Program Director at Helen Keller International

Strategic Planning & Program Design

• Lead the strategic direction of Helen Keller Kenya’s programs, including the development and implementation of the annual country program plan, aligned with Helen Keller International’s global goals.
• Oversee the design of innovative, evidence-based programs that are responsive to community needs and emerging trends.
• Ensure all program designs integrate cross-cutting themes such as equity, inclusion, and sustainability.
• Engage key stakeholders to shape strategic programmatic priorities and ensure relevance and alignment with national development agendas.
• Explore opportunities for collaboration and partnerships to enhance program reach and impact.

Program Implementation & Quality Assurance

• Ensure the effective and timely implementation of all programs, maintaining high technical standards and compliance with internal and donor guidelines.
• Promote excellence through adherence to established technical norms and international best practices.
• Oversee program operations, ensuring alignment with organizational policies, national laws, and donor regulations.
• Lead risk management and due diligence efforts to safeguard program integrity and impact.
• Support a culture of accountability and results-based management across the team.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEAL)

• Oversee the development and execution of robust MEAL systems to track program performance and impact.
• Promote the use of data for decision-making, adaptive management, and continuous program improvement.
• Foster innovation and knowledge sharing across projects and teams to enhance program effectiveness.

Business Development

• Identify and pursue new funding opportunities that align with the organization’s mission and strategic priorities.
• Provide leadership in the program design for BD proposals and engaging with country program leads and other relevant departments.
• Provide technical leadership and input during proposal development to ensure high-quality, competitive submissions.
• Cultivate and strengthen relationships with existing partners, while actively identifying new opportunities for collaboration and resource mobilization

Team Leadership & Capacity Building

• Provide direct supervision to Program Managers and the M&E Manager, ensuring clarity of roles, performance expectations, and professional growth.
• Develop teams through mentorship and build the capacity of program staff to foster a high-performing, motivated team and build a culture of high performance.
• Promote effective collaboration between programmatic and operational teams to ensure integrated and cohesive delivery.
• Provide leadership in building cross country effectiveness and efficiency and making operational and strategic linkages with global functions.

External Relations & Representation

• Represent Helen Keller Intl at high-level meetings, donor forums, conferences, and sectoral events.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with government agencies, donors, NGOs, and private sector partners.
• Advocate for Helen Keller Intl’s mission and strategic priorities within national and international networks to enhance visibility and influence.

Qualification, Experience, Competencies and Knowledge:

• Master’s degree from an accredited university
• A Ph.D. in public health or related fields is an asset.
• Minimum of 10 years relevant experience at senior management level and 8 years of program management experience
• Experience with public health programs and liaising with appropriate government structures (MoH, regulatory bodies) is an asset.
• Comprehensive knowledge of donor-funded programs, regulations, and requirements.
• Prior experience and success in a similar or larger role within international donor-funded projects.
• Demonstrate leadership and management abilities.
• Familiarity with USG regulations and administrative procedures in the implementation of donor-assisted projects.
• Proven record of aligning diverse, multi-level teams with project mission and vision.
• Track record of strong commitment to sharing knowledge, documenting experiences, supporting creative initiatives, and sharing credit. Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with senior-level colleagues, particularly interacting productively, proactively, and comfortably with government agencies, NGOs, private sector groups and donor organizations.
• Demonstrated strategic agility, diplomacy, conflict management, team building, written and oral communication, and negotiation skills
• Excellent planning, management, and organizational skills
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and within a team
• Demonstrated strategic planning and visioning skills
• Ability to assess priorities and manage a variety of activities with attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal skills and supervisory skills and ability to interact professionally with donors, project stakeholders, in-country collaborators, and staff at all levels of the organization
• Skilled in organizing resources and establishing priorities
• Possess an outstanding professional reputation
• Excellent cross-cultural communication and active listening skills. Solid understanding of USG, other donor regulations, and administrative procedures in the implementation of donor-assisted projects required
• Fluency in English and the dominant languages of; fluency in French language is an added advantage
• Managing through Systems, Peer Relationships, Political Savvy
• Very clear and systematic thinking that demonstrates strong judgment and problem-solving competencies
• Excellent strategic thinking and leadership abilities
• Excellent ability to exercise a high degree of independence to ensure program delivery and explore new areas of activities**.**