Director of Programs at Heifer International

RESPONSIBILITIES and DELIVERABLES
(including approximate percentage effort)

Program Management (25%)

1. Assume overall responsibility for the management of all Heifer Kenya programs and provide line management support to all Program Managers and Project Coordinators.
2. Support Program Managers and Project Coordinators (PC’s) in the management of the field resources and project budgets and ensure these are used in compliance with approved guidelines (vehicle and motorcycles management, etc.).
3. Implement annual performance management process for all Program Managers and Project Coordinators and support them to ensure these cascades to all Program staff.

DELIVERABLES

1. Staff performance management system for all program staff implemented on a quarterly and annual basis for all program staff ensuring the achievement of at least 80% of the set performance targets.
2. Enhanced compliance and accountability in the management of project resources, achieving at least 90% compliance
3. Over 80 % of the planned milestones are achieved by the projects
4. Ensure 100% compliance with donor all the project donor contractual obligations by all the project staff.

Program Planning and Budgeting (15%)

1. Support all project teams to develop annual budgets and work plans consistent with project documents and donor contracts.
2. Support teams in undertaking the necessary review and updating of the work plans and budgets to respond to emerging field implementation challenges and project review processes.
3. Review all support in the execution of Letters of Agreement (LOA) between the beneficiary groups and/ or Producer Organizations and Heifer Kenya.
4. Support in the review of the Heifer Kenya Country program Framework.

DELIVERABLES

1. Project work plans and budgets (annual, quarterly and monthly) developed for all approved projects every financial year and implemented in line with project documents and work plans
2. Periodic and timely reviews of budgets and re-forecasting of all approved projects work plans undertaken and shared with Headquarters and respective donors, ensuring alignment with the donor contracts
3. Effective management of partnerships between beneficiary groups and producer organizations who are supported by the project, to ensure 100% adherence with the LOAs.
4. Biannual and annual review of the Kenya Country Program Framework with clear actions to address any gaps that may be observed.

Budget Management and Monitoring (15%)

• In coordination with the finance department undertake quarterly budget monitoring and variance analysis with all Program Managers and support the projects in reviewing and tracking spending to adhere to annual budgets.
• Support Program Managers and the Country Program to plan and undertake corrective management actions arising out of budget monitoring reports.
• Approve program related requests for imprest and reconciliations in line with work plans and financial management procedures.

DELIVERABLES

• Monthly and Quarterly budget for all ongoing projects s highlighting status of project spending and presenting these in the monthly operational meetings
• Implementing and tracking all the proposed corrective measures to address any variances beyond +/-10%, ensuring that the spending is brought on track within the planned period
• Ensure program request for impress and reconciliations approved in line with work plans and financial management procedures

Program Reporting (20%)

• Review regular quarterly, semi- and annual reports from the Program Managers and Project Coordinators and support them to comply with requirements of quality reporting and timeliness.
• Review donor reports from the Program Managers and Project Coordinators to ensure they comply with requirements in terms of quality and timelines and ensure these are of the highest standards.
• Compile quarterly Country Program Reports to provide oversight of the Country Program implementation.
• Compile the Heifer International Annual Board ends report.

DELIVERABLES

• All project progress reports (quarterly, semi- and annual reports) from the Program Managers and Project Coordinators are compliant with expected quality standards and timelines
• All donor reports from the Program Managers and Project Coordinators are compliant with expected quality standards. timelines and donor formats
• 4 Kenya Country Program Quarterly Reports are compiled annually within the stipulated timelines
• Heifer International Annual Board Ends report compiled and submitted within the stipulated timelines

Program Development and Fundraising (15%)

• Provide leadership to the Program development work with all the regional teams to grow and develop Heifer Kenya’s Programs portfolio.
• Support Heifer Kenya’s fundraising work through background information gathering, Concept Development and proposal development.
• Support field teams in ensuring that Heifer Kenya interventions are appropriately designed and benefitting correctly targeted beneficiaries and creating the desired impact with participants

DELIVERABLES

1. At least 2 fundraising opportunities identified and responded to annually.
2. Resource mobilization plans developed to enable achievement of the objectives of the Country Program Framework
3. At least 3 partnerships are annually established for the purpose of program development
4. Effective designs and models are developed and incorporated in new projects in order to achieve the required scale and impacts

Documentation and lessons learning (10%)
A. Support country projects in developing and documenting lessons learnt and experiences for dissemination and sharing to inform future project development.
B. Perform any other duty as may be assigned by the Country Program director.

DELIVERABLES

1. At least two successful cases per year per ongoing project are documented from projects and disseminated through different platforms
2. Lessons learnt from projects documented and disseminate to stakeholders before end of each project
3. Successful business models documented before end of projects for replication or scale up

Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor

Most Critical Proficiencies:

• Good understanding of annual work planning and budgeting and budget monitoring.
• A good understanding of monitoring and evaluation processes.
• Solid project management and reporting skills.
• Sound project and proposal development skills.
• A good understanding and sensitivity to issues associated with poverty, hunger and environment, and knowledge of the context to which non-profit organizations operate.
• Solid knowledge and experience in extension methodologies.
• Experience in Agribusiness development, especially developing livestock value chains, market facilitation approaches and development of farmer business institutions.
• Knowledge and experience in training and participatory training methodologies.
• Team leadership skills, with good abilities of addressing conflicts amongst diverse teams and constituents.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Proficient knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, electronic mail (Microsoft Office preferred) and Internet.
• Demonstrated proficiency in English and Swahili, both oral and written.

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands:

• Preparing and presenting project reports and presentations in a well-designed and attractive format with superior attention to detail.
• Demonstrated creativity, ability to think systematically, willingness and ability to incorporate innovative solutions.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work cooperatively, tactfully and diplomatically with culturally diverse groups of people.
• Willingness and ability to assign and review the work of line managed staff and to use participatory management skills with junior and senior staff.
• Proven team leadership and supervisory skills with the ability to train and work cooperatively with a diverse staff.
• Regularly conduct stakeholder analysis to strengthen partnerships and leveraging of resources
• Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues and the general public to scale up country program visibility and publicity.
• May require constant sitting; working at a computer and focusing for extended periods of time and performing office work in the field and/or in remote conditions.
• Working with sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality.
• Ability to manage and execute multiple tasks with little supervision while meeting sometimes inflexible deadlines.

Required Experience

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Rural Development, Project Planning and Management, Agriculture, Agribusiness and Animal Science and other relevant qualification
• Seven (7) years of relevant experience in Program management, extension and community development work.

Preferred Requirements:

• Master’s Degree in relevant professional discipline.
• Four (4) years of supervisory/managerial experience.
• Thorough understanding of programming processes, systems and principles, and the ability to provide leadership and support to staff working at community level.
• Solid skill, knowledge and foundation in proposal development and of the project management cycle.
• Sound understanding of value chain development on various agricultural commodities including dairy and livestock sectors.
• Sound understanding of integrated development issues and critical analysis of the root causes of poverty in Kenya.
• Knowledge of development issues, trends, challenges and opportunities and implications to community development.
• Demonstrated knowledge of strategic planning processes.