Chief of Party, Kenya at ACDI/VOCA

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and technical direction for the AA1 program, including leading the strategic planning, implementation and reporting, as well as promoting a facilitation-based, market-led approach to intervention design and day-to-day practice.
• Collaborates with Leader Award technical and operational staff to ensure integrated programming.
• Ensures accountability to USAID, Partnership for Resilience and Economic Growth (PREG), and Government of Kenya (GoK).
• Design, develop and implement strategies and project work plans to improve livestock productivity, strengthen market linkages, expand access to markets for pastoralists, increase pastoralists’ access to finance, and strengthen institutions, systems, and governance.
• Oversee the grant making (solicitation, grant application, selection, and implementation) of AA1 grant activities.
• Serve as the principal liaison for AA1 to the LWA Leader COP, Technical Coordination Director, USAID staff, government partners, and private sector value chain actors to secure commitment and ensure open dialogue that benefits the program goals.
• Participate in regular LMS LWA Program Management Committee meetings.
• Lead efforts to collect, synthesize and disseminate clear information through technical reports and periodic progress reports.
• Develop professional relationships, and further program goals and objectives.
• Ensure that expected results are achieved on time and on budget.
• Communicate effectively with other USAID project managers, donors, and other indigenous and international NGOs to ensure positive visibility of project activities.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise and a minimum of five years of chief-of-party experience in managing large (at least $5 million), complex livestock and/or agricultural development programs (the experience may include experience with donor projects, regional programs or country programs) with a private sector/market systems development and/or livelihoods focus, preferably within an African context.
• Additional experience that USAID will consider towards the five years’ experience include experience as a Team Leader, or Country Director.
  Demonstrated ability to be collaborative across projects and strong communications and interpersonal skills, with evidence of ability to productively interact with a wide range and levels of organizations (government, private sector, NGOs, research institutions).

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• A minimum of a Master’s degree in a relevant field or a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with an additional 2 years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in strategic thinking and policy analysis and able to dialogue with host country government.
• Experience working in Kenya or East Africa strongly preferred.
• Strong writing, analytical, presentation and reporting skills.

The position requires extensive field travel within and beyond Nairobi and Isiolo, Marsabit, Garissa, Wajir, and Turkana counties.