Manager- Pre - Export Verification of Conformity to Standards Program (PVOC) at Kenya Bureau of Standards

Grade: KS 4
Directorate: Quality Assurance & Inspection
Department: Inspection
Division: Pre-Export Verification of Conformity to Standards Program (PVOC)
Location / Workstation: KEBS Head Office, Popo Road, Off Mombasa Road
Reporting Relationships
Reports to: Head of Department - Inspection
Direct reports: Assistant Manager - PVOC

Indirect Reports:

1. Principal PVOC Officers
2. PVOC Officers
3. Assistant PVOC Officers

Total number of staff = 10

Job Purpose

The job holder Plans, coordinates and reviews strategies and activities that will ensure effective implementation of Pre–Export Verification of Conformity to Standards Programme (PVoC) in line with Legal Notice 78 of 15/07/2005 and KEBS objectives to ensure imported products comply with Kenya standards in order to protect health and safety of consumers and environment.

Key Responsibilities / Duties / Tasks

• Managerial / Supervisory Responsibilities
  • Participate in development of the Department’s Work plan and budget
  • Convene technical meetings with stakeholders to prepare and review the list of products covered under the (PVOC) program using the risk assessment in order to ensure products with an impact on safety, health and environment are included.
  • Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual sectional reports.
  • Mentor and coach staff.
  • Participate in the implementation of the performance management system in the section.
  • Participate in departmental and committee meetings as appropriate
  • Plan, Coordinate and monitor the performance of the PVOC service providers using key performance indicators stipulated in the contracts in order to ensure contractual obligations are monitored.
  • Coordinate generation and dissemination of information on PVOC program through public notices, workshops and seminars in order to enhance public awareness on the PVOC program.
  • Coordinate and analysis waiver applications to be presented to Waivers Evaluation Technical Committee for consideration.
  • Prepare a summary of the recommendations of Waivers Evaluation Technical Committee to the Ministry of Industrialization through the National Standards Council and communicate the decisions for implementation.
  • Oversee the preparation of performance and evaluation reports to demonstrate compliance to and achievement of the set objectives in PVOC.
  • Coordinate internal quality audits, root cause analysis and implementation of corrective actions in line with the requirements of International standard ISO 9001 
  • Convene meetings of the senior KEBS management and executives of the PVOC Service providers to review activities undertaken under the program.
  • Prepare and circulate minutes of meetings convened to review the on matters related to Pre export verification of conformity to standards program.
  • Direct the processing of Import Standardization Mark applications in order to ensure that imported products that have a bearing on health and safety being sold in the market have been certified by KEBS through the PVOC program.
  • Identify skills gaps and recommends the appropriate training programs to bridge the gap.
  • Appraise the staff deployed in the PVOC Section using balanced score cards in order to recommend for rewards and promotions.
• Operational Responsibilities / Tasks
  • Participate in defining strategies for the corporate plan aligned to vision 2030.
  • Prepare and circulates minutes of meetings convened to review the on matters related to Pre export verification of conformity to standards program.
  • Direct the staff in PVOC section in responding to queries and appeals relating to the PVOC program in order to ensure that they are addressed within the set timelines and advise KEBS management on emerging issues on PVOC.
  • Develop performance monitoring tools and ensures that they are implemented to improve productivity
  • Prepare and circulates minutes of meetings convened to review the on matters related to Pre export verification of conformity to standards program.
  • Approve PVOC operating procedures to ensure they are adequate before implementation.
  • Participate in developing the pricing/costing criteria for the organization’s services.
  • Determine the requisite staffing levels and recommends for provision of human resources for delivery of Sectional objectives.
  • Manage and disseminate PVOC information in line with corporate communication policy for purposes of updates and continual improvement.
  • Communicates findings of performance to staff to ensure continual improvement.
  • Communicates PVOC performance to management as input into the overall corporate achievements.
  • Identify staff development needs and Works with the Human resource department to address the gaps in competencies defined in the job specifications.
  • Participate in the interview process during recruitment of new staff for PVOC to ensure that qualified personnel are engaged.
  • Ensure handling of customer enquiries, complaints and appeals in relation to KEBS services to enhance customer satisfaction levels.
  • Validate information being disseminated to customers and inspection staff in order to ensure correct and accurate information is available to program users.
  • Plan for sensitization and education of the Stakeholders on the application of standards and implementation of PVOC program through workshops to enhance understanding and improve quality of imported products.
• Job Dimensions:
  • Financial Responsibility:
  • Development of budgets
  • Monitor implementation of budgets
  • Ensure revenue collection.
  • Responsibility for Physical Assets
    • Responsible for physical assets assigned by the institutions.
    • Provide oversight for physical assets assigned to the Section.

Decision Making:

• Makes strategic, operational and financial decisions.
• Assigns work to subordinates
• Plans the work of subordinates
• Monitor subordinates work performance
• Appraises/evaluates subordinates performance

Working Conditions:

• Predominantly works in the office

Job Competencies (Knowledge, Experience and Attributes / Skills).

Academic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Animal Husbandry, Food technology, Textile technology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Agriculture, Microbiology, Physics field,
• Relevant master’s degree will be an added advantage.

Professional Qualifications / Membership to professional bodies

• Gazetted Inspector.
• Gazetted Prosecutor.
• Registered with a professional body
• Lead Auditor in quality management systems.
• Standards Act and other related Regulations
• Conformity assessment requirements
• Product inspection and sampling techniques to ISO/IEC 17020
• Certificate in Supervisory Course lasting not less than two (2) week from a recognized institution
• Previous relevant work experience required.
• At least eight (8) years relevant work experience with three (3) years in a managerial position.

Need to know: Attributes:

• Standards Act and related regulations
• Inspection techniques.
• Quality management best practices
• Statistical techniques
• Strategic planning
• Budgeting and budgetary controls
• Staff performance monitoring and evaluation methods
• Leadership skills
• Management skills
• HR skills for non-HR
• Project management skills
• Financial skills for non-financial
• Analytical skills
• Negotiation Skills

Interpersonal skills

• Time management
• Communication skills
• Leadership skills
• Team player
• Attention to detail
• Innovative
• Critical thinking
• ICT proficiency
• Conformity assessment requirements
• Pre-shipment assessment schemes
• Organizational operations
• Investigation skills
• Prosecution skills