NGO Jobs in Nairobi, Kenya – USAID

Background Information: The Agile and Harmonized Assistance for Devolved Institutions (AHADI) is a five year USAID program implemented by the State University of New York’s (SUNY) Center for International Development (CID). 

AHADI is funded by both USAID and DFID. The program is designed to support Kenya’s vision and agenda for achieving the promise of devolution. 

The program’s interventions aim to promote governance systems that are transparent, accountable, effective in service delivery, and responsive to empowered citizens by working at both the National and County Government levels.
 
AHADI has three main objectives:
1.           Targeted counties provide higher quality services through improved governance.
2.           Improved representation of citizen interests and oversight of targeted County Government performance.
3.           Functionality and effectiveness of the devolved system increased through intra-government engagement and cooperation.
AHADI is primarily a Democracy Rights and Governance (DRG) program focused on improving the governance of Kenya’s new decentralized system. 

It is an integrated governance program that uses sector entry points to achieve both governance and sector outcomes. 

These sectors include but are not limited to good governance, resilience and economic growth, education, climate change and disaster risk reduction.

The program is currently seeking a skilled, diplomatic, effective, and highly motivated 

Position Title: Procurement and Logistics Assistant Manager 

Location: Nairobi
 
1 Position
 
Position Summary: The Procurement and Logistics Assistant Manager will work closely with the Procurement and Logistics Manager and the entire Procurement / Logistics team in the AHADI Nairobi Office to ensure that program activities and operational needs are supported to achieve the above noted program objectives. 

The work of the Procurement and Logistics Assistant Manager requires highly developed collaboration and networking skills, exercise of discretion, judgment, and personal responsibility.
 
Reports to: Procurement and Logistics Manager
 
Interrelationships: The incumbent liaises with the other members of the procurement department, the Senior Program Officer / Program Officers / Regional Coordinators / Senior Grants Manger / Grants Mangers as appropriate in the course of his/her duties.
 
Key Responsibilities
·                     Primary deputy to the Procurement and Logistics Manager.
·                     Assists with procurement processes for all grant activities and AHADI operations ensuring compliance with RF SUNY and USAID regulations, policies and procedures;
·                     Works closely with procurement assistants to identify goods and services to be procured for the project;
·                     In collaboration with the entire operations team, determines the most appropriate procurement requirements;
·                     Manages procurement processes for all grant activities and AHADI operations;
·                     Identifies goods and services to be procured for the project;
·                     Carries out assigned procurement activities in accordance with USAID and State University of New York procedures and regulations;
·                     Ensures the most appropriate procurement methods to ensure that compliance and transparent processes are utilized;
·                     Supports programmatic and technical aspects of the program as needed, including but not limited to, the following: seeking, contacting, and interacting with vendors, NGOs, Government agencies, and private sector representatives;
·                     Support the Procurement/Logistics team with logistical support for delivery of goods and services to grantees;
·                     Coordinates and arranges flights for all staff and manages accounts with the organization’s travel agents;
·                     Supervises the preparation of project reports and deliverables from the procurement team, and ensures that updates are provided on the status and progress of grantee deliveries;
·                     Provide support to program teams on field trips ensuring that field level arrangements are made to include flight reservations, accommodation, transportation, communications and other services / goods as needed.;
·                     Assists visiting USG and RF SUNY staff members and other dignitaries as appropriate in arranging travel and accommodation, in the scheduling and facilitation of meetings and in providing updates and briefings on the evolving environment in country.
·                     Mentors, Trains and develops the skills of new procurement staff members.
·                     Performs other duties as assigned.
Deputizing the Procurement Manager’s Role:
 
The procurement and Logistics Assistant Manager will support the Procurement Manager under the following responsibilities:
·                     Act as the point of contact for procurement department in the absence of the procurement manager.
·                     Assign procurement tasks to the Procurement officers as may be required from time to time.
·                     Ensure that the procurement tracker is updated on a weekly basis.
·                     Oversee management of the inventory to ensure compliance with USAID regulations on the same.
Personal Specifications
 
Essential
 
Education
·                     University degree in Business Administration or appropriate field.
Work Experience
·                     Eight - ten years’ experience working in a complex and challenging procurement or related environment.
·                     Experience in logistics and coordination with travel agencies for flights.
·                     Fluency in written and spoken English.
·                     Previous experience working in a USAID funded project.
·                     In addition, must be flexible, willing to perform assigned and additional duties and work irregular hours under unpredictable conditions.
Languages: English language fluency required.
 
