NGO Jobs in Kenya - Act!

Act Change Transform (Act!) is a leading Kenyan not-for-profit, non-governmental organization involved in diverse development initiatives in Kenya. 

Act!’s main programme focus is in Environment and Natural Resources Management; Democracy and Human Rights and Peace Building and Conflict Transformation. Our holistic approach to development is delivered through capacity development. 

Established in September 2001 as Pact Kenya, and rebranded in 2011 as a fully-fledged Kenyan organization, Act! has provided platforms for articulating issues and processes, shared her expertise, experiences and best practices related to capacity development, organizational development and grants management.

Grants Officer


Ref: ACT/GO/16/2015

1.0 Job Summary: Reporting to the Grants Manager, the Grants Officer will be based in Mombasa and will primarily ensure proper maintenance and functioning of the SCORE grants management system. 

This shall include monitoring the grants making and management process from solicitation through to close out and ensuring proper compliance with USAID regulations.

Key Responsibilities
 
Specifically, the Grants Officer will be responsible for but not limited to:

2.0 Grants Making and Management
·                     Support in the solicitation process of potential SCORE grantees.
·                     Carry-out pre-award assessments of potential grantees to establish their level of capacity.
·                     Prepare grant documents (Carry out Anti-Terrorism checks, selection memos, negotiation memos, budget reviews, grant agreements, modifications, closeouts and related correspondences).
·                     Maintain SCORE grants financial tracking systems and share relevant information with concerned parties as appropriate.
·                     Undertake regular financial reviews and give appropriate recommendations to SCORE grantees on areas that need correction or improvement in their systems and procedures.
·                     Prepare grant modifications for cost/program changes where need be.
·                     Ensure the timely and proper close-out of grants.
3.0 Reporting & Monitoring (Financial and Programmatic)
·                     Review financial reports from grantees to ensure financial compliance against grant budget
·                     Review cash requests from grantees to ensure the amounts requested are reasonable and within approved budgets.
·                     Review all grantee deliverables to ensure grant compliance. Give feedback to grantees, as appropriate.
·                     Assist in the compilation of data and preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
·                     Regularly visit the grantees to conduct compliance reviews and provide mentorship as necessary.
·                     Ensure that all grantee expenditures comply with the final and approved budgets (i.e. budgetary controls).
·                     Conduct monthly reconciliations with Finance to ensure grant and finance records are up to date.
4.0 Filing and Administration
·                     Maintain and update hard copy SCORE grant and working files. Slots within these files should be clearly labeled and organized for ease of reference.
·                     Open new grant file for every new SCORE grant.
·                     Ensure that all grant files are kept under lock and key.
·                     Scan all key grants documents and have soft copies saved in the sever
5.0 Financial Management
·                     Assist in budget preparation for the CSOs consistent with their project proposals.
·                     Prepare indicative budgets for all planned new work.
·                     In consultation with the finance officers track budgets to ensure compliance with Act! and donor funding guidelines and requirements.
Qualifications, Experience & Personal Requirements
 
Academic qualifications
·                     A Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, Accounting or related business field.
Professional Qualifications
·                     At least CPA III professional certification or equivalent.
Experience
·                     At least Three (3) years’ experience supporting administration of grants and contracts.
·                     Previous work experience in grants or finance related field especially on USAID funded projects.
Essential Skills & Competencies
·                     Willingness to travel extensively within Kenya, work extended periods in the field and interact effectively with local communities and willingness to learn new approaches.
·                     Negotiation and problem solving skills.
·                     Good analytical, interpersonal and communication skills.
·                     Highly proficient in MS Word, Excel, Access, Power-Point and applications and use of internet for research purposes.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting & Learning Officer 


Ref: ACT/MERL/17/2015

1.0 Job Summary
 
The MER&L Officer will be based in Mombasa and will mainly be responsible for the active implementation of the SCORE Program’s monitoring, evaluation reporting and learning systems, including mentorship of partners. 

This will mainly revolve around managing information throughout the project cycle, ensuring that project design takes into account data collection, analysis and utilization, supporting partners track results at output, outcome and impact level, ensuring data quality in all programs within the officers domain, compilation of partner reports into a format that is consumable and integrating MER&L as an organizations practice.

