Vacancies at TradeMark East Africa (TMEA)

Job summary

Programme Manager, Trade Facilitation (TF) will lead and manage the design and implementation of all projects, within Kenya country programme, which support trade policy & integrated corridor management, Standards Quality Infrastructure (SQI) & Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) measures, and digital trade. These projects and interventions will be funded by a range of donors who are directly supporting the delivery of the country programme, such as the EU, USAID, UK – Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office (FCDO), DANIDA, to mention as few. The Programme manager will support the Country Director, Kenya in engagements and in managing relationships with Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), with an overall mandate of facilitating Kenya’s trade.

To bolster green economic growth and create decent job opportunities in Kenya, TMA supports programmes such as the Economic Recovery and Reforms Activity (ERRA), funded by USAID, to unlock export growth and job creation in key value chains linked to structured trade in food commodities and Cotton, Textile and Garments (CTG). Also, under ERRA, TMA has launched a job creation call for proposals from the private sector in Kenya and will provide cost sharing grants to unlock exports and growth in agribusiness and CTG; and the Business Environment and Export Enhancement Programme (BEEEP), funded by the EU, with a focus on avocadoes, mangoes, and vegetables value chains.

The programme manager will lead on activities throughout the whole Project Life Cycle Management (PCM) including at designing phases, planning and implementation; monitoring, evaluation, collaboration, learning and dissemination; quality assurance, reporting and oversight with regular steering committees; and stakeholder engagement including coordination with country and regional teams and external actors. Some of the ongoing donor funded programs are funded by the USAID Economic Recovery and Reform Activity (ERRA) and the EU Funded Business Environment and Export Enhancement Programme (BEEP).

Academic qualifications, technical knowledge and experience

•  A postgraduate or undergraduate degree in Economics, Development Studies, International Trade, or related field. A master’s degree in a related field and qualifications in project planning and management will be an added advantage.
•  Undergraduate degree holders will be required to have at least 10 years of relevant working experience, while postgraduate degree holders will be required to have at least 8 years of relevant working experience.
•  Minimum of three years of management experience is mandatory.
•  Practical knowledge of the trade and development needs of developing countries and a good understanding of trade facilitation context at regional and continental level.
•  Experience in working with private sector and civil society to deliver trade capacity support and to support trade related advocacy.
•  Experience in project and financial management including assessment and evaluation in East Africa.
•  Good understanding of the national and regional socio-political and economic contexts in East Africa.
•  Good understanding of national governance issues and strong familiarity with national stakeholders
•  Experience in managing multiple projects, demonstrated organisational skills and attention to detail.
•  Excellent influencing, networking, and relationship building.
•  Ability to work within and communicate effectively within a matrix structure and between regional and technical teams.
•  Excellent communication and written and spoken English.
•  Ability to prioritise and produce work of a consistently high standard.
•  Comfortable working under pressure and within tight deadlines with ability to multi-task.
•  Experience with gender and social inclusion in programming a strong advantage.
•  Knowledge of Kiswahili/or French would be an advantage.

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Job summary

The Programme Manager, Market Systems will be responsible for an effective design of new programmes and delivery of market systems/value chain programmes at country and regional level, and particularly responsible for the delivery of expenditure and results from existing programmes such as the Business Environment and Export Enhancement Programme (BEEEP), funded by the EU, and the Economic Recovery and Reforms Activity (ERRA), funded by USAID, in line with the overall TMA Theory of Change (TOC).

TMA aims to bolster green economic growth and create decent job opportunities in Kenya by supporting implementation of the Integrated National Export Promotion and Development Strategy, through programmes such as BEEEP (with a focus on avocadoes, mangoes, and vegetables value chains) and ERRA (to unlock export growth and job creation in key value chains linked to structured trade in food commodities and Cotton, Textile and Garments (CTG). Also, under ERRA, TMA has launched a job creation call for proposals from the private sector in Kenya and will provide cost sharing grants to unlock exports and growth in agribusiness and CTG.

The Programme Manager’s primary role will be to support the implementation/rolling out of programmes across the targeted value chains. S/he will lead on market systems approaches on programming throughout the Project Life Cycle Management (PCM) including from design, to completion of implementation including drafting Terms of Reference monitoring & evaluation, collaboration, learning and adaptation, communications, contract management, quality assurance, reporting and oversight with regular steering committees; and stakeholder engagement including coordination with country and regional teams and external value chain actors

