CASCADE Consortium Lead at CARE

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership (35%)

• Lead the overall planning, coordination and execution of the CASCADE project, ensuring all components are delivered on time and on budget, through quality planning, oversight, technical guidance, and monitoring.
• Manage the overall CASCADE budget, and CARE-specific budget, overseeing financial management processes, monitoring expenditures, ensuring efficient resource allocation, and ensuring compliance with CARE and donor guidelines and policies.
• Facilitate and foster regular consortium meetings to ensure clear and consistent communication and
• coordination, to share results and learning, and for strategic planning and monitoring purposes.
• Lead and coordinate the CASCADE Consortium, comprising CARE and GAIN and represent CASCADE Kenya to the global CASCADE team, ensuring that diverse voices, concerns and opportunities are raised and discussed
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements, both for CARE as the prime and for the consortium members and implementing partners.
• Foster a positive, collaborative, and results-oriented work environment within the project team.
• Lead in the preparation and management of the Project Monitoring Folder (PMF) (Approved proposal, approved work plan, signed contract, approved budget, staffing plan, procurement plan, MEAL plan, communication plan, and update program and financial expense reports) detailed implementation plans, procurement plans, prepare budget tracking and expenditure tools and review them at least monthly. Clarify on the proposed timeline/ frequency for review.
• Lead in all internal and external strategic communication related to CASCADE project while ensuring that all official flow and processes for communication are adhered to
• Establish and strengthen key relationships, while overseeing networking and upholding synergy with the consortium partner, the National Government and County Governments of Nairobi, Nyandarua and Nakuru and all other strategic partners.

Programme Quality Design and Implementation (30%)

• Provide strategic direction and vision, guiding the CASCADE project team to reflect on progress and results, and strategize on appropriate adaptations to meet the project’s objectives.
• Ensure the integration of technical expertise in nutrition, agriculture, gender, food security and resilience to create a holistic, sustainable approach to healthy diets and food systems.
• Strengthen nutrition integration in CASCADE prioritizing promotion of key nutritional behaviors that contribute to the strategic objectives and overall goal of the program.
• Provide technical leadership and strategic guidance to program teams, ensuring evidence-base approaches and best practices are applied.
• Promote cross-sectoral integration, in monitoring and evaluation, gender, resilience, adaptation and learning, and community engagement
• Conduct periodic visits to the three implementing counties, including to communities, to ensure technical quality and consistency, support local partners and volunteers, identify problems and issues and make recommendations for improvement.
• Ensure that respective donors’ contractual requirements, and all relevant laws and regulations of Kenya, are fully adhered to by the team, by overseeing the development and implementation of appropriate plans to meet requirements.
• In collaboration with PQA&L manager contribute to development and execution of the Country Office communication and Visibility Strategy Including communication materials to disseminate the impacts of gender transformative change in food & nutrition and WASH and scale up. (Internal and external)
• Lead in donor reporting and compliance reviews (MEAL, Finance and Narrative) and development to MEAL plan Detailed Project Implementation Plan, Performance Measurement Framework and Operational Plan together with the project team.
• Prepare & share project success and learning in relevant national and regional forums (external to CARE).
• Be responsible for ensuring the high quality and timely delivery of donor reporting (narrative and financial) for all projects, as well as compliance with CARE’s internal reporting processes

Contract and Budget Management /Financial Management (10%)

• Overseas and ensures effective delivery of programmes in line with budgets (including contracts, grants/sub-grants, procurement plans etc)
• Work with GAIN partner to coordinate the programmes portfolios’ financial execution and reporting.
• Manage and monitor expenditure against budgets for strategic and annual programmatic plans in adherence to financial guidelines while ensuring value for money.
• Oversee the grants and partnership management implementation, accountability, and compliance to all contractual requirements of the project.
• Ensuring timely identification of risks and communicating these in writing to CARE’s management through the designated supervisor

Resource Mobilization, Partnership, Advocacy and Communication (10%)

• Support preparation of concept notes and proposals working closely with the Program Director and
• Program Quality Manager and respective technical team/ advisors.
• Support CO effort to position for new business opportunities by capturing and documenting best practices and showcasing CARE Kenya programmatic service delivery, research and achievements for increased visibility and strategic partnership
• Acts as an advocate for policy sector engagement in nutrition in Kenya, on behalf of CARE
• Engaging with external stakeholders through a positive, proactive and strategic approach to brand
• building and effective representation of CARE’s programmatic work in Kenya.
• Plan, guide and showcase CASCADE Kenya’s programmatic service delivery, research and achievements.

People management and Development (10%)

• Effectively distribute work among staff by ensuring that the staffing plan takes on board considerations for effective duty allocations, performance management and that teamwork is always maintained. (Staff wellness and support).
• Ensure timely, consistent, and adequate compliance with CARE-Kenya’s performance management system including midterm and annual performance appraisal processes.
• Ensure the program staff have appropriate technical support, equipment, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and communication systems to facilitate their daily chores.
• Line manages direct reports including supporting work plan development, annual reporting and performance management.
• Coach, guide and mentor leaders within project team and the department so that they are effective and maximize on their potential in their respective fields

Program Administration and Operations (5%)

• Approve all travel expenses reports (TERs), Project advances and Procurement requests of the program field staffs after verifications.
• Arrange and recommend staff leave requests in a manner that will not disrupt project or program activities.
• Liaise with the Procurement Manager and Field staff to ensure smooth and timeliness in the operations of the project procurement services’ needs.
• Prepare quarterly procurement schedules and process according to CARE and donors’ regulations.
• CARE Finance’s tracking systems and monthly Contract Budget Statement reports and maintain strict adherence to CARE financial policy.
• Ensure rationalized utility of the program assets including motor vehicles/motorcycles, computers, Satellite Thuraya phones, Smart phones, cameras, GPs gadgets, and any other asset entrusted to the project.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Agriculture, or related field (bachelor’s degree in nutrition required) Project management certification is desirable.
• Experience: Minimum 10 years in nutrition, food systems, or public health programming (7+ years in senior management). Proven leadership in donor-funded projects, budget management, and advocacy. Strong track record in partnerships, fundraising, and people management.