Key Responsibilities
 
2.0 Internal MER&L function
·                     Contribute to the design and continuous review of the SCORE program’s Monitoring and Evaluation Plan.
·                     Oversee design of the program’s database(s) to monitor and pro-actively track all performance indicators established in the M&E plan.
·                     Manage and conduct overall data collection process of all project indicators as well as GIS coordinates for all activity sites.
·                     In liaison with other MER&L manager and other SCORE program officers, design and deliver MER&L trainings and mentorship to partners.
·                     Develop and disseminate basic MER&L training materials for program use, among staff and partners.
·                     Preparation of the bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual program reports.
·                     Coordinate and take lead on development of success stories.
·                     Participate in organizing and conducting evaluation exercises.
·                     Participate in setting program performance targets in line with overall strategic goals of the program.
·                     Take the lead role in tracking grantees progress in achieving outcomes and impacts.
·                     Participate in quarterly and other scheduled program performance review meetings.
·                     Share information and lessons learnt with other program staff.
3.0 SCORE Team support
·                     Collate and develop detailed quarterly and monthly project work plans for the program and track implementation of the same, on a monthly basis.
·                     Support SCORE program manager to coordinate program teams to ensure compliance with all reporting & MER&L requirements of the program.
·                     Review all quarterly reports submitted by the program partners for compliance and data adequacy.
·                     Develop a summary and analysis of overall MER&L data each quarter in line with USAID’s reporting templates.
·                     Prepare a summary of the partners’ needs and issues for follow up derived from quarterly reports and track responses.
·                     Provide direction in documentation of “success stories” and other anecdotal information to enhance the overall quality of performance reports to the donors.
·                     Provide support in designing, planning and delivery of all Program technical trainings.
4.0 Partners Support
 
Overall, provide accompaniment, mentoring and training to program partner’s MER&L officers as appropriate and on demand.

Specific support would include:-
·                     Support the development of Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting ad Learning (MER&L) processes, tools and plans for partners and grant recipients.
·                     Provide support to local partners and grant recipients in the implementation of their MER&L plans through the life of the project.
·                     Ensure compliance in data management and quality.
·                     Assist partners in design and implementation of mid-term and end term evaluations, in particular TORs, consultants’ selection and quality control of process and final reports.
5.0 Qualifications, Experience and Skills
 
The minimum required academic and professional skills for the jobholder to perform successfully in this position are:
·                     Bachelors’ degree in appropriate discipline e.g. social sciences, peace and conflict studies, anthropology, development studies, statistics, communication etc.
5.1 Professional Qualifications
·                     A Diploma or equivalent in Project Management or relevant qualification in Monitoring and Evaluation will be an asset
5.2 Experience
·                     At least 4 years’ experience in project management.
5.3 Essential Skills
·                     Thorough knowledge of socio-economics, socio-anthropology and/or proven ability in participatory methods and processes.
·                     Ability to work in a fast paced environment requiring multi-tasking.
·                     Knowledge of policy influences and institutional practices.
·                     Knowledge of statistical software applications.
·                     Excellent analytical skills.
·                     Good writing and reporting skills.
·                     Conversant with and experience with the culture of the Coast region.

Energy Specialist

Ref: ACT/EGS/18/2015

1.0 Job Summary
 
Reporting to the Program Manager, the Energy Specialist (ENRM) will be based in Nairobi and will be responsible for providing technical support on energy as well as ENRM advocacy programming. 

The post holder is primarily responsible for providing leadership on mainstreaming energy issues within the Environment and Natural Resources Management Platform ensuring responsiveness to the context and making certain that all initiatives are based on sound external analysis.

