Background
Danish Demining Group (DDG) is part of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC). DDG is an operational unit specialised in the prevention and reduction of armed violence (AVR). DDG has AVR programmes in many other countries in the region including Somaliland, Somalia, Yemen, South Sudan and Uganda. For information about DDG’s AVR approach see www.danishdemininggroup.dk/about-armed-violence-reduction. DDG’s programme in Kenya started in July 2012 and focus on community safety and cross border conflict management, promotion of informed conflict prevention dialogue around extractive industries and large-scale infrastructure development in Kenya and improving community – security provider collaboration.
The AVR Manager is a senior programme staff within the DDG Kenya programme. The ideal AVR Manager is a Kenyan citizen with excellent capacity in developing and managing conflict prevention and management projects. He/She is responsible for ensuring that AVR projects within the DDG Kenya programme are developed and implemented to the highest technical standard and for highly professional representation towards internal and external stakeholders including donors and partners.
The list of responsibilities below include key areas of focus but should not be perceived as exhaustive as other tasks maybe requested dependent on operational needs.
General Management
- Ensure high quality project implementation in accordance with donor and DRC regulations as well as in line with agreed indicators, budgets, and work plans.
- With Finance team and budget holders, ensure that project activities and expenses are regularly monitored and, as needed, contract revision requests are submitted and follow up on in a timely manner.
- With CD ensure that general support costs are fully and fairly allocated across and multiple project budgets.
- Prepare and submit internal reports and other relevant information on general policy matters, project activities and external relations to the DDG Country Director, based on agreed formats and schedules.
- Ensure positive synergies (finance, mandate, image, activities) and collaboration among programs and offices – strengthening the exchange of information, staff, and skills.
- Ensure team cohesion;
- Carry out regular support visits to the field offices.
Representation/coordination with external actors - Assist in the representation of DDG in meetings relevant to DDG work in Kenya, including at meetings with partners, donors, government officials and other INGO Forums.
- Ensure DDG’s mandate is known and correctly understood by all stakeholders.
- Pro-actively liaise and build good rapport with local authority officials, community representatives and any other relevant stakeholders.
- Provide leadership and support in the development of a standardized partnership assessment protocols and tools to guide how DDG Kenya engages with and supports partners.
- Any other tasks requested by the Country Director.
Strategy
- Support the Country Director in drafting, promoting, and rolling out of all strategic planning documents in broad consultation with all staff. These documents include the country strategic plan as well as strategies for all program sectors. Ensure proper understanding of these documents by relevant actors (e.g., staff members, partners, NGOs, government counterparts, and donors).
- With the Country Director, ensure regular and critical review of the country strategic and action plans. Follow-up on the action plan and report against its indicators.
Donor Relations / Funding
- Represent the organization with implementing partners and local government. With the Country Director, develop a strong relationship with donors to ensure predictable funding for all program sectors. Monitor developments and determine strategic opportunities related to all program sectors.
- In coordination with the Country Director, work with relevant staff to design and implement fundraising strategies so that all program sectors are adequately financed.
- Ensure that high quality, integrated, and needs-based proposals are developed and according to DDG Kenya priorities as identified in its country strategic planning.
Administration: Finances, Human Resources, and Logistics
- Manage program staff.
- Provide appropriate and timely feedback to program staff regarding their performance, including annual staff performance appraisals. Identify with program staff their needs and opportunities for professional development.
- Assist in developing job descriptions and in the recruitment of program staff.
- Collaborate with the Country Director and Head of Finance and Administration to develop policies, such as for staff development.
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Reporting
Ensure that project kick-off, close-out, and quarterly review meetings are conducted according to requirements, documented, and action points followed up in a timely manner.
Ensure that all projects have an M&E plan and supervise the implementation. Ensure key lessons learnt are incorporated in new project proposals.
Jointly with the Country Director and with the support of regional M&E technical staff, review the M&E structure and ensure that it is according to M&E best practices.
Ensure reporting deadlines to donors are met, including allotment of sufficient time for the Regional Office to comment on reports.
Reporting Arrangements:The AVR Manager will report to Country Director.
Person specification:
- Minimum Master’s degree, peace studies, political science or related field;
- At least 5 years manager or adviser level experience working on conflict analysis, conflict sensitivity, conflict management, community based approaches, awareness raising, and development of policy recommendations;
- Indebt knowledge of Kenya’s political system from community to national level;
- Knowledge and experience of working on issues related to Extractive Industries and large-scale infrastructure development would be a great benefit;
- Exceptional understanding of local dynamics that lead to armed violence (ideally in arid and semi-arid parts of Kenya);
- Ability to work effectively and efficiently unsupervised with a strong work ethic.
- Must have a successful track record in initiating, cultivating, and securing support from a range of institutional and private donors.
- Demonstrate extensive experience in proposal development and report writing.
- Must have demonstrated ability to think strategically, prioritize, and meet deadlines.
- Excellent writing and verbal skills in English for project proposals, reports, and communications. Fluency in Kiswahili and knowledge of languages spoken in northern Kenya and the coast would be an advantage.
- He/she must be able to exercise a large degree of common sense and personal discipline.
- Demonstrate ability to think strategically, prioritize, and meet deadlines in a complex environment; must be culturally sensitive
Conditions
Availability: As soon as possible
Duty station: Nairobi with frequent field travel
Contract: 1 year renewable contract dependent on both funding and performance with a 3 months’ probation period. Salary and conditions in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for National Staff.
About DRC
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a private, independent, humanitarian organization working on all aspects of the refugee cause in more than twenty five countries throughout the world. The aim of DRC is to protect refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) against persecution and to promote durable solutions to the problems of forced migration, on the basis of humanitarian principles and human rights. DRC works in accordance with the UN Conventions on Refugees and the Code of Conduct for the ICRC and NGOs in Disaster Relief.
The protection and assistance to conflict affected population is provided within a long-term, regional and rights-based approach in order to constitute a coherent and effective response to the challenges posed by today’s conflicts. Assistance consists of relief and other humanitarian aid, rehabilitation, support to return and repatriation as well as promotion of long-term solutions to displacement and its causes. In addition, support and capacity building of local and national authorities and NGOs form an integral part of DRC’s work.
HOW TO APPLY:
Application and CV
Interested candidates who meet the required qualifications and experience are invited to submit:
A cover letter (1 page) in which you explain why you are interested in the position and how you meet the qualities and qualifications criteria.
Concise and accurate CV (maximum 3 pages). The CV should include information about your university degree(s) and stipulate your grades/grade average, list of completed relevant training courses, work experience and the name and contact details of 3 relevant references, in addition to any other qualifications and information that you think are relevant for the position.
We only accept applications sent via our online-application form here.
Please forward the application and CV, in English through the online application on www.drc.dk under vacancies no later than 12th July 2015.
If you have questions or are facing problems with the online application process, please contactjob@drc.dk
For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult www.drc.dk.
