Jobs at The African Economic Research Consortium (AERC)

• AERC seeks a visionary Executive Director to lead efforts to achieve AERC’s mission, drive strategic development, lead strategic fundraising and meet annual objectives, while supporting the Board. The Executive Director has overall responsibility for implementing strategic goals, resource management and compliance. They also oversee program implementation, ensures effective communication of results, maintain a positive organizational profile and oversee financial management in a manner that promotes a culture of value-for-money culture.

Key dimensions of the role

Based in Kenya, the Executive Director’s responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:

Direction of the Consortium’s Overall Operations and Governance:

• Support governance bodies and work closely with their chairs for effective governance.
• Lead mission pursuit, develop strategic plans, and establish program objectives.
• Monitor progress and oversee evaluations in agreement with the Board and Programme Committee.
• Manage the Secretariat, ensure legal compliance, and implement the approved annual Program of Work and Budget.
• Develop funding strategies, raise funds, maintain effective communication with network members, and establish strategic partnerships.

Programmes Management:

• Coordinate the preparation of annual Programs of Work for Board approval.
• Facilitate wide distribution of annual AERC activity reports.
• Approve grants and awards within procedures.
• Administer grants appropriately and initiate studies or consultancies as needed.
• Recommend candidates for appointments and facilitate Programme Committee meetings.

Financial Management and Administration:

• Oversee the preparation of the annual Program of Work and Budget for Board approval.
• Monitor revenue and expenditures, reporting adjustments.
• Serve as the principal authorizing officer for funds disbursement.
• Enforce adherence to financial controls and “value for money” principles.

Skills and experience

The desired candidate will have but not limited to:

• PhD in Economics with extensive Sub-Saharan African research, management, and teaching experience.
• At least 15 years relevant experience, which includes at least 5 years’ experience working in Sub- Saharan Africa and 5 years leading a comparable institution.
• In-depth understanding of African policy issues, along with expertise in resource mobilization, international collaboration, and engagement with senior decision-makers.
• Strong leadership and management, including presentation and negotiation skills.
• Proficiency in enhancing AERC’s global institutional profile, exceptional networking, communication, and interpersonal abilities.
• Proficient in corporate governance, adept at working under pressure, and highly willing to travel.
• Excellent written and spoken English. Ability to work in French an asset.

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• The Director of Training provides the overall intellectual leadership and guidance and strategic oversight for the Training Programme and ensures that the training programmes of the Consortium are of the highest quality and relevance to the economic and policy needs of Africa. In this respect, the Director must actively manage the capacity-building training programmes at the Masters’ and Doctoral levels in economics and applied and agricultural economics.
• The Director contributes to the development and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy with reference to the Consortium’s Training programmes and collaborates with the Resource Mobilization and Donor Relations Unit to ensure that donor monitoring and evaluation requirements are met. The Director is also responsible for ensuring all other reporting requirements for the Research activities. She is a member of the Senior Management Team and supports the Executive Director in promoting teamwork and collaboration, performance standards, and a value for money culture across the Secretariat

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Training Programme Management:

• Providing leadership in the strategic development of the Training Programme through active management of the Collaborative Masters and PhD Programmes in Economics
  (CMAP & CPP) and Collaborative Masters in Applied & Agricultural Economics Programme (CMAAE) activities, ensuring that they respond to the longer term needs of
  Sub Saharan Africa’s needs for research, teaching and economic management and that the training provided is of the highest standards. This role is at the center of creating
  and providing frontier training with high quality outcomes.
• Initiating, innovating, and developing activities aimed at improving the scope and quality of training such as  workshops and other programmes for trainees and capacity
  building for theirinstitutions, considering the needs of under-represented groups and countries. The holder should develop, review, and revise the curricular of graduate
  training which impacts the graduates who go through the programme in Africa.
• Monitoring changes in the structure, content and financing of higher education in Sub Saharan Africa with particular reference to their possible impact on training in
  economics at the graduate and undergraduate levels, with a view to introducing new modalities to the training programmes. Provides economics/agricultural economics
  content that is dynamic and innovative and addresses the changing landscape taking place globally.
• As part of strategic planning, monitors the labor market for graduate African economists as part of continuously updating the training programmes to help retain
  graduates within the region in positions that make effective use of their professional skills and knowledge. Continuously provide online training curricular for core and
  elective courses to be used across the network universities and the academic infrastructure required.
• Overseeing the organization of core training sessions and meetings, including the operation of the Joint Facility for Electives.
• Ensuring that reports on activities are provided to the AERC Board, Funders,Programme Committee, the Academic Board and management as required.

Liaison with AERC network and training institutions:

• Networking with senior African and non-African researchers and academics as well as with relevant Pan-African and international institutions, to ensure continued relevance of training activities and a high profile for the Consortium.
• Enhancing collaboration among African institutions and scholars engaged in research and training in economics. Establishing and actively maintaining close links with universities both to promote economics training within their structures and to promote research into issues bearing on economic development in Sub Saharan Africa.
• Liaising closely with parallel graduate training programmes for Nigeria and for Francophone Africa.
• Keeping the AERC Programme Committee and its Subcommittee on Training fully informed of pertinent issues, provides advice, and facilitates their work, including the review of submissions for institutions support and for institutional attachments for trainees.

Fundraising, Management, and Coordination:

• Developing fundraising proposals for the Training programme that is targeted to diverse Funders and specified activities in line with the new strategic plan in place.
• Ensuring that the Training Programmes are adequately funded and there is a strong funding pipeline to enable the awarding of grants in a timely fashion.
• Contributing to the development and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy with reference to the Consortium’s Training programmes, and collaborating
  with the Resource Mobilization and Donor Relations Unit to ensure that donor monitoring and evaluation requirements are met and that any indicated changes are implemented. In addition, develops fund raising proposals.
• Overall responsibility for the management of the Training Department, including financial management of activities and generally oversees day to day activities, including the supervision of a small staff team.
• Ensuring that the Training Department serves the Consortium according to established internal and external performance criteria and within a value for money culture.
• Liaising as necessary with the entire Secretariat to ensure the smooth functioning and high performance of AERC, particularly exploiting successful linkages between AERC’s training and research activities.

SECONDARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Playing an active part in outreach activities and coordinating with the Communications Department as needed, including on the posting of training information and results on the
  AERC website.
• Exercising such managerial responsibilities, including performance management of staff in the Training department, administrative back-up and serving as Officer in Charge, may be
  delegated from time to time by the Executive Director.
• Special training-related projects/program oversight e.g., Short- term training, specialist databases for training needs such as DAKMAH, Rutgers, IFAD, climate change programme etc.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

To apply for this role, please ensure that you have the following education, skills and experience:

Key Skills and Competencies

• Strategic thinking, leadership, and management skills
• Good financial management skills
• Good knowledge of information and communication technology and computerized management systems
• Computer literacy, virtual learning, and virtual networking
• Well-organized and able to multi-task and meet deadlines
• Excellent interpersonal, networking and negotiating skills including diplomacy
• People management skills
• Good funding proposal writing skills.
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Excellent judgment in analyzing data and information
• Excellent oral and written communication
• Team player
• Ability and willingness to travel widely in Africa
• Knowledge of French language would be an added advantage