Job Opportunities at TradeMark East Africa

Job description

A key member of TradeMark East Africa’s (TMEA’s) Senior Management Team, the Senior Director, Transport is responsible for ensuring quality in TMEA’s work in Outcome 1a, Improved sustained efficiency and capacity of transport infrastructure. In particular s/he will ensure that TMEA’s strategic objective of reduced trade barriers, and associated strategic impacts, outcomes and outputs are achieved, aligning infrastructure and international trade practices and goals to TMEA’s strategy. S/he will ensure that the linkages between trade facilitation and infrastructure development are mainstreamed across all aspects of TMEA’s work and clearly linked to organisational objectives at both the national and regional levels.

• Strategy and programme development and management
• Develop the transport infrastructure programme strategy and oversee quality project implementation, including work plans, budgets and project proposals (or Project Appraisal Reports - PARs).
• Contribute to corporate strategy development as related to efficient transport infrastructure and promote linkages between infrastructure development, trade facilitation and business competitiveness for integrated programmes.
• Accountable for the achievement of the reduced trade barriers strategic objective target, related to transport infrastructure and ensuring programme consistency, delivery and quality assurance across the entire portfolio of projects whilst demonstrating value for money and having clear mechanisms for measuring results. This will require close liaison with the respective country and regional directors and other Senior Directors.
• Oversee the development and delivery of a large, complex transport infrastructure portfolio across the region. This will include projects focused on reducing trade costs through infrastructure and productivity improvement at ports, borders, link roads, among others.
• Liaise with Regional Technical Directors, Country Directors and Technical Coordinators to agree delivery frameworks/agreements and targets, and review progress on the achievement of outcome targets and desired results in order to contribute to delivery of TMEA’s corporate and programme objectives.
• Appraise/undertake due diligence of potential investment opportunities.
• Work closely and collaboratively with Portfolio Directors, Project Leaders and Regional Technical Directors and, when necessary, mediate and resolve disputes.
• Effective liaison with delivery partners and investors on programme issues and performance monitoring.
• As part of the Senior Management team, support smooth implementation of TMEA’s Theory of Change working proactively with TMEA’s other Senior Directors.
• Monitoring, evaluation and reporting
• Maintain strong monitoring and evaluation systems for programme delivery comprising qualitative and quantitative indicators for all results and activities, in collaboration with the Results team.
• Ensure a clear ‘line of sight’ with key strategic objectives, impact, outcome, output and project target results and work closely with the Results team to obtain delivery measurement data and analyse progress against achievement of targets.
• Report on transport infrastructure programme delivery including ensuring high quality and timely quarterly and annual reports of TMEA programme and financial performance to National Oversight Committees (NOCs) and the Board. Contribute to TMEA-wide Annual and donor reports, in line with the monitoring and evaluation framework.
• Facilitate discussion, information sharing and agreement on the achievement of strategic objective and targets.
• Team management
• Manage and nurture strong internal technical competences and knowledge management across TMEA’s teams, and through this ensure technical excellence of work streams to the highest international standards.
• Ensure world class management across the team in line with TMEA’s culture and values;
• Manage, mentor and motivate a strong team of Regional Technical Directors and technical programme management staff, ensuring adequate capacity is developed for successful delivery.
• Ensure risk management, transparency, zero tolerance of fraud and corruption, and due diligence in all programming activities.
• Ensure close coordination and foster strong integration with other outcome delivery and country-based teams.
• Ensure that all TMEA infrastructure projects have adequate engineering resources as provided by either TMEA staff or external consultants.
• Oversee the establishment and use of TMEA’s infrastructure framework pool.
• Assist in developing continuous learning programme for TMEA engineers and others interested.
• Work closely and collaboratively with TMEA Transport Directors on project planning prioritization and implementation.
• Work closely and collaboratively with the Portfolio Directors for TMEA infrastructure projects to ensure adequate communication and risk management.
• Work closely and collaboratively with all other relevant TMEA technical units, including in particular Procurement, Finance, Audit & SIT.
• Where appropriate, work with external partners in furtherance of any of the above responsibilities.
• Ensure good practice PCM is followed by the whole team in project design, procurement and contract management, outcome/output-based planning, reporting and financial management, and results-oriented monitoring, learning and evaluation.
• Corporate systems
• Contribute to knowledge generation and dissemination and support teams in conducting regular informal and formal reflection, knowledge sharing and learning events.
• Apply the highest standards of controls and risk management practices and behaviours and embed a positive risk and control culture.
• Demonstrate prudence, sound judgement and appropriate and timely escalations in management of all types of risk (including fraud risk) applicable to the role.
• Understand and comply with the relevant end-to-end processes including applicable risks and controls.
• Seek to identify, understand and escalate risk events/incidents/ issues on a timely basis focusing on fixing root-causes and taking ownership of identified mitigating actions.
• Complete all relevant mandatory trainings within the stipulated timelines.
• Promote and adhere to TMEA’s core values and ensure compliance with organisational policies and procedures.
• Maintain zero tolerance to bribery, fraud and corruption, and ensure the immediate reporting of any corruption or suspect behaviour that threatens TMEA’s reputation.
• Adhere to the safeguarding policies and procedures and immediately report any safeguarding concerns.
• Any other related responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager from time to time.

