Job Purpose

The Chief of Programs is responsible for ensuring organizational effectiveness by providing leadership for all in country activities. This position oversees the strategic and operational functions of a $25M+ 3 Year Project for Global Give Back Circle (GGBC) USA (a 501 (c) 3 organization). This will be the highest-level position in Kenya, building capacity among a team of young professionals carrying out the HER Lab Implementation Project in Kenya, through HER Lab Africa (registered non- profit organization in Kenya).

 About the Project 

Through scale-up of the Global Give Back Circle HER Lab model, Global Give Back Circle will deliver programming designed to increase participation in dignified and fulfilling work for young women in rural Kenya. 

It is more than a project focused on the economic empowerment, skills development, and poverty alleviation of Kenya’s most marginalized adolescent girls and young women through workforce success and entrepreneurship. It addresses a holistic approach to HER journey to dignified and fulfilling work and does so by positioning her as a catalyst for the economic empowerment of an entire community. It teaches her how to be the best version of her own story, but also guides her on how to use the power of her storytelling voice for bold advocacy and policy influencing. It nurtures her leadership strengths by heightening her self-awareness. She explores the attributes of her role model mentor and identifies the strong, empowered woman within her. 

This project contains interventions that target marginalized and rural adolescent girls and young women from across the educational spectrum, including recent secondary graduates and young women who have fallen through the cracks of the education system. This project supports a robust Theory of Change, through critical technical pathways, activities, and outcomes.

Key Responsibilities: 

1. Strategy/Execution Oversight: 

• Highest Level position overseeing program implementation in Kenya.
• Has primary oversight of all HER Lab Kenya department and programs in Kenya.
• Resource mobilization and planning. • Lead the delivery and program implementation strategy, within Global Give Back Circle’s overall regional and global strategic frameworks.
• Lead the development of the country program within strategic objectives.
• Ensure that HER Lab Africa maintains excellent and productive relations with all key stakeholders, partners, local authorities, humanitarian actors and donors/Grantmakers.
• Represent the country program to authorities, donors, partners, and other relevant forums.
• Ensure that all HER Lab programming is implemented in accordance with the Global Give Back Circle Contract, ethical standards and requirements. 

2. External Relations: 

• Represent Global Give Back Circle and HER Lab Africa with professionalism and integrity, promoting the highest standards of ethics and professional conduct in relation to our values, policies, and safeguarding.
• Responsible for working with Government Institutions and Private Sector. • Ensure that GGBC and HER Lab Africa maintain excellent and productive relations with all key stakeholders, especially partners, local authorities, humanitarian actors and donors/Grantmakers.
• Represent the country program to authorities, donors, partners, and other relevant forums.
• Build collaborative relationships with sensitivity to cultural, ethnic, social and political issues. 

3. Oversight, Accountability and Compliance: 

• Experience managing compliance across financial management, non-profit legal framework, partnerships, etc.
• Assure compliance with all Grantmaker requirements and policies. • Accountable for ensuring that Global Give Back Circle's programing is delivered in a safe and secure manner.
• Have overall accountability for security, including development of and ensuring adherence to security procedures, monitoring of the safety situation, analyzing and provision of recommendations.
• Have overall accountability for Policy Adherence, with a strong focus on Safeguarding.
• Ensure compliance with internal and external reporting requirements.
• Provide overall budget monitoring, financial management and expenses control including compliance with minimum GGBC requirements.
• Ensure that allocated resources are managed effectively and transparently by respecting and meeting all legal requirements.
• Oversee finance and administrative services in the country.
• Ensure that required and efficient Supply Chain structures and processes are in place. 

4. Leadership and People Management: 

• Demonstrates the ability to monitor, supervise and hold accountable all employees and/or contractors in the areas of performance, completion of documentation, and implementation of all company policies, procedures, and protocols.
• As Chief of Programs, you are responsible for setting the overall direction of the country's operation as well as the day-to-day operational management. That means that you will:
• Analyze and develop strategic staffing plans and budgets to secure the right people with the right skills in the right place.
• Ensure that the Program Management Team has clear and realistic goals and objectives based on GGBC standards of implementation
• Ensure an open and trust-based dialogue through regular coordination meetings to ensure alignment with the overall strategy.
• Ensure that the country’s senior management team is effective, mutually supporting and sufficiently involved in key decision-making processes.
• Be responsible for the overall management of the operation, including thorough staffing plans, recruitment, and development of staff/contractors.
• Travel to field sites for direct operational support and representation.
• Works collaboratively with GGBC CEO and Executive Director, and site partners in Kenya to assess capacity opportunities to ensure the maximization of grant management. 

Requirements 

Required conditions and qualifications: 

• 6+ years of dynamic professional leadership experience. 
• 5+ years’ experience managing a diverse countrywide team. 
• 4+ years working in a development or humanitarian setting, preferably. 
• 3+ years of creating and management of a multi-million-dollar budget. 
• Experience launching new investments, building successful partnerships, or bringing existing services to scale. 
• Experience managing and developing other leaders. 
• Experience in communicating with executives, peers, teams, and beneficiaries or clients. 
• Capacity to drive toward results in a dynamic and fluid work context. 
• Capacity to identify risks and develop thoughtful mitigation strategies. 
• Fluency in using data to make decisions. 
• Capacity to both develop high-level strategies and work with others to develop detailed operational plans. 
• University-level degree 
• Advanced proficiency in English, Swahili 

Preferred qualities 

• Graduate-level degree in relevant fields (Public Administration, Nonprofit / NGO / International organization management, Business administration, international development / Humanitarian work, Development economics) 
• Experience leading an organization. 
• Experience in Fundraising

Interested and qualified candidates to apply through jobs@talentgridafrica.com  and CC asaph@talentgridafrica.com  on or before 25th May 2024 quoting the job title and the salary expectation on the subject line.

Note: Talent Grid Africa Limited does not charge candidates for job placement.