Cross Border Programme Advisor at British High Commission Nairobi

Main purpose of job:

To support the delivery of the £23m East Africa CSSF Programme, with an emphasis on ensuring a deep understanding of the local context in the Kenya – Somalia – Ethiopia borderlands, conflict sensitivity and inclusion. Monitor and support delivery against project outcomes, ensuring robust risk management and effective working relationships with internal and external partners.  70% of this role will involve advisory support, 30% will be programme management focused.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?

The overall purpose of the job is to ensure effective implementation of the CSSF East Africa programme – in particualr the Kenya -Somalia – Ethiopia borderlands project, engaging external partners and working collaboratively with a network of colleagues based across the mission, region and wider CSSF network. The role requires a combination of programme management, contextual analysis and engagement skills, to achieve:

• Programme delivery: apply CSSF programme management principles to ensure effective implementation of the borderlands project through downstream delivery partners.
• Stakeholder Management: develop excellent working relationships with implementing partners to ensure the successful implementation of the programme. Develop an extensive network of contacts across the Kenya- Somalia – Ethiopia borderlands, BHC Nairobi, other UK missions and central UK Government to raise the profile of the programme and ensure full coordination with key partners.
• UK influence and understanding: by establishing and maintaining strategic relationships with government at the county level ((executive; county commissioners; county assembly; civil society; private sector, multilateral) to support CSSF East Africa and wider UK understanding of the political economy Risk Management: draft and own risk register to systematically manage risks to programme and portfolio delivery; work with implementers to identify and measure the impact of specific risks, and agree and implement mitigating actions; work with implementers to measure the impact of those mitigating actions, and, where necessary, escalate concerns to the appropriate level.
• Corporate: contribute to the effective management of the East Africa Team; share and store programme document/information in line with team guidelines; represent the team and wider CSSF in internal and external partner meetings, where appropriate.
• Financial management: develop and maintain systems to manage expenditure; make sure that spend v forecast is accurately captured and reported in line with team and CSSF requirements; where necessary, challenge programme expenditure, making sure implementers are maximising the value of CSSF’s investment; process payments using the FCO administration programme PRISM.
• Compliance: ensure that programme development and delivery is compliant with rules and regulations on Overseas Development Assistance as well as the internal guidelines for the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund (CSSF); support in the generation and collation of information and documentation for annual reviews and audits in line with contracts.
• Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E): monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of projects, through liaison with our external M&E partners and regular engagement with implementers and visits to project activity; make sure all project activity has a results framework which clearly articulates outputs, against which progress can be measured and reported; support evaluation work across the programme in line with the CSSF annual review schedule.
• North East Kenya and cross-border areas, improve coordination with government and other stakeholders,  an ensure that UK support is responsive to need, coherent, and funds are used in line with guidelines & value for money principles.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience  

• Experience of project and programme management of complex projects operating in challenging contexts, including risk management skills, with a proven ability to track spend and report against milestones.
• Fluent oral communication skills in English and Somali. The successful candidate will have an excellent command of written and spoken English and be able to present complex ideas clearly in briefings and meetings.
• Deep understanding of the priorities, opportunities and challenges within North East Kenya and the cross-border regions in Somalia and Ethiopia.
• An excellent understanding of governance and political structures at national and subnational levels and county priorities (including in key sectors) and how these structures actually work.
• Proven ability to develop relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders: county leadership; staff at technical levels; county commissioners; county assembly; civil society; private sector; donor community.
• Able to work well independently as well as part of a team, and multi-task. Have the energy to drive forward priorities at pace.
• Willingness to travel is a must.

Required behaviours  

• Changing and Improving, Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together

Application deadline: 27 January 2023