Skills and Abilities
·                     Diplomacy and negotiation when working with community and Government representatives.
·                     Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.
·                     Ability to identify institutional needs e.g. capacity gaps and design appropriate interventions
·                     Project cycle management.
·                     Strong interpersonal communication skills i.e. ability to build strong relationships with partner counties.
·                     Good management skills.
Location: Nairobi
 
Travel: Regular


Position Title: County Liaison Officer
 
5 Positions

Location: Mandera (1), Wajir (1), Garissa (1), Marsabit (1) and Isiolo (1)

Position Summary: The County Liaison Officer is AHADI’s key program officer in the county. 

He / She keeps in touch with the officials of the County Government, citizens and stakeholders supporting the implementation of devolution.

He/ She is the operational contact person on the implementation of all AHADI support to the County Government. 

The CLO has detailed knowledge of the county, and has significant contacts with Government and non-governmental actors. 

He/ She has excellent representation, collaboration and networking skills and the exercise of discretion, judgment, integrity and personal responsibility.

Reports to: Program Team Lead.
 
Qualifications:
 
Person Specification
 
Essential
·                     At least Bachelor’s Degree in the social sciences. A degree in communication is an added advantage.

·                     At least five years’ development experience, preferably in the governance sphere. Working experience with County Government an added advantage.
·                     Excellent networking skills.
·                     Good organizational and planning skills.
·                     A thorough understanding of how County Government works.
·                     Good written and oral communication skills.
·                     Ability to work independently with minimum supervision.
·                     Ability to build strong relationships with partners
Desirable
·                     Excellent contacts with County Government officials.
·                     Experience working with USAID/DFID funded projects.
Key Responsibilities
 
Program Management
·                     Using firsthand knowledge of the context in the county, profiles key positions and is able to articulate the main development challenges in counties.
·                     Contributes to mentoring and other program conceptualization, design, review and continuous improvement of activities.
·                     Advises the program team on the operational dynamics and changing circumstances in the county, in order to advance program implementation.
·                     Contributes actively to the design of mentoring and other activities and scheduling, including initial drafts of proposals and Terms of Reference as an integral member of the program team.
·                     Consults widely with the relevant County Government officials for purposes of planning, implementation and reporting.
·                     Is the first port of call for county level activities, and thus provides:
·                     Detailed weekly and monthly requests from the County Government.
·                     Feedback to AHADI on proposed initiatives and activities.
·                     Management of AHADI team members, development partner and guest itineraries and logistics in the county.
Representation and Public Relations
·                     Serves as the “face of AHADI” within the county and promotes the mentor program.
·                     Maintains positive and robust relationships with Government and non-governmental actors to enhance AHADI’s devolution support work.
·                     Keeps the team lead appraised in writing of changes in the context and recommended changes in programming.
·                     In consultation with the team lead, represents AHADI in activities and meetings organized by the County Government and other devolution actors.
Monitoring and Reporting
·                     Submits weekly updates on the operating context, highlighting any real or potential changes that may affect implementation.
·                     Develops monthly context analysis.
·                     Develops technical monthly reports using a template to be shared by the team lead,
·                     Develops quarterly consolidated progress reports in accordance with arrangements specified by the team lead.
·                     Regularly tracks information about a series of issues for monitoring and reporting purposes, including tracking the movement of specific policies or governance procedures.
·                     Follows-up with mentoring and training participants to assess training impact.
·                     Develops any additional program documentation that may be requested for by the team lead.
Location: Respective field location
 
Travel: Regular

The program is currently seeking skilled, diplomatic, effective, and highly motivated Regional Program Officers
 
4 Positions
 
Locations
·                     1 position - Regional Program Officer for Nandi/Transnzoia – To be based in Transnzoia.
·                     1 position – Regional Program Officer for Kisii, Nyamira and Bomet – To be based in Kisii.
·                     1 position – Regional Program Officer for Machakos, Muranga and Kiambu – To be based in Kiambu.
·                     1 position – Regional Program Officer for Marsabit and Tharaka Nithi) – To be based in Tharaka Nithi.
Position Summary: The Regional Program Officer will work closely with the SUNY-AHADI program team lead to support implementation of the program initiatives in a region comprising a cluster of counties.
 
