Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
Job Title: County Head of Office
Reports to: MILE DCOP Operations
Department: Operations – MILE Project
Salary Grade: 9
Country / Location: Kenya / Marsabit
Ref: 2019/086
About CRS: Catholic Relief Services is the official international
humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works
to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries,
without regard to race, religion or nationality.
CRS’ relief and development work is
accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture,
education, microfinance and peacebuilding.
Background: CRS, representing a consortium of international non-governmental
organizations, local implementing partners and research institutions, has
recently been awarded a program by USAID Office of Food for Peace (FFP) to
implement a 5-year Development Food Security Activity (DFSA) in Kenya.
CRS has named its proposed program
Mfumo Imara Lishe Endelevu (MILE).
The overarching goal of this
multi-sectoral activity is to sustainably reduce levels of acute malnutrition
in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), focusing on Isiolo and Marsabit
counties.
The activity will be implemented in
two phases:
·
Phase I (1.5-2 years) Research, test
approaches and collaboratively design a context-sensitive, multi-sectoral
activity that sustainably reduces acute malnutrition.
·
Phase II (3- 3.5 years): Activity
Implementation and System and Institutional Strengthening
Job Summary: The Head of Office will manage and represent MILE activities
operating through its fully operational county office in Marsabit County, to
ensure implementation of high-quality programs. S/he will provide leadership in
the management of the office, with emphasis on representation, administration,
human resources, security, transport, procurement and external relations with
government and other partners.
S/he will work closely with the
deputy Chief of Party for Operations, and in coordination with CRS Operations
Department main office, to ensure strong and effective management systems are
in place and program implementation is carried out with high quality and efficiency.
Job Responsibilities:
·
Manage planning and implementation of
all key activities at the county office level ensuring alignment with Country
Program (CP) and agency strategic programming and operations excellence
priorities and standards. Approve expenses, monitor spending, and make budget
adjustments in line with operational and programmatic needs and donor
requirements.
·
As the primary representative of MILE
in Marsabit County, strengthen existing and develop new relationships with
local partners, government and community organizations.
·
Ensure high-quality project
implementation, management, and compliance with programmatic standards,
policies and procedures through project review systems and quality control
(comprehensive M&E systems, budget review and analysis). Promote
documentation of program reviews, success stories, and lessons learned.
·
Plan, coordinate, monitor and report
on activities and required resources to ensure cost efficient and quality
service delivery from administrative support functions. Anticipate delivery
challenges to ensure service continuity.
·
Approve expenses, in line with CRS
approval matrix, monitor spending, and make budget adjustments in line with
operational needs and donor requirements.
·
Serve as the security focal point for
Marsabit County. Proactively manage security and mitigate security risks.
Ensure a safe work and living environment through leading implementation of
safety and security protocols and staff care and well-being best practices.
·
Effectively manage talent and
supervise up to 7 direct reports, providing guidance and leadership in making
systems efficient, effective, transparent and in line with the agency and
donor’s policies, procedures and regulations, ensuring integrity and compliance
to the agency accepted standards. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being.
Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and
complete performance management for direct reports.
·
Proactively and effectively manage
resources and promote stewardship, ensuring program and operations teams and
partner staff have and optimize the appropriate human, financial, and material
resources and tools.
·
Support the operational transition
from MILE Phase 1 research to Phase 2 implementation in Marsabit County.
·
Monitor day-to-day operations to
ensure all operational services (HR, Finance, Supply Chain, Admin, ICT) are
delivered with high quality in an efficient manner and adhere to policies and
to ensure accountability and integrity to CRS and Donor’s standards and
requirements.
·
Manage risk and address challenges
that affect the proper stewardship, optimal utilization and maintenance of
program assets and resources (financial, human, and material). Ensure
coordination with Main Office OPS Department.
·
Report immediately to the DCoP-Operations
any issues, constraints and challenges in complying with CRS and Donor’s
standards policies and regulations and with government’s laws.
·
Create and maintain the proper
conditions for learning. Establish a safe environment for the sharing of ideas,
solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond
quickly to small deficiencies. Identify capacity strengthening needs for staff
and partners and coordinate with CRS Kenya program and operations teams to
address capacity strengthening.
·
Ensure completion of the mandatory
CRS online courses and submit the completion report to the DCoP-Operations and
CRS Kenya HR Manager
·
Keep all documents and information
related to CRS’ program activities, personnel and development plans confidential.
