Regional Program Manager at Pathfinder International

Job Purpose:

• The Regional Program Manager for the Program will be responsible for the provision of strategic leadership and overall coordination of project implementation within a cluster of counties in Kenya.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership: Provides strategic direction of project activities. Develops and updates the project strategic plan to ensure alignment with programmatic directions and international priorities.
• Project Implementation: Ensures that project performance objectives and mandated deliverables such as technical activities, annual work plans, and programmatic/financial/technical reports are carried out in a timely fashion and meet the highest quality standards.
• Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning: Leads and directs monitoring, evaluation, and learning strategies, frameworks, plans, and indicators to capture project performance and results. Leads a periodic implementation review process to monitor progress and to identify specific actions that may be needed to achieve expected results.
• Financial and Administrative Operations: Collaborates with project staff to establish and maintain the ongoing administrative and financial operations of contract provisions. Develops, monitors, and revises budget pipeline and conducts monthly reviews to ensure accountability of all project activities as well as the accurate and timely reporting of finance deliverables. Manage funds and approve expenditures in accordance with Pathfinder International and donor procedures, cost principles, and regulations.
• Contracts: Contracts with and manages local entities/organizations for identified tasks according to regulations and procedures. Negotiates consultancy agreements and develops the capacity of local partners in mandated program areas.
• Security Standards and Guidelines: Ensures that appropriate security standards, guidelines and procedures are established, maintained, updated regularly and adhered to by the staff in all project offices in compliance with donor rules and regulations.
• Management and Supervision: Recruits, hires, develops, and manages staff and subcontractors.
• Management Reports: Develops and presents timely financial, technical, and operations reports and updates on the project progress and difficulties. Documents project achievements for communications materials such as the annual reports, brochures, and website updates.
• Brand Ambassador: Cultivates and strengthens positive, productive relationships with donors, regulatory agencies, partners, and governmental agencies to ensure that Pathfinder International is consistently viewed as an effective implementing partner in meeting and achieving project targets.

Minimally Required Job-Specific Competencies:

• Ability to demonstrate a high degree of flexibility in managing change across a broad group of stakeholders in an inclusive manner.
• Proven ability to influence others, including donor agencies and local partners, through diplomacy and proven oral and written communication skills.
• Proven writing and speaking skills in English and Swahili
• Software Applications: Advanced knowledge of MS Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook
• Willingness to travel extensively within the project counties.

Minimally Required Organizational Competencies:

• Software Applications: Foundational knowledge of MS Word and Outlook.
• Languages: Advanced writing and speaking skills using local language and English language
• Communication: Foundational oral and written communication skills using different forms of media.
• Project Planning and Management: Foundational skills in project planning, coordination, monitoring and management.
• Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Services: Foundational knowledge of family planning and reproductive health principles, practices, and services, including program strategies and indicators.
• Passion for Sexual and Reproductive Health Services: Commitment to family planning, reproductive health services, gender, maternal, and child health services, and eradication of harmful traditional practices
• Influencing and Customer Service Skills: Ability to influence and apply diplomacy skills. Advanced customer service skills.
• Organization, Planning, and Multi-tasking: Foundational organizational and planning skills, project planning and management skills. Ability to set priorities, meet deadlines, and multi-task with minimal supervision.
• Self-Management and Teamwork: Ability to work independently or as a member of the team, ability to be detailed-oriented, and ability to manage stress effectively in a fast-paced environment, ability to meet commitments in a timely manner,
• Matrix Management: Ability to thrive in a matrixed organization

Required Education, Training, and Experience:

• Masters degree (or equivalent) in Public Health, Social Sciences, Health Systems, Nursing, or a related advanced degree.
• 10 years of experience designing and implementing health service delivery strengthening projects, with five of these years spent managing large, complex MNCH projects