Assistant Manager — Standards Development at Kenya Bureau of Standards

Job Purpose

Coordinates the development of standards in specific sectors of industry in the section which includes but not limited to Mechanical, Civil, Building & Construction, Textile & Leather, Electrotechnical engineering; Metrology and ICT, chemical, environmental, petrochemical, food, agriculture and services for the purpose of facilitating local, regional, and international trade; promoting innovation in Kenyan Industries, protection of consumer health and safety; and environment in accordance with Article 42, 43, 46 (a, b & c) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and the Standards Act Cap 496 Laws of Kenya and entrenchment of a culture of quality for the realization of Kenya vision 2030, African Union Agenda 2063 and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Articulates Kenya’s sector specific position in Standardization, Metrology and Conformity Assessment (SMCA) in regional and international fora to promote innovation, trade, and quality life within the section.

Key Responsibilities / Duties / Tasks

Managerial / Supervisory Responsibilities

• Coordinates the development of Kenya Standards and other deliverables (Publicly Available Specifications (PAS), Technical Reports (TR), Company standards and National workshop agreements (NWA)) within a specific sector through involvement of stakeholders in national Technical Committees (TCs) based on an established need, for purpose of facilitating trade, protection of health and safety of consumers and environment;
• Coordinates the development of Regional Standards (East Africa Standards and ARSO Standards) and International Standards within a specific sector through involvement of stakeholders in Regional Technical Committees (TCs) for purposes of elimination of technical barriers to trade (TBTs);
• Coordinates the process of development, resolution and submission of national position for international standards by continuously reviewing notifications on pending votes on Draft International Standards for the purpose of influencing technical contents of published international Standards;
• Organizes standards publicity activities (through workshops, seminars) within various sectors for the purpose of awareness creation, training, and uptake of published standards and integration of Standards in Regulations /policies;
• Organizes the establishment, implementation, maintenance, monitoring, evaluation and improvement of Management systems certifications adopted by KEBS for the purpose of ensuring efficiency, effectiveness and sustained customer satisfaction;
• Organizes the implementation of externally or internally funded projects to ensure timely completion within the approved cost and quality to ensure delivery of the project objectives;
• Actualizes performance management and productivity improvement in the section for monitoring and evaluation of performance.

Operational Responsibilities / Tasks

• Monitor compliance to standards development procedures by officers in developing the standards and other deliverables (Publicly Available Specifications (PAS), Technical Reports (TR), Company standards and National workshop agreements (NWA)) at all stages;
• Coordinates research activities in the section with an aim to gathering relevant technical data from industry for standards development at national, regional and international forums;
•  Establishes National Technical Committees in liaison with the manager for purposes of stakeholders engagement in standards development and assign duties to technical officers within the section;
• Coordinates the implementation of the regional and National Standardization Plans within the section;
• Analyses the proposed standards projects within the section prior to presentation to the Manager;
• Identifies,reviewies and take corrective action on non-conforming published or unpublished Kenya standards within the section;
• Guides in the implementation of stakeholders feedback in relations to standards development process;
• Plans, monitors and evaluates standardization activities for the implementation of identified projects for the purpose of achievement of objectives within a specific sector;
• Supervises the development of the national position in relevant National Technical Committee before submission to regional and or international technical committee;
• Coordinates public forums to educate and inform publics on developed standards for purpose of increasing uptake of published standards and integration of Standards in Regulations /policies;
• Leads in resolution of emerging issues that affect trade, health and safety of consumers and environment on matters touching on standards and standardization within the section;
• Articulate technical issues in intergovernmental Task forces and committees with regard to standards and standards related activities;
• Coordinates the development of staff competencies in the section through formal training programmes, mentorship, coaching, hands on learning etc. to be able to deliver the divisional objectives.

Job Competencies (Knowledge, Experience and Attributes / Skills).

Academic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, and mathematics (STEM), humanities and social sciences.

Professional Qualifications / Membership to professional bodies

Registration with relevant professional bodies:

• Engineers Board of Kenya,
• Chemical Society of Kenya
• Physics Society of Kenya
• Kenya Nutritionist and Dietician Institute
• Food Science and Technology Platform - Kenya
• Computer Society of Kenya
• Kenya Institute of Management
• National Quality Institute

Previous relevant work experience required.

• At least 7 years’ relevant work experience relevant work out which 3 years’ in a supervisory position.

Functional Skills, Behavioral Competencies/Attributes:

Functional Skills

• Negotiation skills
• Project management skills
• Financial management skills
• Management skills
• Information, communication, and technology skills
• Leadership skills
• Presentation skills
• Report writing
• Analytical skills
• Auditing Skills

Behavioral

• Counselling skills.
• Problem solving skills
• Time management skills
• Communication skills
• Interpersonal skills