Programme Officer at Embassy of Ireland, Kenya -DFA

Job Summary

The Embassy wishes to contract the services of a full-time Programme Officer to support the oversight and implementation of our development cooperation and trade portfolio.

Job Description/Requirements

The Embassy’s role is to deepen bilateral political relations between Ireland and Kenya; serve the needs of Irish citizens; strengthen trade, tourism and investment between our countries and support Kenya’s socio-economic development through a targeted development cooperation and trade programme.

The Embassy wishes to contract the services of a full-time Programme Officer to support the oversight and implementation of our development cooperation and trade portfolio. This position is based at Embassy Nairobi and covers all four countries of accreditation: Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Eritrea.

The Programme Officer will report to the Programme Manager and engage closely with the Deputy Head of Mission/Head of Cooperation. The Programme Officer will provide high quality technical support to the Embassy’s diverse development cooperation programme, including our agriculture/climate action, gender, governance, and private sector development initiatives. The Programme Officer will oversee the small grant funding scheme, provide analysis and support to our humanitarian engagements and contribute to our Fellowship programme. The Programme Officer will ensure the highest standards in the implementation of Ireland’s international development policy priority areas through project design, monitoring, evaluation and learning. The successful candidate will contribute to developing a new, five-year mission strategy through the provision of technical expertise linked to our development and trade priority areas.

Overview of Role

• Support the implementation of Ireland’s foreign policy and development strategies, including The Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World; Ireland’s international development policy A Better World and Global Ireland: Ireland’s Strategy for Africa to 2025 in the region, and the Embassy’s annual Business Plan.
• Work with the management and programme team to implement the Embassy’s development cooperation strategy and support the design and implementation of a new mission strategy to guide our work between 2022 and 2027.
• Work across and with the Embassy team to ensure a coherent and joined up approach to our annual business plan and overall strategy.
• Other duties as detailed in the job description and as required.
• Support the implementation and grant oversight of the Ireland Kenya Agri-food Strategy (IKAFS) and other projects funded by Ireland (e.g. Small Grants Scheme, Fellowships, humanitarian partnerships, etc.) including regular liaison with implementing organisations, reviewing budgets and work plans, monitoring, reporting and communications.
• Provide high quality technical and policy analysis, grant and partner management, technical assessments and briefings, and programmatic recommendations to senior management in support of our annual Business Plan and Mission Strategy.

Essential requirements candidates must be able to demonstrate:

• Candidates must have a post-graduate qualification in international development, international relations, economics, social development and/or related field;
• Candidates mus thave a minimum of five years relevant experience as a programme officer (or similar) at a national or international level, ideally in at least one of our countries of accreditation (Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea).
• Candidates must be able to show examples demonstrating substantial technical knowledge linked to at least one our development cooperation priorities (agriculture/climate action, gender, governance and/or economic development);
• Candidates must have at least three years of experience in programme cycle and grant management including financial analysis and budget management;
• Candidates must be able to demonstrate excellent communication, writing and reporting skills including fluent written and verbal English. Applicants may be contacted in advance to establish language proficiency and a short written language test may be required;
• Demonstrable experience engaging in programme/project design, monitoring/evaluation/learning and strategic planning;
• Candidates must be able to proactively work with internal and external stakeholders building and sustaining impactful networks and relationships;
• Resourceful and results-orientated, candidates should be able to demonstrate an ability to problem-solve working both independently and as a team member;
• Candidates must be able to demonstrate a proven capacity for delivering timely results and taking responsibility for quality outcomes;
• Proficient with MS Office Suite including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint; additional IT applications would be beneficial (e.g. working with datasets);
• Candidates must be able to travel regularly in Kenya and, potentially internationally, up to 30 days/year; and,
• The successful candidate must have a legal entitlement to live and work in Kenya prior to recruitment.

Desirable competencies candidates are able to demonstrate:

• Experience with Thinking and Working Politically (TWP) and adaptive management; and
• Experience with Political Economy Analysis (PEA) and providing policy advice to management on a range of relevant policy priorities.

Terms and conditions of employment:

The successful candidates will be hired on an initial 2 year fixed-term contract and will be based at the Embassy Nairobi office.

The salary for the position is 3,744,000 Ksh per annum, paid locally on a monthly basis. Other benefits such as pension are available to the successful applicant. Salaries are paid direct to a bank account therefore the successful candidate must have a bank account.    

The positions will have an annual leave allowance of 21 days per annum, exclusive of public holidays, adjusted pro rata.

Our mission is to promote and protect abroad the values, interests and economic well-being of Ireland and its people. We do this under the political direction of our Ministers, through our staff at home and through our Embassy network abroad. 

Please note that canvassing will disqualify applicants.

The Embassy of Kenya is committed to a policy of Equal Opportunity.