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Job Details

A key member of TradeMark East Africa’s (TMEA’s) Senior Management Team, the Senior Director, Trade Environment is responsible for ensuring programme quality and delivery of TMEA’s Outcome 1b, Trade Environment related to “reducing barriers to trade’’. In particular, s/he will ensure that TMEA’s objectives, and associated strategic impacts, outcomes and outputs, are achieved around: improving the standards regime, implementing a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) programme; improving trade processes and systems, including Information and Communications Technology (ICT); and improving the trade regulatory environment including reduction of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs). The job holder will ensure alignment of trade environment goals to TMEA’s strategy, and the linkages between interventions in trade policy and facilitation, standards and SPS, Continental and regional integration policies, and ICT are mainstreamed in all aspects of TMEA’s work and clearly linked to organisational objectives at both national and regional levels.

• Strategic leadership and programme development
  • Oversee the development and delivery of a large, complex portfolio across the region to improve East Africa’s trade environment. This will include projects focused on improving the EAC Trade policy environment and enhancing the regional investment climate and governance e.g. support to the EAC organs, supporting Ministries of EAC in each Partner State, standards harmonisation, elimination of NTBs and providing ICT support for trade facilitation;
  • Continuously review programmes and projects within the portfolio and suggest refinements to TMEA’s Theory of Change in liaison with the Senior Management Team;
  • Develop trade environment programming strategies and oversee their implementation, including strategic planning, resource allocation, project proposals and Project Appraisal Reports (PARs);
  • Accountable for the achievement of the trade environment objectives and ensuring programmatic consistency, delivery and quality assurance across the entire portfolio of projects whilst demonstrating value for money and having clear mechanisms for measuring results. This will require close liaison with the respective country and regional Portfolio Directors;
  • Liaise with Technical Directors, Country Directors and Technical Advisers to agree delivery mechanisms and targets, and review progress on achievement of outcome level milestones and desired results, contributing to delivery of TMEA’s objectives and meeting all mobilisation and spending targets;
  • Appraise and undertake due diligence of potential investment opportunities;
  • Work with the Chief Technical Officer and Chief Operating Officer to ensure effective matrix management and lead in the development of strong working relationships among Portfolio Directors, Project Leaders and Technical Directors, and mediate and resolve disputes, as needed;
  • Effective liaison with delivery partners and investors on programmatic issues and performance monitoring; and
  • As part of the Senior Management team, support efficient and adaptive implementation of TMEA’s strategy in collaboration with TMEA’s Senior Leadership and other Management Teams.
• Strategic partnerships/relationships
  • Carry out high level representation of TMEA at various national, regional and international events and conferences and allied fundraising as agreed with the Chief Technical Officer, Chief Operating Officer and CEO;
  • Lead on the implementation of regular dialogue with TMEA’s trade environment stakeholders including through the formation of different advisory groups related to key areas of the portfolio;
  • Develop and maintain strong working relationships with stakeholders including existing and potential donors and implementing partners;
  • Make substantive contributions to the operationalisation of TMEA's leadership development and succession plan and ensure that the organisation attracts and retains high calibre human resources to optimise organisational performance;
  • Demonstrate commitment to the inclusive establishment, implementation, assessment and continuous improvement of TMEA management systems and policies. This includes contributing to the development of measurable corporate goals and objectives in line with TMEA priorities; and
  • Actively engage with the senior leadership and management colleagues and contribute to strategic decision making and problem solving.
  • Monitoring, evaluation and reporting
  • Manage and nurture strong internal technical competences and knowledge management across the team, and through this ensure technical excellence of work streams to the highest best in class standards;
  • Maintain strong monitoring and evaluation systems for programme delivery comprising qualitative and quantitative indicators for all results and activities, in collaboration with the Results Team;
  • Ensure a clear ‘line of sight’ with key strategic objective, impact, outcome, output and project target results and work closely with the Results team to obtain outcome delivery measurement data and analyse progress against achievement of targets;
  • Responsible for reporting on trade environment programming delivery including coordinating high quality and timely quarterly and annual reports of programme and financial performance. Contribute to TMEA-wide Annual and donor reports, in line with the monitoring and evaluation framework; and
  • Facilitate discussion, information sharing and agreement on the achievement of strategic objectives and targets.
  • Team management & knowledge management
  • Manage, mentor, motivate and build a strong team of Technical Directors and technical programme management staff, ensuring adequate capacity is developed for successful delivery;
  • Ensure world class management across the team in line with TMEA’s culture and values;
  • Manage and nurture strong internal technical competences and knowledge management across TMEA’s teams and trade environment cadre, and through this ensure technical excellence of work streams to the highest international standards;
  • Manage and lead the delivery of TMEA’s Knowledge Management approaches and Communities of Practice under Outcome 1b;
  • Ensure risk management, transparency, zero tolerance to fraud and corruption, and due diligence in all programming activities; and
  • Ensure close coordination and foster strong integration with the other outcome delivery, and country-based teams.
  • Corporate systems
  • Contribute to knowledge generation and dissemination and support teams in conducting regular informal and formal reflection, knowledge sharing and learning events.
  • Apply the highest standards of controls and risk management practices and behaviours and embed a positive risk and control culture.
  • Demonstrate prudence, sound judgement and appropriate and timely escalations in management of all types of risk (including fraud risk) applicable to the role.
  • Understand and comply with the relevant end-to-end processes including applicable risks and controls.
  • Seek to identify, understand and escalate risk events/incidents/ issues on a timely basis focusing on fixing root-causes and taking ownership of identified mitigating actions.
  • Complete all relevant mandatory trainings within the stipulated timelines.
  • Promote and adhere to TMEA’s core values and ensure compliance with organisational policies and procedures.
  • Maintain zero tolerance to bribery, fraud and corruption, and ensure the immediate reporting of any corruption or suspect behaviour that threatens TMEA’s reputation.
  • Adhere to the safeguarding policies and procedures and immediately report any safeguarding concerns.
  • Any other related responsibilities that may be assigned by the CEO from time to time.