Deputy Director, Drought Management Coordination - 7 Posts at National Drought Management Authority

Position Summary/ Purpose

The job of Drought Management Coordination entails; coordination of drought management through development and operation of an efficient drought early warning system, drought contingency and response plans, designing and implementation of strategies on drought preparedness and resilience building, response, recovery, climate change and shock responsive safety nets.

Job Specification

An officer at this level will be assigned duties and responsibilities in any of the following functional areas:

Drought Information

Duties and responsibilities at this level will entail: -

• Ensuring quality control of data collection and analysis;
• Coordinating food security and drought management data collection analysis and responsible for compilation and distribution of county drought early warning bulletins including the feedback of county drought warning messages to recipient communities;
• Coordinating of county drought early warning systems and ensuring production of drought early warning bulletins and publications;
• Supporting dissemination of drought early warning information to relevant stakeholders with particular emphasis to drought prone communities;
• Supporting national and county food security assessments and ad hoc national and county rapid food security assessments and other surveys (nutritional surveys, market surveys, urban vulnerability surveys, etc.);
• Organizing skills training courses to build the capacity of officers involved in the early warning data collection and analysis;
• Spearheading development of manuals and guidelines for management of drought early warning system;
• Promoting integration of GIS and remote sensing tools into early warning systems;
• Providing information to all drought management divisions through the administration of contingency planning, early warning system and contingency funds software; and
• Spearheading research activities aimed at enhancing effectiveness and performance of the drought early warning system.
• Capacity building of stakeholders on GIS and remote sensing products including dissemination.
• Development of GIS and remote sensing products including remote sensing databases for drought early warning system.

Drought Contingency Planning and Response

Duties and responsibilities at this level will entail:

• Ensuring that the design of the drought contingency planning and financing system in Kenya is consistent with international best practice and subject to ongoing review and improvement, including through the integration of appropriate technologies;
• Coordinating the generation and publication of drought contingency plans at county level, and the production of a national drought contingency plan;
• Ensuring that the content of these plans is widely understood by relevant stakeholders and accessible through a national database;
• Determining the criteria for disbursement of contingency finance and production of relevant technical guidance and procedures in collaboration with the National Drought Emergency Fund,
• Determining the level of response required and ensuring that applications for drought contingency finance are in line with the agreed criteria and guidelines, and that funds are promptly transferred to the counties within the stipulated time period;
• Developing monitoring and control mechanisms to ensure that drought contingency activities are timely and appropriate, and that all accountability requirements for drought contingency finance are met;
• Developing and implementing a strategy for continuous capacity development of all those involved in the drought contingency planning and financing system, through the provision of training, development of manuals and guidelines, or other measures

Drought Resilience

Duties and responsibilities at this level will entail:

• Monitoring implementation of the Ending Drought Emergencies strategy in collaboration and in partnership with other institutions;
• Promoting the implementation of strategic interventions that enhance resilience to drought and climate change;
• Developing and implementing strategies to ensure that drought risk management and climate change adaptation are mainstreamed into development planning and resource allocation at both national and county levels;
• Developing and implementing strategies for continuous capacity development of county and national planners in mainstreaming drought risk management and climate change adaptation, through the provision of training, the development of manuals and guidelines, or other measures; and
• Supporting the design and delivery of the Authority’s knowledge management function by building evidence base to justify investments in drought resilience.

County Drought Coordination Office

Duties and responsibilities at this level will entail:

• Promoting the implementation of strategic development interventions that enhance resilience to drought and climate change
• Overseeing implementation of drought resilience, preparedness, response and recovery programs and projects.
• Coordinating the adoption of systems and mechanisms developed at National level for efficient drought management.
• Ensuring drought risk management is mainstreamed in the county planning and budgeting processes.
• Ensuring that drought response and resilience activities are timely and appropriate,
• Coordinating drought resilience interventions by various governmental and nongovernmental actors to facilitate efficiency and synergy.
• Overseeing development and operationalization of the Drought Early Warning System (DEWS)
• Coordinating the implementation of the cascaded Authority’s strategic plan
• Coordinating development of the County work plan and budget;
• Mentoring and coaching county staff
• Overseeing performance management in the county
• Ensuring the staff at the county comply with the procedures and plans of the Authority.
• Coordinating the preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual reports by the county.
• Responsibility for the operations and performance of the county office
• Responsible for the adherence to the financial standards and regulations
• Responsible for adherence to the Public Procurement and Disposal laws.

Person Specification

For appointment to this grade, an officer must have:

• A minimum period of twelve (12) years relevant work experience, five (5) years of which should be in a supervisory position three (3) of which should have been served at the grade of Assistant Director level or equivalent position.
• Bachelor’s degree in either Range Management, Agriculture, Livestock, Economics or Agricultural Engineering, Rural Development Studies, Mathematics, Statistics, computer Science, Environmental Management, Developmental Studies,
• Agricultural Economics, Community Development, Information Science or Project Planning and Management from a recognized institution
• Master’s degree in either Range Management, Agriculture, Livestock, Economics or
• Agricultural Engineering Rural Development Studies, Mathematics, Statistics, computer Science, Environmental Management, Developmental Studies, Agricultural Economics, Community Development, Information Science or Project Planning and Management from a recognized institution
• Professional qualification & membership to a professional body where applicable
• Management course lasting not less than four (4) weeks
• Proficiency in computer applications
• Fulfilling the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution

Key competencies and skills

• Broad knowledge of corporate governance, public finance management Procurement, Labour laws, and current drought management and climate change related issues.
• Strategic and innovative thinking.
• Ability to mobilize resources
• Problem solving and negotiation skills,
• Team building and evidence of being a strong team player
• Organizational skills; and
• Thorough understanding of national goals & policies and ability to develop objectives and translate them into national drought mitigation policies, programmes and projects.