The work of the Regional PO requires detailed knowledge of county government (county executive and county assembly) operations, and highly developed collaboration and networking skills and the exercise of discretion, judgment, integrity and personal responsibility.
 
Job Purpose: The post holder works closely with County Government officials and non-state actors, as well as strategic partners, to strengthen capacity for the implementation of devolution. 

The post holder supports the team lead at all stages of the project management cycle.
 
Reports to: Program Team Lead.
 
Role and Responsibilities:
 
Program Management
·                     Contributes to conceptualization for the one approach mentor PEM program and other AHADI activities, design and review and continuous improvement.
·                     In consultation with the team lead, develop and ensure that program implementation mechanisms are carried out in response to the priorities set for the assigned cluster of counties, are delivered in a timely manner and provide value for money.
·                     Oversee and coordinate with County Liaison Officers.
·                     Support all aspects of the mentor and other AHADI program implementation as designed, including activity management. This includes:
·                     Development of cluster activity plans for the approval of the team lead.
·                     Identification of opportunities for entry into various stages of county level governance and recommendation of appropriate action.
·                     Development of procurement requests in line with system requirements in the AHADI program management mechanisms.
·                     Development of consultant Terms of Reference to respond to approved activities.
·                     Management of consultants, and their deliverables, including first level review of outputs to ensure quality control.
Representation and Public Relations
·                     Serve as the “face of AHADI” within the cluster of counties assigned.
·                     Maintain positive and robust relationships with government and NSAs to enhance AHADI’s devolution support work.
·                     Keep the team lead appraised in writing of changes in the context and recommended changes in programming.
·                     Attend activities, including meetings organized by AHADI and by other strategic partners that advance AHADI’s work.
Monitoring and Reporting
·                     Collate and compile weekly and monthly reports from the cluster of counties.
·                     Develop monthly context analysis reports for use by the team lead in program planning and briefing of Government and donors.
·                     Develop technical monthly reports using a template to be shared by the team lead.
·                     Develop quarterly consolidated progress reports in accordance with arrangements specified by the team lead.
·                     Regularly track information about a series of issues for monitoring and reporting purposes, including tracking the movement of specific policies or governance procedures.
·                     Follow-up with mentoring and training participants to assess training impact.
·                     Develop any additional program documentation that may be requested for by the team lead.
Personal Specifications
 
Essential
 
Qualifications
·                     A master’s degree in political science, public policy, development studies (preferable), or any other related field;
·                     5-7 years’ practical experience of working on a governance program funded by USAID or DFID;
·                     Good organizational, diplomatic, analytical and planning skills;
·                     A deep understanding of devolution and working with County and National Governments;
·                     Good written and oral communication skills, as well as interpersonal skills;
·                     Ability to work independently with minimum supervision;
·                     Good oral and written reporting skills are essential;
·                     Ability to work in remote rural locations and to travel extensively within project areas.
Skills and Abilities
·                     Diplomacy and negotiation when working with community and Government representatives.
·                     Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.
·                     Ability to identify institutional needs e.g. capacity gaps and design appropriate interventions.
·                     Project cycle management.
·                     Strong interpersonal communication skills i.e. ability to build strong relationships with partner counties.
·                     Good management skills.
Location: Respective field location as listed above.
 
Travel: Regular
 
How to Apply

If you possess the skills and qualifications as contained in the position’s description, please send to hr@ahadi-devolution.org 

(1) a Cover letter 

(2) CV and 

(3) References from three Professional Referees, one referee should be a previous or current supervisor.
 
Closing date: October 6th, 2017.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 

Kindly put the position you are applying for as the subject line. 

Applications without the position as the subject line will not be evaluated. 


SUNY-AHADI is an equal opportunities employer.