Job Vacancies at ThinkWell

Description

ThinkWell seeks a qualified candidate to serve as the Chief of Party (COP) for the anticipated five-year (2022-2027) United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) Activity. The HSS Activity will work in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MOH), counties, and non-state actors to strengthen health systems governance, partnerships and coordination, financing, and accountability systems for quality health service provision to underserved and vulnerable populations of Kenya.

The COP is responsible for ensuring successful implementation of activities, monitoring, evaluation, and learning for the HSS Activity. The COP brings substantial technical and operational expertise to support the HSS Activity design and execution, recruits and builds technical talent within the firm, and supervises technical project staff. The COP brings experience in managing USAID contracts for technical assistance in the Kenyan health sector and has strong managerial and coordination skills. The COP has extensive experience building relationships with senior government officials, donors, and other stakeholders.

The COP reports to the ThinkWell Kenya Country Director. This role is contingent upon funding. This is a full-time position based in Nairobi, Kenya. Kenyan nationals are encouraged to apply. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, but we encourage applications by August 15, 2021.

What you’ll do

Project Leadership

• Lead HSS Activity strategy and execution in country, ensuring timely and effective delivery of project objectives.

• Provide technical leadership and strategic direction to the HSS Activity; ensuring programmatic and financial integrity to attain the goals, objectives, and targets in compliance with USAID requirements.
• Coordinate effective implementation of the HSS Activity, including the development of annual work plans and budgets, implementation of activities, submission of deliverables and required reports, and leading quarterly program reviews.
• Ensure production of high-quality outputs for the HSS Activity. Provide written input into technical documents, project status reports, blogs and articles for publication and dissemination on ThinkWell’s website, external sites, and at conferences.
• Oversee monitoring, evaluation, research and learning function, staff, and output.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for USAID for day-to-day HSS Activity management and reporting.
• Collaborate with other ThinkWell programs to ensure programming aligns with the organizations mission and vision, and that program best practices and lessons learned are shared for wide dissemination.
• Ensure project compliance with USAID operational policies and regulations and the terms of the award.

Team Management

• Lead by example, delegate effectively, demonstrate integrity, motivate, and inspire others.
• Create a positive, respectful project team operating culture and environment and engage respectfully with employees at all levels across the firm.
• Effectively manage the HSS Activity team, proactively growing team members by focusing on their professional development and capacity building.
• Work with ThinkWell Agility (Operations) team to maintain operational excellence for the HSS Activity, including policies, procedures, and systems.
• Ensure that contract deliverables are met in accordance with contract requirements.
• Manage and monitor sub-contracts related to the HSS Activity (if any).
• In collaboration with the Kenya Country Director, ensure technical staff and sub-contracts comply with HSS Activity financing systems, including financial tracking, recording of financial transactions, financial risk management, and fraud prevention and achieve agreed upon objectives in accordance with established schedules and timelines.

Project Operations and Administration

• Work with ThinkWell Agility (Operations) team to maintain operational excellence for the HSS Activity, including policies, procedures, and systems.
• Ensure that contract deliverables are met in accordance with contract requirements.
• Manage and monitor sub-contracts related to the HSS Activity (if any).
• In collaboration with the Kenya Country Director, ensure technical staff and sub-contracts comply with HSS Activity financing systems, including financial tracking, recording of financial transactions, financial risk management, and fraud prevention and achieve agreed upon objectives in accordance with established schedules and timelines.

• Ensure project compliance with USAID operational policies and regulations and the terms of the award.

Project Representation

• Represent the HSS Activity, establish and sustain collaborative working relationships with USAID, MOH, county leadership, partners, and key stakeholders to build project and reputation.
• Consult and coordinate with key stakeholders within government, USAID, and other stakeholders to present on project-related activities, priorities, and results

Requirements

ThinkWell core competencies are foundational skills and behaviors that align with our values and are expected of all employees.

An entrepreneurial, results-oriented ‘do-er’ with a willingness to take risk, think big and challenge conventional wisdom.

A change maker who reaches independent judgement with an open mind, influences the conversation, and seeks innovation.

Able to help create an empowering environment in which everyone feels free to take initiative, be accountable and fail intelligently (learn from mistakes).

A collaborative colleague who engages constructively with people from different cultures, orientations, and perspectives and maintains positive relations in a virtual world.

Principally motivated by a growth mindset, meaning the pursuit of knowledge, experience, and self-improvement. You always question and continuously learn.

Authentic, honest, direct, self-aware and open to giving and receiving feedback.

Your qualifications

• Graduate degree and at least 10+ years of relevant experience with a demonstrated track record of achieve results;
• Substantive, relevant work experience in one of ThinkWell’s core technical areas including health financing, health systems strengthening and related international programming;
• Extensive experience managing large, complex projects in Kenya, preferably with USAID-funded projects
• Demonstrated team and people management abilities with a focus on growing staff, mentoring and coaching junior professionals;
• A senior leader, able to rally staff to achieve project activities.
• Proven track record in budgeting and financial management;
• Excellent report writing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with external strategic partners, donors, government ministries and stakeholders;
• Full written and verbal fluency in English as well as verbal fluency in Kiswahili;
• Outstanding cross-cultural communication skills, including the ability to relate respectfully with staff at all levels, ages, genders, nationalities and orientations as well as across work areas;
• Ability and willingness to travel in-country and internationally up to 25%.

