Openings at Palladium International

Primary Duties And Responsibilities

• Lead management of the project’s M&E plan which includes PMP and knowledge management and learning plan
• Coordinate the finalization of the AMELP, AMP, and QASP and/or other required M&E deliverables
• Support technical teams in collecting, aggregating, and analyzing baseline data in the first several months of the project
• Design and plan for evaluations, studies and assessments, ensuring there are adequate financial resources.
• Coordinate Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) efforts throughout the life of the project at regular intervals to review and encourage use of data in resource allocation decision by technical team members
• Support the review and completion process for all project deliverables
• Maintain impeccable M&E files and substantiating information on data reported to USAID on the project’s shared drive that can be easily accessible by project team members and available for project auditors (i.e. accurate, updated, etc.)
• Conduct and support regular Data Quality Assessments
• Coordinate collection and compilation of information on quarterly, annual and life of project indicators and outputs from team leaders, and progress toward planned activities
• Finalize and continuously update progress against the project’s Performance Management Plan (PMP), and maintain all files related to substantiating progress against PMP performance indicators
• Respond to requests for information on the project and on project performance as needed
• Ensure required government reporting e.g. training-related data into the US Government’s TraiNet software
• Work proactively with the communications team to align M&E outputs with the communications strategy of the project.
• Work closely with technical unit heads to track investment portfolio information and progress
• Maintain the project’s M&E database/Information Management System and implement upgrades or changes as required.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in business administration, international development, economics, statistics, or a related field
• Minimum five years (seven preferred) of professional experience in performance monitoring and/or evaluation role within an international development organization.
• Experience designing and overseeing M&E data collection and reporting for economic growth/financing projects preferred.

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Primary Duties And Responsibilities

• Conduct rapid review of financial institutions with DCA guarantees based on Palladium previous work to establish a strategy to address access to financing in targeted value chains.
• Work to connect prospective investors with DCA guarantees to ensure risk is sufficiently mitigated to finance target value chain SMEs
• Analyze reasons for DCA under-utilization as well as success factors and develop methods to increase their utilization among Kenya’s financial institutions.
• Supervise the work of subcontractors on KIM working to provide technical assistance and training to financial institutions.
• Lead conversations with USAID Kenya and DCA in Washington to negotiate changes to existing DCA guarantee instruments and how they can be modified to align with a changing Kenyan market
• Work with the Opportunities Team to develop a pipeline of private sector firms whose loans could potentially be backed by DCA guarantees.
• Monitor DCA utilization in the Kenyan market each quarter and report this information to USAID.
• Develop and maintain a community of practice among financial institutions with DCAs to share lessons learned, highlight successes, and develop best practices.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in a relevant subject (MBA, MA in Business, Economics, International Development, Agriculture, etc.) or a B.A. and 10+ years of similar experience.
• Five years or more of work experience required in the finance and investment field.
• Significant experience and/or exposure to USAID’s Development Credit Authority mechanism required.
• Overall experience with loan guarantee mechanisms, financial inclusion services, and/or alternative financing schemes required.

Demonstrated Experience Providing Training To Financial Sector Actors Required

• Excellent contacts within Kenyan international banking/investment fields
• Impeccable professional record and integrity
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
• Local Kenyan candidates are preferred

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Primary Duties And Responsibilities

• Lead the development of project deliverables, including coordinating information gathering for weekly, quarterly, annual reports and annual work plans, one-pagers, reports, etc.Contribute to the sections of deliverables related to M&E and Communications
• Ensure appropriate branding and marking for all communications tools
• Oversee the design and roll out of all tools to effectively communicate project activities and results, (i.e. website, videos, visual images, Investment Mapping System (IMS), press releases, flyers, newsletters, etc.)
• Maintain project library of all communications tools, photos and events in a digital format
• Conduct media relations for the project, including targeted publicity for project activities and responses to queries from press.Write press releases, organize press conferences, schedule interviews for spokespersons for the project, etc.
• Maintain a close and collaborative relationship with USAID and the U.S. Embassy teams on all outreach and communications efforts
• Support development of project events and workshops in collaboration with project teams
• Maintain editorial calendar of communications topics and collaborate with program areas to ensure robust content pipeline
• Contextualize project outcomes and impacts to the short and long term needs of USAID.
• Manage Communications team including Short-Term Technical Assistance for Communications efforts (i.e. editors, graphic designers, video production teams, Investment Mapping System, photographers, etc.)
• Any and all other project-related tasks as required by the Chief of Party and Palladium HQ