·
Adhere to CRS’ principles of
confidentiality in relations to staff, partners, vendors and other
stakeholders. Report to the management potential irregularities or any
misbehavior that occurs
Typical Background, Experience &
Requirements:
Education and Experience
·
Master’s degree in relevant field
required. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
·
Minimum of 5 years work experience in
a non-profit, development, and/or humanitarian organization with progressive
responsibilities
·
Staff management experience and
abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
·
Experience working with projects
funded by multiple public donors, including USAID.
·
Experience in stakeholder management
and establishing and strengthening community partnerships.
·
Knowledge of procurement and general
office administrative/management issues
·
Proficient in MS Office package
(Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and
information management systems.
·
Experience working and living in
Marsabit County a plus.
Personal Skills
·
Excellent strategic, analytical,
systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big
picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
·
Strong relations management
abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally.
Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
·
Team leadership abilities
·
Proactive, resourceful,
solutions-oriented and results-oriented
·
Able to live in an environment where
everyday comforts may not be readily available.
Required / Desired Foreign Language
·
Excellent written and verbal
communication skills in English; ability to draft and edit reports.
·
Excellent verbal communication skills
in Kiswahili.
·
Dialects local to Marsabit County a
plus.
Travel Required: 25% of the time
Key Working Relationships:
Supervisory: Administrative assistant, System Strengthening Specialist,
County Accountability and Learning Officer, County Research Coordinator, County
M&E Specialist, Resource Transfer Manager, and Grants officer
Internal: Country Representative, Head of Programs, Head of
Operations, Chief of Party MILE, DCOP Operations MILE, System Strengthening
Specialist Marsabit, County Research Coordinator, MILE Program team, and
Nairobi based operations staff.
External: Local government officials, Local/international NGO
offices, and UN agencies operating in the project area.
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS
Staff):
These are rooted in the mission,
values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill
his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.
·
Integrity
·
Continuous Improvement &
Innovation
·
Builds Relationships
·
Develops Talents
·
Strategic Mindset
·
Accountability and Stewardship
Leadership and Management
Competencies
·
Communicates strategically under
pressure
·
Manages stress and complexity
·
Actively promotes safety and security
·
Manages and implements high-quality
program activities
Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the
skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.
Job Title: County
Head of Office
Reports to: MILE
DCOP Operations
Department: Operations
– MILE Project
Salary Grade: 9
Country / Location: Kenya
/ Isiolo
Ref: 2019/087
About CRS: Catholic
Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the
Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and
transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race,
religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished
through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education,
microfinance and peacebuilding.
Background: CRS,
representing a consortium of international non-governmental organizations,
local implementing partners and research institutions, has recently been
awarded a program by USAID Office of Food for Peace (FFP) to implement a 5-year
Development Food Security Activity (DFSA) in Kenya.
CRS has named its proposed program Mfumo Imara Lishe
Endelevu (MILE).
The overarching goal of this multi-sectoral activity is to
sustainably reduce levels of acute malnutrition in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid
lands (ASALs), focusing on Isiolo and Marsabit counties.
The activity will be implemented in two phases:
·
Phase I (1.5-2 years) Research, test
approaches and collaboratively design a context-sensitive, multi-sectoral
activity that sustainably reduces acute malnutrition.
·
Phase II (3- 3.5 years): Activity
Implementation and System and Institutional Strengthening
Job Summary: The
Head of Office will manage and represent MILE activities operating through its
fully operational county office in Isiolo County, to ensure implementation of
high-quality programs. S/he will provide leadership in the management of the
office, with emphasis on representation, administration, human resources,
security, transport, procurement and external relations with government and
other partners.
S/he will work closely with the deputy Chief of Party for
Operations, and in coordination with CRS Operations Department main office, to
ensure strong and effective management systems are in place and program
implementation is carried out with high quality and efficiency.
Job Responsibilities:
·
Manage planning and implementation of
all key activities at the county office level ensuring alignment with Country
Program (CP) and agency strategic programming and operations excellence
priorities and standards. Approve expenses, monitor spending, and make budget
adjustments in line with operational and programmatic needs and donor
requirements.
·
As the primary representative of MILE
in Isiolo County, strengthen existing and develop new relationships with local
partners, government and community organizations.
·
Ensure high-quality project
implementation, management, and compliance with programmatic standards,
policies and procedures through project review systems and quality control
(comprehensive M&E systems, budget review and analysis). Promote
documentation of program reviews, success stories, and lessons learned.
·
Plan, coordinate, monitor and report
on activities and required resources to ensure cost efficient and quality
service delivery from administrative support functions. Anticipate delivery
challenges to ensure service continuity.
·
Approve expenses, in line with CRS
approval matrix, monitor spending, and make budget adjustments in line with
operational needs and donor requirements.
