Deputy Country Director at TechnoServe Kenya

Position Description:

The DCD-Operations lead strategic and daily operations for the country platform through management, planning, and analysis. The DCD role is a combination of working directly to manage and solve operational issues and developing and overseeing a capable team of direct reports, many of whom will have their own teams. The DCD top priorities will be to: 

• Lead and drive implementation of operational initiatives
• Improve program and people management capabilities across operational and project teams
• Build relationships with internal program directors to streamline and add rigor to operations
• Lead systems improvements in knowledge management, budgeting, and people management
• Ensure high levels of consistency and compliance across head office and field offices that support programmatic excellence
• Set up systems to monitor and drive program quality for the country portfolio
• Successfully manage a large team through recruiting, strong performance management and coaching, and proactive professional development.

Primary functions and responsibilities:

Strategic Planning

As part of Kenya’s Senior Management Team, the DCD will:

• Regularly review and update TechnoServe Kenya’s Country strategy, identifying opportunities to achieve targets.
• Lead strategic organizational development or technical initiatives, such as the Gender, Green Growth, or new industries and businesses TNS can support
• Lead internal communications with a goal of cohesion and engagement of staff
• Support other initiatives and priorities, as assigned by the CD

 Program Quality / Monitoring & Evaluation

The DCD will review and strengthen program quality metrics, working closely with project leadership and M&E teams. In particular, the DCD will:

• Support Program Managers to update and refine work plans to ensure their projects comply with grants and contracts as well as providing tools and training for sub-grants, donor communications and M&E.
• Establish culture of data capture and application across programs
• Develop tools and templates for project leadership to leverage to maintain high quality monitoring, reporting, and learning
• Ensure accurate and timely submission of corporate measurement and donor reports

Operations & Administration

• Ensure and plan for efficient use of resources to deliver quality operations support to program teams
• Create tools and drive higher standards of people management, development, feedback, and learning
• Develop and train on strengthened knowledge management systems and processes
• Ensure efficiency and transparency of the procurement function; and provide training. Ensure systems are in place for inventory management
• Oversee contracts and relationships with security services and vendors - including IT, security procedures and equipment,
• Oversee compliance with immigration and visa regulations for all staff and visitors
• Design and oversee production of communication materials, including print and web materials in the form of articles, reports, briefs (policy), multimedia products, posters, and information packets;

Financial Planning and Reporting

Along with the Financial Controller, the DCD will:

• Lead key strategic operational decisions around organizational structures, new investments and the funding pipeline, and design tools to synthesize data
• Analyze current review and approval processes and systems, identify gaps and implement improvements
• Develop and utilize forecasting, and financial analyses to inform planning and operational decision-making
• Work with Program Managers for budgeting, financial planning and centralized reporting
• Assist with annual and mid-year budgeting processes
• Ensure timely, accurate, and useful financial and management reporting for multiple audiences, including Country Director and Program Directors, and donors/funding sources, including development or refining of financial dashboards

Basic qualifications:

• A Master’s degree in international development, business administration or other relevant discipline plus 10 years relevant professional or a Bachelors with minimum of 12 years of relevant professional and leadership experience
• Strong leadership experience, sourcing, attracting, managing, motivating, retaining their team and developing their own managers
• Technical skills and experience in the private sector, markets, and quantitative and qualitative monitoring and evaluation

Preferred Qualifications:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills essential, including report writing, presentations, and strong analytical and budgeting capabilities
• Strong financial analysis and ability to lead programs based on rigorous data analysis
• Experience working in and knowledge of Kenya and current environment
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically
• Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English; fluency in Swahili