JOBS: Assistant Country Director - Programs at CARE International

Job Description

The Assistant Country Director – Programs (ACD-P) is expected to provide strategic and technical leadership in the areas of program quality, design, development, and implementation of CARE Kenya’s program long-term development and humanitarian interventions. A major emphasis of this position is to play a strong MANAGERIAL ROLE in ensuring that the programs are implemented fulfilling standards of QUALITY and ACCOUNTABILITY along with delivering the desired program outcomes.

The ACD-P manages a team of professionals focused on the design, fundraising, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of programs and projects and a large focus of this role is on the management and capacity building of that team.

S/he must also ensure that systems, policies, procedures, and required technical and managerial capacities/skills are in place to ensure the proper design, management, and implementation of CARE Kenya’s projects and programs. This will require working closely with the DCD- Operations to foster a value-based organizational culture with strong internal controls.

The ACD-P is responsible for overseeing the design, development, testing, and implementation of new innovative program approaches appropriate for the context of Kenya. S/he works closely with and is supported by the different program units at CI, regional, and CARE USA HQ levels, as well as with other interested CARE International members.

Together with the CD, DCD-Operations, and Director of Strategy and Partnerships, ACD-P is a member of the Country Office Executive Team (SMT) and as such is responsible for the overall governance of the country office, and delivery of its strategic and annual operating plans. S/he is responsible for (along with the CD and Director of Strategy and Partnerships) maintaining good working relationships with host government officials, donors, peer agencies, local partners, and other stakeholders.

The position requires advanced high-level organizational leadership and management skills, pragmatic, problem-solving orientation, program development, and program quality expertise, familiarity with humanitarian preparedness and response, development and peacebuilding competencies, excellent team building and people coaching skills, good experience, and understanding of administrative support processes and compliance requirements. Furthermore, the successful candidate must demonstrate an understanding of CARE's programmatic needs and concerns for ensuring effective administrative support.

Qualifications

Staff Management, Coaching, and Development

• Provide supervision, management, and coaching for all direct reports and lead the establishment and functioning of a strong, effective, interdependent, and gender committed and competent Program team able to work across the continuum of aid.
• Ensure the implementation of CARE's performance management system for direct reports and their teams, including development of job descriptions, Annual Performance Plans and performance appraisal processes, regular feedback, mid-term reviews, and annual performance reviews.
• Proactively address performance issues through regular, constructive, and honest feedback and coaching. 
• Identify necessary staff development needs, career development, and succession planning strategies for direct reports.
• Ensure that space and incentives are available to allow staff to develop and innovate. 
• Oversee the recruitment and orientation of new senior program staff in both humanitarian and long-term development programming, and contribute to the orientation of senior staff in program support functions.
• Throughout all aspects of CARE's Human Resource Management, the ACD-P is expected to put Gender Equity and Diversity (GED) at the center in collaboration with HR in order to attract and retain more women in program leadership positions.

Program Management - day day Implementation

• Lead the direct and day-to-day implementation of country office programs and projects and ensure that they are in line with CO strategic plan and program strategy and with the CI Programming Principles. 
• Work with staff and partners to generate viable programs in line with CO strategy, in which local capacities are strengthened and resilience is promoted. 
• In close collaboration with the P&S Team & Director, support effective M&E across all the Programs.
• Ensure that the needed technical expertise is available when needed, through identifying a robust database of both permanent and ad-hoc technical advisors.
• Work with the P&S Team to ensure that culture, Dignity, People Safety, Non-discrimination, GED, PSHEA issues are addressed in all programs/projects. 
• Ensure the CO Programs are well-funded, managed, tracked, and regularly revised in line with the overall country strategy and the needs of targeted communities. 
• With support from the P&S Team, monitor proper donor and government (financial & programmatic) reporting is done according to the agreed-upon standards and in a timely manner. 
• In collaboration with the DCD-Operations and the Program Support Teams, ensure accountable budgeting, and management of resources across all programs; review and ensure that the most efficient CO program management structure