·
Serve as the security focal point for
Isiolo County. Proactively manage security and mitigate security risks. Ensure
a safe work and living environment through leading implementation of safety and
security protocols and staff care and well-being best practices.
·
Effectively manage talent and
supervise up to 7 direct reports, providing guidance and leadership in making
systems efficient, effective, transparent and in line with the agency and
donor’s policies, procedures and regulations, ensuring integrity and compliance
to the agency accepted standards. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being.
Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete
performance management for direct reports.
·
Proactively and effectively manage
resources and promote stewardship, ensuring program and operations teams and
partner staff have and optimize the appropriate human, financial, and material
resources and tools.
·
Support the operational transition
from MILE Phase 1 research to Phase 2 implementation in Isiolo County.
·
Monitor day-to-day operations to
ensure all operational services (HR, Finance, Supply Chain, Admin, ICT) are
delivered with high quality in an efficient manner and adhere to policies and
to ensure accountability and integrity to CRS and Donor’s standards and
requirements.
·
Manage risk and address challenges
that affect the proper stewardship, optimal utilization and maintenance of
program assets and resources (financial, human, and material). Ensure
coordination with Main Office OPS Department.
·
Report immediately to the
DCoP-Operations any issues, constraints and challenges in complying with CRS
and Donor’s standards policies and regulations and with government’s laws.
·
Create and maintain the proper
conditions for learning. Establish a safe environment for the sharing of ideas,
solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond
quickly to small deficiencies. Identify capacity strengthening needs for staff
and partners and coordinate with CRS Kenya program and operations teams to
address capacity strengthening.
·
Ensure completion of the mandatory
CRS online courses and submit the completion report to the DCoP-Operations and
CRS Kenya HR Manager
·
Keep all documents and information
related to CRS’ program activities, personnel and development plans
confidential.
·
Adhere to CRS’ principles of
confidentiality in relations to staff, partners, vendors and other
stakeholders. Report to the management potential irregularities or any
misbehavior that occurs
Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:
Education and Experience
·
Master’s degree in relevant field
required. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
·
Minimum of 5 years work experience in
a non-profit, development, and/or humanitarian organization with progressive
responsibilities
·
Staff management experience and
abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
·
Experience working with projects
funded by multiple public donors, including USAID.
·
Experience in stakeholder management
and establishing and strengthening community partnerships.
·
Knowledge of procurement and general
office administrative/management issues
·
Proficient in MS Office package
(Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and
information management systems.
·
Experience working and living in
Isiolo County a plus.
Personal Skills
·
Excellent strategic, analytical,
systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big
picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
·
Strong relations management
abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally.
Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
·
Team leadership abilities
·
Proactive, resourceful,
solutions-oriented and results-oriented
·
Able to live in an environment where
everyday comforts may not be readily available.
Required / Desired Foreign Language
·
Excellent written and verbal
communication skills in English; ability to draft and edit reports.
·
Excellent verbal communication skills
in Kiswahili.
·
Dialects local to Isiolo County a
plus.
Travel Required: 25%
of the time
Key Working Relationships:
Supervisory: Administrative
assistant, System Strengthening Specialist, County Accountability and Learning
Officer, County Research Coordinator, County M&E Specialist, Resource
Transfer Manager, and Grants officer
Internal: Country
Representative, Head of Programs, Head of Operations, Chief of Party MILE, DCOP
Operations MILE, System Strengthening Specialist Isiolo, County Research
Coordinator, MILE Program team, and Nairobi based operations staff.
External: Local
government officials, Local/international NGO offices, and UN agencies
operating in the project area.
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding
principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her
responsibilities and achieve the desired results.
·
Integrity
·
Continuous Improvement &
Innovation
·
Builds Relationships
·
Develops Talents
·
Strategic Mindset
·
Accountability and Stewardship
Leadership and Management Competencies
·
Communicates strategically under
pressure
·
Manages stress and complexity
·
Actively promotes safety and security
·
Manages and implements high-quality program
activities
Disclaimer: This
job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and
responsibilities associated with the position.
***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission
and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the
Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas.
We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and
secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in
need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to
protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
Written applications indicating the reference number of
position applied for and CV including day-time contact phone numbers, as well
as names and contact information of three references should reach the
below-mentioned by Close of Business Monday November 11, 2019.
Human Resources Manager
Catholic Relief Services – Kenya/Somalia Program
E-mail: crskenya-hr@crs.org
Note: Catholic
Relief Services (CRS) does not charge any fees from applicants for any
recruitment.
Further, CRS has not retained any agent in connection with
this recruitment CRS’ recruitment and selection procedures reflect our
commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and
exploitation
CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer
*This position is for Kenya Nationals only*