Kenya PMEL - Team Leader at Abt Associates

Programme Overview:

• The FCDO Kenya Portfolio Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (PMEL) project will support FCDO Kenya, by working with UK-funded projects, staff, and partners to deliver work in three areas:

Overall: To provide a core PMEL service to all teams and programmes across the UK Aid Kenya portfolio, through technical support, assessments, capacity building, and research, evaluation and learning.

• Programme monitoring support - programme monitoring data that is more relevant, valid and reliable, increasing assurance and accountability to the taxpayer, and enabling learning and improvement on programme delivery.
• Independent, evaluative programme evidence - including beyond and across programmes, that allows us to spend in the most efficient, effective and impactful areas in current and future programming.
• Strategic evidence and learning - at the strategic and portfolio level, including in non-programme areas, which directly informs decision-making and adaptations to our approaches across BHC Nairobi.

The work will deliver the following outcomes and impact for FCDO:

Outcomes:

• Accountability: Better accountability on the use of FCDO Kenya resources; better control, identification and management of risk.
• Learning: Insights to inform programme and policy design and adaptation, strategic direction, country planning, forecasting and budgeting.

Impact: FCDO Kenya’s approach is grounded in evidence, maximising impact and VFM. 

Core Responsibilities:

The Team Lead will:

• Hold responsibility for the management and quality of programme deliverables
• Manage strategic relationships with key stakeholders, including, but not limited to: FCDO Kenya, Government of Kenya, other partners, Kenyan Universities, and Kenyan think tanks, through periodic strategic meetings
• Provide technical leadership in the implementation of the programme through the management of the technical team
• Performance management of the Nairobi-based team
• Take part in periodic reviews of the programme, to ensure continual improvement across its lifetime
• Lead or oversee the writing of key technical quarterly, and annual reports 
• Demonstrate experience in and support flexible, adaptive programming 

Core Requirements:

This role is based and operating in Kenya. This role is open to Kenyan Nationals, as well as regional Nationals, who have a minimum of 10 - 15 years experience in the requirements listed below:

• Engagement in donor-funded programmes in Kenya, preferably with FCDO/DFID 
• Experience working with the Government of Kenya
• Proven experience of being either Deputy Team Leader or Team Leader on previous donor-funded programmes (preferably FCDO/DFID), leading multiple and complex MEL programmes/projects, or major functions as part of wider M&E programmes/projects, with at least 15+ technical MEL with management experience.
• Internationally recognised MEL expert in their field with exceptional knowledge of the subject area and extensive sectoral and / or regional expertise. Will have outstanding capabilities to conceptualise, design, and deliver complex interventions in a timely fashion. 
• Experience overseeing monitoring data assurance and/or audit activities (including verification site visits, data management and QA, VfM assessment) 
• Experience of designing, evaluating and adapting theories of change, log-frames and results frameworks 
• Experience of evaluating FCDO donor-funded programme portfolios, programmes, projects, using quantitative and qualitative methods 
• Experience of using evidence in learning and adaptive management 
• Understanding the key issues in economic growth, governance, human development, inclusion, sustainability in Kenya
• Understanding of approaches to measuring diplomacy, influence and soft power and/or innovation & tech. (desirable)
• Excellent soft skills including: communication, facilitation ad relationship management skills 
• At least a master’s degree in a relevant area.