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Description

ThinkWell seeks a qualified candidate to serve as the Finance and Administration Manager for the anticipated five-year (2022-2027) United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) Activity. The HSS project will work in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MOH), counties, and non-state actors to strengthen health systems governance, partnerships and coordination, financing, and accountability systems for quality health service provision to underserved and vulnerable populations of Kenya.

The Finance and Administration Manager is responsible for overseeing budgets, financial planning & management, and operational activities for the HSS project. The Finance and Administration Manager brings strong financial and administrative skills, as well as a comprehensive understanding of USAID/United States Government financial and contractual requirements. The Finance and Administration Manager also brings a strong understanding of local law and operating requirements in Kenya.

The Finance and Administration Manager reports to the HSS project Chief of Party. This position is contingent upon funding. This is a full-time position based in Nairobi, Kenya. Kenyan nationals are encouraged to apply. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, but we encourage applications by August 15, 2021.

What You’ll Do

Financial Management

• Ensure statutory compliance with local laws and USAID rules and regulations and ThinkWell policies and procedures relating to finance and administration.
• Establish and maintain financial management and accounting control systems for program expenditures and support audits.
• Participate in ongoing analysis, forecasting and review of project pipelines report.
• Lead in the annual budget planning, periodical forecasting, modification and realignment as required
• Ensure accurate recording of all financial transactions in ThinkWell financial management system.
• Maintain effective timelines and quality control process for financial and operational deliverables and financial management processes
• Review and process the recording of accounting activities (vouchers, journal entries, cash receipts, allocations) in appropriate systems to ensure accurate reporting.
• In collaboration with the Chief of Party, prepare annual workplan budgets and provide ongoing management and monitoring throughout project implementation
• Develop and maintain a filing system for financial documents in readiness for audits or tax reporting purposes.
• Periodically assess the efficiency and effectiveness of finance and administration procedures in relation to the timely delivery of technical activities at an optimum cost.
• Support the COP in interpreting financial data for decision-making and effectively managing financial risks.
• Lead assessment of staff and subrecipients financial management capacity, ensure capacity strengthening on finance policies and regulations, as needed.
• • Lead efforts to close audit financial management findings in a timely way.
• Perform other financial management duties as required.
• Establish and maintain internal financial and reporting control procedures to ensure compliance with ThinkWell and USAID regulations.
• Advise and train employees on USAID contract and compliance topics, policies, and procedures.
• Provide timely financial reporting with detailed Budget vs. Actuals and by Component to Chief of Party (CoP)
• Prepare quarterly expenditure reports, and burn rate projections.
• Develop annual, quarterly and ad-hoc financial plans and reports for the project as requested by ThinkWell leadership and USAID.
• Prepare VAT reports and other reports as required

Subaward and Vendor Management

• Lead preparation and oversight of procurement and subcontracts for the project, in accordance with USAID and ThinkWell requirements.
• Lead assessment of subrecipients financial management capacity.
• Strengthen the capacity of subawards on compliance and finance policies and regulations, as needed.
• Negotiate and manage subawards & consulting agreements.
• Exercise due diligence and management of partner relationships.
• Perform other contractual duties as required.

you are:

ThinkWell core competencies are foundational skills and behaviors that align with our values and are expected of all employees.

An entrepreneurial, results-oriented ‘do-er’ with a willingness to take risk, think big and challenge conventional wisdom.

A change maker who reaches independent judgement with an open mind, influences the conversation, and seeks innovation.

Able to help create an empowering environment in which everyone feels free to take initiative, be accountable and fail intelligently (learn from mistakes).

A collaborative colleague who engages constructively with people from different cultures, orientations, and perspectives and maintains positive relations in a virtual world.

Principally motivated by a growth mindset, meaning the pursuit of knowledge, experience, and self-improvement. You always question and continuously learn.

Authentic, honest, direct, self-aware and open to giving and receiving feedback.

Requirements

Your qualifications

• BA/BS and 8+ years of experience or graduate degree and 6+ years of experience;
• Extensive experience in program management and finance/budget management and financial reporting with USAID-funded projects in Kenya;
• Familiarity with US Government (USG) Federal Acquisition Regulations and USG contracting rules is a plus
• Knowledge of local law in taxation and local regulatory reporting procedures.
• Demonstrated skills and experience in financial management, accounting, USAID compliance, human resources management, local labor law, and contracts management;
• Technical savvy and strong computer skills, IT systems familiarity;
• Demonstrated team and people management abilities with a focus on growing staff, mentoring and coaching junior professionals;
• A thoughtful systems thinker with grounded, pragmatic understanding of the complexities of our work;
• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with external strategic partners, donors, and stakeholders;
• Full English fluency, full fluency in Kiswahili is a plus;
• Outstanding cross-cultural communication skills, including the ability to relate respectfully with staff at all levels, ages, genders, nationalities and orientations as well as across work areas;
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 20%.