Key Responsibilities
 
2.0 Program Management
·                     Provide technical leadership on Act’s energy portfolio, ENRM energy concerns for all of Act!’s programs, support and improve climate mitigation and resilience energy related initiatives;
·                     Streamline energy project development and investment processes by developing initiatives within the program and project designs to respond to energy concerns;
·                     Provide advisory services to all Act! partners on Environment and Natural Resources Management within the context of energy;
·                     Ensure that all ENRM initiatives on energy and reporting take into account the environmental concerns and linkage with livelihoods;
·                     On a weekly basis and monthly basis, track, assess and analyze the environmental context of Kenyan and energy dynamics;
·                     Provide technical support to NRM Energy networks through the sharing of best practices and policy advocacy;
·                     Continuously review the mainstreaming of Energy considerations in program activities and reporting of success stories;
·                     Actively inform the ENRM platform and specifically the CRM Facility on local and international innovations and debate particularly on energy initiatives as relates to climate change and local adaptations;
·                     Coordinating and providing ground support and linkages between CRM partners, government ministries, CSOs and the private sector and any relevant partners;
·                     Assist in the design of suitable IEC materials to educate and sensitize partners on critical developments in the Energy Sector through advocacy activities;
·                     Participate in the selection of appropriate partners for Act!’s ENRM interventions;
·                     Contribute towards Energy program component design, planning, implementation and evaluation.
·                     Support partners in the development of effective ENRM energy projects and programs.
3.0 Financial management
·                     Contribute to the budgeting process for all proposals submitted within the ENRM platform on energy initiatives.
·                     Work closely with the Grants team in providing up to date reports on partner performance.
4.0 Capacity development
·                     Work closely with the Capacity Development Manager in delivering programs that are responsive to Act!’s Capacity Development approach;
·                     Adequately analyze the Organizational Capacity Assessment (OCA) data and submit draft report (analysis) and raw data to the organizational capacity development team;
·                     Identify, design and deliver appropriate ENRM-energy related capacity building interventions, to target partners and grantees.
5.0 Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Learning
·                     Ensure that all energy concerns are adequately tracked through the project cycle and interventions are as responsive as possible;
·                     Carry the responsibility and be part of the team concerned with donor reporting on Energy concerns across programs;
·                     Support program reporting, peer learning on key cross-cutting issues within programs, and keep abreast of changing sector knowledge and best practice;
·                     Participate actively in contributing to documentation of “success stories” and other anecdotal information to enhance the overall quality of performance reports to the donors;
·                     Contribute towards the design and operationalization of Platform level MERL plans;
·                     Track partners’ progress through the M and E on line system, document and advice as required.
6.0 Representation and networking
·                     Establish and maintain regular contact with energy beneficiary groups and partner organizations and to liaise and co-ordinate with the appropriate Government and Non-governmental bodies whenever appropriate to ensure successful project progress;
·                     Represent the program and Act! at meetings, forums and processes to stay up to date with unfolding events or on advocacy and energy issues and ensure that Act! is best placed to advise donors and other stakeholders;
·                     Maintain an electronic and physical database of all energy strategic actors relevant to Act’s work in liaison with the data base administrator.
·                     Any other duties as called upon by the CRM Programme Manager.
7.0 Qualifications, Experience and Essential Skills
 
The minimum required academic and professional skills for the jobholder to perform successfully in their job:
 
7.1 Academic Qualifications
·                     A university degree (preferably post-graduate) related to environmental science, natural resource management, engineering or comparable fields of study.
7.2 Professional Qualifications
·                     Post graduate qualification in project/ program design, development and management.
7.3 Experience
·                     At least 6 years’ relevant working experience in development organizations of progressively responsible experience in one or more of the areas of energy, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate change policy and Low Emission Development (LEDs). 
·                     Past experience in several of the following energy fields; Biomass to energy (biogas and solid), Carbon finance, Small Hydro, PV for grid connection, Wind power, Solar power, mitigation and adaptation, (LEDs) will be preferred.
7.4 Essential Skills & Competencies
·                     Broad knowledge of environment and natural resource management issues in Kenya, particularly related to renewable energy and climate change.
·                     Strong analytical and report writing skills as well as excellent presentation and facilitation skills.
·                     Self-driven and able to deliver results with minimum supervision.
·                     Willingness to travel extensively within the region, work extended periods in the field and interact effectively with partners and willingness to learn new approaches.
·                     Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary and multicultural environment and with partners at all levels.
·                     Highly proficient in Ms Word, Excel, Access, Power-point and the use of Internet for research.
How to Apply
 
If you meet the requirements as contained in the description, please submit (1) a detailed and current CV; (2) an application cover letter demonstrating why they qualify for this opportunity, quoting your current and expected gross salary. 

All applications should be submitted electronically to hr.admin@act.or.ke quoting the reference number (For example ACT/EGS/18/2015). 

Only candidates short-listed for interview will be contacted.


Deadline for applications submission is 5:00pm Friday 27th November 2015