Academic and professional qualifications

•  An undergraduate or postgraduate degree in Economics, agriculture development, International Trade, Development or other relevant field or combined equivalent experience.
•  Qualifications in programme and project planning and management will be an added advantage.
•  Strong research, oral and written communications and stakeholder coordination skills are essential. Work experience
•  For undergraduate degree holders, at least 10 years of proven work experience in programme / project management and in managing business competitiveness projects (private sector development, value chain, logistics) and/or private sector or civil society engagement in East Africa (and 8 years’ experience for postgraduate degree holders).
•  Minimum of three years of project management experience is mandatory.
•  Technical expertise in a field related to agricultural development such as: agricultural economics, marketing, agribusiness management or related fields.
•  Demonstrated value chain experience in at least one of the following: the EU value chain approach, M4P, or Market Systems Development approach, which led to greater competitiveness and inclusiveness in markets.
•  Experience in project and financial management including assessment and evaluation in East Africa.
•  Good understanding of the national and regional socio-political and economic contexts in East Africa as well as the national and regional private sector and civil society environment
•  Good understanding of national governance issues and strong familiarity with national stakeholders
•  Knowledge of and experience in supporting national public private dialogue and policy advocacy.
•  Experience in managing multiple projects, demonstrated organisational skills and attention to detail.
•  Excellent influencing, networking, and relationship building.
•  Ability to work within and communicate effectively within a matrix structure and between regional and technical teams.
•  Excellent communication and written and spoken English.
•  Ability to prioritise and produce work of a consistently high standard.
•  Comfortable working under pressure and within tight deadlines with ability to multi-task
•  Experience with gender and social inclusion in programming a strong advantage.
•  Knowledge of Kiswahili/or French would be an advantage.

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Job summary

The Country Director (CD) leads the country programme with an overall responsibility for delivering results in line with TradeMark Africa (TMA)’s Strategy and Project Cycle Management (PCM) Guidelines. S/he manages and maintains strategic relationships with the Government of Kenya, the private sector, civil society, and the donor communities. Also, the CD is responsible for managing the country team to ensure good design and delivery of projects, and ensuring best practice is followed with TMA corporate guidelines, procedures, and systems.

The CD, Kenya has the overall responsibility for an effective design and delivery of trade facilitation and market systems/value chain programming, including, but not limited to the EU-funded Business Environment and Export Enhancement Programme (BEEEP) and the US-funded Economic Recovery and Reform Activity (ERRA). S/he will develop and maintain effective projects in line with TMA’s strategic plan, results framework, and its monitoring systems, and ensure delivery of programme activities in infrastructure development, trade facilitation, support to Government institutions and the private sector. The CD has the responsibility of scaling up the programme and identifying opportunities for additional investments through fundraising from donors, development partners and other agencies.

As the Portfolio director, the CD has the responsibility of streamlining good ways of working between the country programme’s team and regional & other country teams, as well as external stakeholders. The CD has the overall responsibility of managing programme risks as well as in providing leadership and mentorship to the team.

Academic and professional qualifications

•  An undergraduate degree or postgraduate degree preferably in Economics, Development Studies, International Trade, Planning, Finance or Management.
•  Qualifications in project planning and management are an added advantage.

Work experience

•  Undergraduate degree holders will be required to have at least 12 years of relevant working experience in strategic oversight and programme management & delivery (at least 10 years of relevant working experience will be required for postgraduate degree holders).
•  Minimum of five years of leadership and management experience.
•  At least three years of the cumulative working experience should have been gained in Eastern Africa, primarily in managing economic development cooperation programmes related to regional integration, trade facilitation, trade and investment climate reforms, private sector development, transport sector development, and/or institutional reform.
•  Experience of working with donor agencies such as the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO),the European Union (EU), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Bank group and/or other development partners is required.
•  Strong programme cycle management skills, proven ability in preparing terms of reference and project documents and monitoring and evaluation skills are essential.
•  The role requires practical experience in project financial and risk management and monitoring and evaluation.
• Technical skills and behavioural competencies
•  Practical knowledge and experience in managing Private Sector engagement, Market systems, Value Chains and logistics projects is required.
•  Excellent leadership and people management skills. Demonstrate personal qualities and credibility to lead, develop and motivate staff.
•  Strong strategic thinking, formulation and implementation skills including the ability to communicate strategy and impact concisely and simply.
•  Ability to establish, influence and maintain strong collaborative partnerships/relationships with development partners, high ranking government officials, civil society and private sector organisations.
•  Strong diplomatic skills and knowledge of the political landscapes in Kenya.
•  Fluent (writing, reading, and speaking) in English, with excellent report writing skills and the ability to effectively communicate and articulate key issues clearly and concisely.
•  Excellent presentation, oral and written communication skills, with the ability to influence others to achieve objectives and gain consensus and collaboration.
•  Good understanding of the development sector and key national contexts as relating to regional trade.
•  Strong analytical and advocacy skills.
•  A self-motivated individual with excellent personal effectiveness skills who can work both independently as well as part of a team.
•  Solid programme and financial management skills.
•  Sound decision-making and judgement capabilities, as well as good problem-solving and analytical skills.
•  The ability to handle competing priorities and a challenging workload.