Program Operations Director at Marie Stopes

The Director of Programme Operations reports to the Country Director and is part of the Country Management Team. The purpose of this is post is to lead the Programmes Department in its entirety, ensuring the delivery of relevant sections of the MSK business plan including income (donor and service), couple years of protection and safe abortion services.

Responsible for fundraising and grant management, the post holder is a key representative to donors both potential and existing. The Director is responsible for constantly monitoring, managing and improving MSK’s performance against donor and business plan targets.

The post-holder works to an agreed budget and ensures that the teams operate with plans that are clear and strategically effective as they deliver high quality work. The Director is a key representative to Kenyan government at the national and county level as required.

Empowering his or her teams the Director encourages innovation and learning and the identification of new opportunities for impact on all target groups as well as new areas of funding income across all channels. The Director will report regularly to the CMT on progress and developments as well as contributing to all business matters as part of CMT

Marie Stopes Kenya is an NGO registered in Kenya. We are affiliated to Marie Stopes International. Together we deliver safe abortion, quality sexual and reproductive health care and family planning to millions of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable women. We want to make sure that women have a choice when it comes to having children and that death by unsafe abortion is reduced.

The primary responsibility of this role is to further our Goal: THE PREVENTION OF UNWANTED BIRTHS and its mission of ensuring the individuals right to: CHILDREN BY CHOICE NOT CHANCE The post holder commits to and is held accountable to Marie Stopes global values:

Director of Programme Operations Job Responsibilities

• Develop MSK programmes in line with the values of MSI and the goals of programme sustainability.
• Ensure MSK business development strategies and work plans are developed with a particular focus on driving MSK towards programme sustainability and increasing access to family planning and SRH services in Kenya.
• In leading a large integrated team, many stationed at a distance from Nairobi, this post has four key responsibilities with related deliverables:
• An empowered, high performing and effective team realizing synergies across channels, while developing talent for the future.
• Excellent planning that enables integration within the department and with other MSK directorates and MSI international activities.
• High quality services delivery and complementary activities across all channels that meet and exceed client expectation and agreed targets (CYP and beyond).
• Develop new funding (donors’ grants and income from Clinics) based on analysis and creative design while meeting the expectations of the current donors and partners.
• Develop strong business and grant management capacity amongst all programmes teams
• Lead the annual business planning process.
• Delegation of authority to enable capacity development
• Use of structures and decision-making processes to enable learning through empowerment
• Clear performance management plans through line management
• Identification and delivery of appropriate training/personal development support
• Motivate, coach, train and continuously set and review performance targets for the Programmes team
• Annual planning process involving all team members and other Directorates to set targets and related activities including, programme delivery, monitoring and opportunities for adjustment.
• Procurement plans completed and agreed for all sub units.
• M&E plans in place including service delivery dashboards
• Quarterly planning refresh based on performance
• Communication and agreement on plans across teams and to CMT and Board
• Supporting excellent management of individual teams so that MSK Centres run at a profit; Outreach teams reach new communities; Social Franchise outlets are effective and all deliver excellent quality to clients.
• Creating opportunities for synergy across channels
• Analysing areas of inefficiency and addressing strategic fault-lines between MSK centres and SF, free Outreach services and paid-for services.
• Encourage learning for improvement across and between teams, through regional coordinators, channel leads and deputies
• Ensure that all programme activities are supported by excellent M&E to inform programming.
• Report monthly to SMT and CMT on CYP targets and grant performance
• New and ongoing funded work
• Set and meet funding targets
• Representation and close engagement with donors exploring and developing funding opportunities
• Oversight of project proposal development and delivery – including some writing, compliance obligations and budgeting

Qualifications for the Director of Programme Operations Job

• Master’s in Business Administration/ Health Sciences/ Development related studies with minimum 10 years’ experience with at least 5 years in NGO senior management position
• Degree in Business Administration/Health Sciences/ Development related studies with 15 years’ experience with at least 5 years in NGO senior management position
• Knowledge of Clinical Health, Family Planning, Community Outreach and Social Marketing
• Evidence of membership with relevant professional body/ies
• Desirable: Additional qualifications in business marketing or finance
• Able to develop and articulate a clear business vision and plan.
• Excellent interpersonal/communication skills – both written and fluent spoken English Language.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and motivate teams to achieve targets and to achieve organisational change
• Advanced analytical and organisational skills
• Proven strategic planning skills
• Negotiation, influencing and conflict management skills.
• Advocacy skills: able to influence stakeholders through effective communication in a demanding external environment.
• Proven ability to ‘sell’ ideas, concepts to a varied audience.
• Demonstrated computer/IT skills.
• Effective leadership and management skills.

Attitude / Motivation:

• Successful performance at MSK is not simply defined in terms of ‘what’ people achieve, but equally is about ‘how’ people go about their jobs and the impact that they have on others. There are 13 key behaviours that MSK encourages in all employees and they are defined below:
• Initiative: Thinking ahead and taking action to make the most of opportunities by finding the optimum solution. In this role, you must be alert to strategic programme opportunities and threats and take action to use them. You will take initiative with your team and across the CMT to realise efficiencies and impact
• Innovative: Thinking creatively so that ideas generated create a positive outcome. In this role creativity will be needed to realise new sources of funds and new ways of creating CYPs
• Effective Communication: Communicating through active listening and good questioning techniques, using appropriate body language, ensuring information is clear and concise. In this role your team will feel listened to, well informed, know what they should be doing through the efficient use of management time
• Team Player: Working as part of a team by being supportive, flexible and showing respect for each other. The role is part of the CMT and together with them takes responsibility for the delivery of MSK’s strategic plan.
• Working together is essential in achieving results
• Responsive: Being responsive to changing priorities and demands. Your plan will be clearly made out and changes will be agreed and reported regularly and on time
• Working Efficiently: Planning, prioritising and organising work to ensure work is accurate and deadlines are met. As part of the CMT and in order to meet the needs of contractual obligations to investers/donors your work will be clear accountable and effective
• Sharing Information: Sharing information and knowledge whilst maintaining confidentiality. Timely action will be taken on information regarding your areas of responsibility
• Focus on Learning: Taking responsibility for keeping knowledge and skills updated and for seeking opportunities to develop further. This post-holder must actively seek knowledge that can be shared and keep the teams up to date on latest views
• Commitment: Awareness and understanding of goals, vision and values and how your role impacts on this and going the extra mile to meet role requirements
• Driven: Drive and determination to deliver results. Regular reporting will indicate ability to conceive, design and deliver on results
• Accountable: Taking responsibility for appropriate decisions that you make, and the actions and behaviour you demonstrate
• Embracing Change: Openness to embracing change within the organisation and being able to adjust plans/activities accordingly
• Motivated: Motivation towards achieving quality results to maximise potential