Duty Station: Nairobi, Hub Eastern and Southern Africa
Duration of Assignment: 3 years Fixed Term (Renewable)
Forum Syd Hub Eastern and Southern Africa is looking for a Finance and Administration Assistant for its operations in Nairobi.
The Hub Eastern and Southern Africa interventions are mainly centred on civil society strengthening, social accountability and community empowerment, with overarching objective of improving the democratic space in Kenya through fulfilment of rights, equal gender participation and sustainable use of natural resources.
To effectively achieve this, Hub ESA works with a broad range of partners and stakeholders both local and international within the different spheres of its work.
Wajibu Wetu Programme is a 42 months initiative supported by the Embassy of Sweden, Nairobi. The programme works with media, cultural and gender focused civil society organizations to reach out to a critical mass of right-holders to deepen democracy, strengthen inclusive citizen participation and accountability at the national level.
This is done through creative avenues like the use of music, traditional and new media, artivism (art for activism), cultural festivals, documentaries, investigative journalism among others by more than 40 national and grassroots civil society organizations.
The Public Private Development Programme (PPDP) is a led by ILO and financed by the Swedish Embassy in Nairobi. It is a 48 months programme aiming at poverty reduction and improved living conditions through decent work and access to rights-based services among the rural population in the Great Rift Valley.
Forum Syd is a co-implementing partner to ILO in the programme.
Purpose of the Position
The Programme Manager oversees the coordination and administration of all aspects of implementation of ongoing and upcoming programmes including planning, staffing, training and controlling off programme activities.
The position holds the responsibility of implementing Forum Syd’s frameworks for grant management and capacity development in the region of Eastern and Southern Africa.
Primary Responsibilities
Grant and Programme Management
- Establishing and upholding systems, routines and procedures for grant management and quality assurance, and for ensuring compliance with external and internal requirements.
- Ensuring adequate and systematic use of the IT-systems of Dira and Sopal.
- Planning and coordinating the implementation of Programmes (Wajibu Wetu, PPDP, CIVSAM) and other operational commitments at the Hub Level, including coordination within Forum Syd’s global organisation.
- Development of annual budgets and work plans for each programme, and ensuring efficient and effective implementation of the same.
- Supervision, coaching and division of responsibilities among programme staff.
- Responsibility for finances within established budget frames.
- Ensuring that programme activities are in alignment with programme objectives, on-time and within budget.
- Overseeing the documentation of programme activities.
- Ensuring that narrative and financial reports are submitted in time, and for coordinating with the Finance unit.
- Ensuring that periodic reviews of programme activities are conducted safeguarding the conformity with external and internal requirements and expectations.
- Development and implementation of evaluation frameworks for each programme, and the institutionalisation of findings, lessons learned and areas of improvement.
Partnerships
- Acting as the focal point in relation to the Swedish Embassy and other donors.
- Develop strategic partnerships to support effective implementation of the programmes.
- Represent Forum Syd in external networks and events relevant to geographic and thematic scope of Forum Syd in the region.
- Conceptualisation and development of new programme ideas.
Capacity development
- Coordinate and monitor the implementation of Forum Syd´s capacity development strategy at the Hub level.
- Ensuring that relevant, innovative and effective capacity development initiatives are implemented at the Hub level.
- Contribute to the organisational learning and development of Forum Syd in general, and of the Hub ESA in particular.
Management
- Contributing to the annual operational planning at the Hub level, ensuring that harmonised and effective working plans are in place in line with global prioritises, including the global teams.
- Contributing to a constructive and good work environment in Hub ESA in general, and in the Programme unit in particular.
- Establish and implement a performance management process for all programme staff working under your supervision. Ensure these staff members receive orientation and appropriate training in accordance with organizational standards.
- Other duties related to the work in the unit/hub assigned by the Hub Manager.
Academic Qualification
- Degree in Social Science, Development studies, and/or Management or related degree from recognized university.
- Diploma or certificate in Project Management.
Experience, Knowledge and Skills
- Minimum of 8 years of experience in grant and programme management within the development sector, preferably from one or several INGOs.
- Minimum of 3 years of documented leadership experience.
- A strong understanding of the dynamics of the civil society and emerging trends.
- A strong understanding of concepts such as Rights-based approach to development, Aid & Development Effectiveness, gender, environment & conflict sensitive programming.
- Extensive experience in result based management, strategic planning, risk management, change management and capacity development.
- Knowledge of the social, political and economic dynamics in the region of Eastern and Southern Africa in general, and in Kenya in particular.
- Experience working with quality management approaches, techniques, and principles.
- Broad past experience in sub-granting including assessment and quality assurance of project plans and reports.
- Good understanding of Financial Management and Internal Control, and experience in managing large programme budgets.
- Experience in donor reporting and strategic relations building.
- Good knowledge of IT systems and eager to learn.
Personal qualities
- Excellent judgment and high level of integrity.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent leadership and supervisory skills and ability to foster team spirit, motivate and engage staff.
- Strong commitment to democratic and human rights principles and values.
- Strong commitment to equal opportunity for all and gender equality.
- Self-motivated individual that possesses excellent time management and organisational skills with the ability to coordinate and manage a diverse array of activities and stakeholders.
- Ability to independently manage the operational aspects of ongoing activities and serve as liaison between programme management and programme team.
- Ability to drive to big picture goals and milestones while valuing and maintaining a strong attention to detail.
- Ability to quickly identify and drive to the optimal solution when presented with a series of constraints.
- Strong cross-functional collaboration skills, relationship building skills and ability to achieve results without direct reporting relationships.
- Strong oral and written communication skills in English and Kiswahili, and the ability to present a polished, professional, and diplomatic image to all stakeholders.
- Strong sense of personal responsibility and accountability for delivering high quality work.
- Strong sense of security management and willingness to follow security guidelines and regulations.
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