Kenya Devolution Programme (KDP) Team Leader at Save the Children

Save the Children is seeking a Team Leader for 4 year FCDO Kenya Devolution Programme. The role holder will take overall responsibility of the overall consortium’s deliverables in the project. The position holder will provide overall leadership and technical direction for the project, ensuring achievement of project deliverables.  The project aims to strengthen the effectiveness of Kenya’s devolution process, specifically to improve development results by strengthening effective, open and accountable County Governments that improve service delivery and reduce poverty. This will be done through strengthening the functions of county governments, improving intergovernmental relations, enhancing citizens’ engagement and public participation. In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

Contract Duration: 12 months with possibility of extension.

No of Vacancies: One (1) Position

Reporting to: Director Operations

Nationality: Kenya Nationals only

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY

• Provide programmatic and strategic leadership, setting priorities in designing and managing the implementation of the project’s activities in collaboration with the other technical advisors and the implementation team.
• Provide overall technical guidance and leadership for implementation of KDP activities.
• Provide leadership for Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement measures in governance work.
• Review and analyze data for performance monitoring and utilize the data to take corrective actions.
• Provide leadership in ensuring the KDP is implemented on budget, on time and with quality.
• Responsible for overall coordination, line management and support of the Project, and ensure that project has an up-to-date work plan, in line with the approved annual Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) and phased budget.
• Ensure the project receives adequate support from Country office support functions (supply chain, HR, Admin, Awards and Finance) to deliver high quality programme. Also ensure gaps are identified, prioritized, and communicated to the stakeholders effectively.
• Ensure the project has standardized systems, policies and procedures in place, well understood by all staff and implemented accordingly in the project.
• Ensure the project teams receive appropriate and timely support from technical advisers and programme quality teams for program design and strategy, MEAL, advocacy and planning as well as the support functions (Finance, Supply Chain and Human Resources & Admin teams).
• Ensure the principles of child safeguarding and ‘do no harm’ are embedded in all project planning, implementation and reporting and that staff receive regular, up to date training on it.
• Ensure transparency in targeting beneficiaries, delivery of services and participation of beneficiaries and partners in planning and monitoring of process is reflected in programme delivery.
• In close coordination with Award and Finance team, ensure that all programs progress in accordance with grant agreements, are completed within time, budget, and quality.
• Ensure compliance with all grant provisions and timely fulfilment of all project programmatic reporting requirements including donor reports and internal reports such as pipeline analyses and monthly reports.
• Oversee timely expenditure of approved budgets, avoiding under both spending and overspending on grant line items, and implementing plans for expenditure modification.
• Coordinate activities and prepare results reports, resource request and pipeline analyses.
• Serve as main focal person for all engagement with FCDO.
• Represent the project in relevant internal and external fora including donor meetings (as appropriate).
• Lead stakeholder engagement with national and county Governments and foster strong relationships and collaboration of other key stakeholder groups.
• Work with consortium members to further KDP’s vision.
• To have overall management responsibility for the consortium team in the project, and manage and track all terms of sub agreements with consortium partners, as well as downstream partners.
• Ensure the recruitment, training, and promotion of staff as appropriate; ensure availability of and support appropriate professional development opportunities for staff in the project.
• Incorporate staff development strategies and Performance Management Systems into team building process.
• Facilitate the annual work planning process in close collaboration the government teams and the project staff.
• Ensure technical and administrative compliance with donor requirements.
• Oversee narrative and financial reports for donor(s), ensuring these are of a high quality and submitted for review in a timely manner.
• Monitor KDP program outputs and results and work closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Research team and FCDO MEL partner to ensure that results are documented and reported accurately and in a timely manner.
• Work closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Research team and take a lead in ensuring that all KDP components have robust monitoring plans, baselines, reviews and evaluations in line with the project design and donor guidelines.
• Facilitate appropriate documentation and dissemination of learnings, analyses, and good practices documentations in the project internally and externally to donors, governments, consortium partners and other key actors.

 Qualifications and Experience

• A postgraduate qualification in governance, leadership, public administration, public policy, development studies or any relevant qualification.
• Recommend a minimum of 10 years of relevant technical experience in devolved governance projects in Kenya or similar context.
• Recommend a minimum of 10 years of expertise managing large and complex grants (ideally FCDO), and managing multiple partners.
• Excellent experience in external representation with donors, local/national governments, communities, and partners.
• Strong understanding of existing policies, laws, planning and public finance planning processes in Kenya at national and county level.
• Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, adapting and innovating where necessary, and defining a clear way forward and ensuring buy in.
• Ability to extensively travel for project monitoring and provide on-site technical support to field teams.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
• Highly developed cultural and political awareness and ability to work well in an international and matrix management environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mindsets
• Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner
• Fluency in English, both verbal and written, required
• Commitment to Save the Children values

The Organization

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard. 

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children.  We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.