Program Strategy and Quality (including Fundraising/Resource Mobilization Support)

• Ensure that all initiatives designed and implemented by the CO are in line with the CO program strategy, CI programming frameworks, and the CARE Vision 2030.
• Maintain contacts with present and potential partners carrying out relevant development work in Kenya.
• Keep updated on general development trends in Kenya and in the region and communicate them clearly to the S&P Director.
• Together with the S&P Director & Team, support the development of CO resource mobilization strategy and proactively lead outreach efforts and resource mobilization activities
• providing key inputs to secure and further advance new opportunities.
• Support the S&P Director & Team to monitor donor funding opportunities and respond in a timely way to appropriate requests for applications and solicited or unsolicited proposals.
• Support proposal development by identifying internal and external resources and/or writing proposals, including approach, budgets, and management plans.
• Support the communication and negotiation of new and current opportunities with CI members and when needed with donors, working closely, especially with Grants/Awards and Finance team members.
• Ensure the proper monitoring and evaluation of all activities, including maintaining complaint, accountability & response mechanisms as well as responding to and investigating information (when necessary) received via this channel with PQAL & M&E focal points
• Monitoring the progress of programs and projects against their indicators, engaging with project & program M&E and PQAL staff, including the PQAL and/or M&E Managers in the P&S Team

Internal and External Relations Management

• Develop and enhance relationships between the CO and other parts of CARE and external organizations so that CARE can maximize the impact
• Establish and maintain good relationships with relevant – counterparts/departments of the government, CI members, the locally-represented multi/bi-lateral donors, foundations, international and national NGOs, CBOs, and other civil society organizations - to engage with during the implementation phase to ensure proper compliance of project activities and programming (along with the CO Program Support & Operations leads and teams)
• Ensure timely reporting and communications with CI members, donors, government, and other key actors. 
• As part of guiding CO advocacy efforts, identify issues to be addressed to increase donor and government accountability and maintain a positive image and good visibility for CARE amongst these groups.
• Support the Country Director and CI Media Officer in the development of constructive working relationships with media representatives to build an international profile and ensure positive coverage and the timely provision of situation reports and fundraising material to National Member Headquarters and the CARE International  Secretariat.
• Ensure cordial media relations and act as CARE spokesperson as required

Financial Budgets and Contracts Management

• Coordinate closely with the DCD-Operations and the FM to ensure that project staff understands the Country Office Finance policies and any CARE International finance directions such as the CI Shared Programme Costs (SPC) Policy as well as understanding the concept of the Direct Programme Costs (DPC). Project budgets are expected to be managed tightly and responsibly to avoid losses and/or underspending.
• Liaise with the Award and Sub Award to ensure timely review of IPIA and BAMs and contract management in line with donor regulations.
• Work closely with Program Operations, Finance, and Program Support to follow up with Audit Responses and recommendations, Spot Checks.
• Support the Program Support plans to ensure excellent compliance with donors and CI members plus reduction of potential risks on the CO.  

Additional Information

Education/Training

• Required: Post-graduate degree in a related field 
• Desired: Combination of relevant education and experience relevant to the job in the following fields: livelihoods, sexual and reproductive rights, climate change, gender equality and women's economic justice, WASH, humanitarian programming 

Experience/Technical Skills

Required

• Minimum 3-5 years experience in similar role managing, programs in the areas of livelihoods, SRH, climate change, women and gender justice etc 
• Demonstrated experience in resource mobilization with a variety of donors 
• Demonstrated experience in program design (including proposal development), implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting
• 8-10 years experience in senior management/ leadership positions in humanitarian/development fields 

Desired

• Extensive conceptual skills including developing viable program strategies 
• Previous experience in Kenya 
• Ability to manage large complex budgets 
• Demonstrated experience in leading strategic and operational planning for similar organizations

CONTACTS/KEY RELATIONSHIPS

• This role is expected to establish and maintain open, professional, and cordial relations with the CO's internal and external customers. These include and are not limited to.