Required Qualifications

• Proven experience in communications, outreach, and/or marketing, preferably on a USAID project.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Ability to communicate effectively with managers, colleagues, service providers and clients
• Microsoft office suite proficiency and the ability to operate spreadsheet and word-processing programs at a highly proficient level
• Proactive problem-solving, decision-making and good judgment skills
• Attention to detail and ability to effectively and efficiently perform multiple tasks and balance competing priorities
• Professional and mature demeanor and conduct
• Excellent communications, organizational, and interpersonal skills

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Primary Duties And Responsibilities

• Assume overall charge of the WEE component and provide overall strategic direction and technical oversight across all project results relating to gender
• Lead efforts to identify and overcome gender and social inclusion barriers in investment opportunities in the agricultural sector and be responsible for leading gender and social inclusion assessments
• Lead the implementation of Gender Strategies for the project
• Develop and ensure timely implementation of Annual Workplans
• Provide cross-cutting leadership in identifying gender inequities within programs and developing strategies for strengthening the integration of a gender lens across all activities
• Build staff capacity on the application of a gender lens across project initiatives.
• Facilitate knowledge-building on gender integration in development of inclusive business models with project partners
• Participate in and contribute to external technical working groups on issues related to gender equality, women’s economic empowerment, and gender-inclusive development
• Develop innovative approaches to advancing gender equity, promote inclusive development, and prevent and address gender gaps
• Provide ongoing technical support for the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs with gender-focused outcomes.
• Work closely with Monitoring and Evaluations Manager and Communications Director to ensure project communications and results reflect inclusive development priorities, particularly with a focus on gender and diversity.
• Travel to various regions of Kenya as needed
• Any and all other project-related tasks as required by the Chief of Party and Palladium HQ

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in International Development, Gender Studies, or other relevant subject area.
• Proven expertise in gender and social inclusion, gender lens investing, gender-focused analysis, MSME finance, and MSME development.
• At least seven (7) years of experience in SME finance, gender finance, and banking.
• Proven track record engaging with agribusinesses to design and roll out products and services targeting women small holder farmers.
• Knowledge of the intersection between SME growth, business development services, and gender.
• Experience designing and implementing gender-related trainings and workshops related to finance and investment.
• Substantial experience in design, monitoring and evaluation projects and the collection of gender disaggregated data.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, creatively and to find innovative ways to respond to emerging organizational and project needs.

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Primary Duties And Responsibilities

• Oversee grants administration, compliance and implementation procedures, and ensure compliance with USAID grants regulations, including procurement regulations
• Lead and coordinate technical design of innovative grants approaches to meet the technical strategies of the Inclusive Business Model, Financial Institutions and Business Advisory Service Providers teams
• Design and conduct grants solicitation and advertisements utilizing Palladium’s Pay for Results methodologies
• Oversee grants commitments, taking into account probability-weighted pipelines and other tools to manage grant agreements against obligated amounts
• Ensure design of grants are aligned with the project’s technical strategy and results-based methodology and in compliance with USAID rules and regulations
• Oversee pre-award risk assessments of grantees
• In accordance with Palladium’s USAID-approved Grants Under Contract (GUC) manual, develop and execute all aspects of the GUC process, including development of the GUC manual
• Design and prepare Grant Review Guidelines for evaluators, including scoring formats
• Convene the Grant Committee Meetings, lead negotiations with applicants, and prepare the Memorandum of Negotiations and Responsibility Determination Statement, awards and execution
• Negotiate, in collaboration with Palladium HQ, grant terms and agreements, with potential grantees
• Conduct grants tracking and reporting, ensuring timely usage of grants funds as per annual work plans and coordinating issue resolution with other teams
• Issue instructions and provide guidance to grantees for the Branding and Marking Plan and Monitoring and Evaluation of grant implementation practices
• Direct and oversee grants close out and final reporting
• Other tasks as deemed necessary

Required Qualifications

• Knowledge of USAID grants policies, procedures, and reporting requirements
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance or a related field in international business management, finance, accounting and/or auditing experience.
• Experience in managing grants under contract for USAID-funded programs of a similar size
• Experience in managing innovation grants, performance-based grants, or other mechanisms to algin performance incentives with an activity’s strategic objectives
• Prior experience in a management role on a USAID funded program highly desired experience managing staff
• Demonstrated experience coordinating and collaborating with various stakeholders and grant awardees
• Knowledge of blended finance preferred
• Advanced knowledge of computers and MS Excel
• Local Kenyan candidates are preferred
• Written and oral proficiency in English required