational country strategy ·         Production of the program related part of the mission sitrep Objective 6: Human Resources Management - Programming Activities ·         Conducts staff reviews of Technical Coordinators and the Advocacy Manager. ·         Undertake timely appraisals for the Technical Coordinators and the Advocacy Manager. ·         General leadership of program staff and technical departments acting as a liaison between CD and Technical Coordinators. ·         Revision of all job descriptions for technical positions in collaboration with Coordinators as needed. ·         Induction of new Technical Coordinators and briefing of country program strategy. Provide input to coordination team on program issues relating to human resources and budgeting. Ensure program staff is motivated and committed to ACF charter and programs Provide training and guidance to all new Technical Coordinators on operational management of programs Contribute to the career development for program staff in collaboration with the HR department in order to identify needs of training Objective 7: Oversight and guidance on program budgets Activities : ·         In collaboration with Finance Coordinator and Technical Coordinators, ensure that program budgets are respected ·         Ensure that coordinators alert on over- or under spending of budgets and ensure programs are adjusted Objective 8: Act as Country Director in his absence  Activities : Represent the CD in all meeting when he is out of the country and on request  Manage the mission with the Desk Officer when the CD is absent (except for security)
QUALIFICATIONS
Education -          Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, nutrition, agro-economy, rural development, environmental engineering -          Master’s degree in relevant field is desirable Required Experience -          Minimum 7 years humanitarian work in emergency and/or development context. -          Significant experience in emergency, recovery and long term resilience building programs. -          Minimum 3 years humanitarian experience in a senior management / coordination role. -          Proven experience in coordinating and managing programs in the ASAL areas. -          Experience with ACF is desirable Knowledge                      -          Good understanding of all three ACF’s technical sectors -          Up to date knowledge of the humanitarian discourse around key concepts such as devolution, resilience, LRRD -          Advanced knowledge of donors’ guidelines/procedures -          Fluency in written and spoken English -          Excellent knowledge of  Microsoft Package Skills -          Recognized leadership skills -          Outstanding project cycle management and coordination skills -          Exceptional organizational and management skills -          Resource management, training , capacity building, coaching skills -          Good analytical and presentation skills. Abilities -          Effective negotiator, with the ability to positively influence cross departmental and cross sector working. -          Credibility to lobby, network, influence and represent ACF Kenya at all levels. -          Must be disciplined and able to work autonomously and arrive at decisions and conclusions with minimal guidance. -          Proven ability to learn and adapt       Outputs ü  Contribute to the monthly mission narrative report ü  Complete monthly DCD reporting tool ü  Complete monthly Contracts Follow Up Tool ü  Contribute to the drafting of the country strategy ü  Contribute to the drafting of the advocacy strategy ü  Oversee proposals and reports drafting What ACF will offer: ü  Start date: August 2013 ü  Duty station: Nairobi Office with frequent travel to the field bases. ACF will provide transport and accommodation plus meals when travelling to the field bases ü  Remuneration package: Very Competitive salary package with additional benefits to include: §  International career development opportunities with ACF §  Minimum of one International training per year. §  Comprehensive medical cover for self and dependants §  Opportunity to work in a good and friendly environment with a dynamic and motivated team ü  Duration of contract: One year contract, renewable depending on funding availability and performance Closing Date:  30th June 2013 by Close of Business 5pm. Applications sent after the closing date and time will not be considered. Interested candidates should forward their applications including a cover letter, curriculum vitae and telephone contacts and email addresses of 3 referees preferably former/current supervisors (certificates will be required later on in the recruitment process) to: EMAIL: recruit.ke@acf-international.org  indicate the position on the subject line of the email. Position opened to Kenyan Nationals only