Regional Director - Eastern Africa Regional Office

JOB TITLE: Regional Director – Eastern Africa Regional Office (Based in Nairobi)

RESPONSIBLE TO: International Director

1. JOB PURPOSE

The Regional Director is responsible for providing leadership and strategic guidance for fundraising, effective management of resources, Programs, Operations, Partnerships, and general Management, ensuring organizational excellence in support of Practical Action’s strategic Plan.

As the Regional Director you will work with the EA team on pioneering new ways of working, of leading the development of a dynamic, results orientate culture and team, of striving to innovate new business models for delivery, of building a skill set that puts Practical Action in a position to influence key decision makers for large scale change, of keeping pace with the market place and being flexible and reactive enough to move with it, of building strong strategic alliances, of embracing a business orientated delivery and links with private sector and other stakeholders.

You will be responsible for facilitating and supporting regionalization of the Programs in the EA Regional Office and support the country offices with each project roll out and consolidation, ensuring active country/regional office engagement and ownership to achieve a successful program implementation. You will also ensure all key stakeholders within your Regional and Country offices understand the Practical Action Business Strategy and its application.
As a Lead, you will spend around a third of your time providing leadership and guidance to the Regional Management Team. For the Lead role, you will be required to travel to the UK periodically as a member of the Strategic Leadership Team

1. JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Organisational Leadership & Management

• Performs as an effective member of the organization’s Strategic Leadership Team and interacts strongly with our Head Office in the UK and other Regional Offices.
• Leads the annual business planning process for the EA Regional Office and incorporates the input and programmatic vision of Practical Action.
• Coordinates with Head Office and ensures the regional strategy reflects the organization’s overall mission and goals.
• Ensures that the organizational strategies, plans, regulations, procedures and standards are in place and implemented in compliance with Practical Action’s Policies, all applicable laws and status agreements to minimize the organizational risk
• Leads the development and implementation of country and regional strategies and resource mobilization efforts to ensure that achievement of our regionalization strategies in EA
• Accountable for the development of an effective people culture that promotes the Practical Action People Management Process, employee engagement strategies, remuneration, development of organizational capability (including leadership development) and workforce planning
• Nurtures and develops new partnerships, and identifies opportunities for Practical Action programs growth and expansion in the region.
• Provides line management of Regional Management Team members and other senior officers in the regional office.
• Strengthen systems (Finance, Human Resources, Internal controls, Communication, Reporting, etc.) across the region that are functioning efficiently and effectively and ensure compliance and adherence of these systems to the overall global systems and statutory obligations.
• Works to ensure overall organizational coherence and coordination in the organization’s programmes and ensures effective human resources management, financial management, and management of plans and budgets.
• Fosters and contributes to overall organizational values of learning, collaboration, dynamism, accountability and transparency within the region.
• Nurtures and ensures effective matrix management and cohesion in regional teams and between the region and the UK.
• Provides leadership to the monitoring and reporting process on global performance indicators and promote a culture of performance and continuous learning to improve the accountability and impact for Project beneficiaries.
• Ensures staff growth, motivation and satisfaction and team building, contributing to effective organizational talent management and overall organizational discipline.
• To ensure the efficient information flow between the Nairobi Office and other offices of Practical Action.
• To develop and implement policies and strategies to ensure the security of Practical Action staff and property within the Region.
• Performs any other work related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the International Director.

Resource mobilisation & Programme Development

1. Provide vision for overall fundraising strategy and develop a regional fundraising plan based on analysis of program strengths, gaps and local environment.
2. Ensure that fundraising plans are in place and effectively implemented, including a forecast of income matched to the needs of work in country and in the region
3. Take overall responsibility for ensuring that the conditions and contracts applied by donors are fully adhered to within the work of Practical Action East Africa
4. Lead the EA regional team in contributing to the broader fundraising efforts of the Organisation through the provision of information, market intelligence, donor feedback, responding to calls etc.
5. Build and maintain active relationship with partners (Private & public) ,local NGOs to identify opportunities for collaboration and donors in the region ensure the development and maintenance of a strong funding pipeline
6. Support programme teams in conceptualizing programs and projects, developing budgets and writing proposals and reports in compliance with donor requirements.
7. Support programme teams in ensuring effective project implementation, timely risk mitigation and where necessary support them to renegotiate grants with the donors
8. Identify and secure opportunities for Practical Action Consulting (PAC) to extend its services and influence to development partners and institutions in the region.
9. Oversee all EOI/Proposals to ensure internal protocols are adhered to.

3. KEY SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

Qualifications, Experience and Skills:
Education- Master’s Degree in development studies, management, economics, social sciences or relevant fields.Experience–

• 10+ years of direct experience as a development professional leading and managing development programs at a similar management and senior level
• Experience in managing dynamic regional/international organizations.
• Experience implementing activities in Eastern Africa – with a strong understanding of the current political, economic, cultural and historical context of the countries in the region.
• Proven record of winning proposals and securing funding from a variety of sources (e.g. governments, institutional, foundations).
• Ability to build or tap into existing networks to cultivate diverse sources of funding both inside and outside of Africa.
• Possess established donor networks and awareness of donor priorities in the region
• Proven record of successfully managing multimillion-dollar grants.
• Experience in working effectively with private sector, civil society, and local, regional and government authorities and with Donors and other development partners.
• Deep understanding and experience working through local partnerships to accomplish strategic and operational goals and to expand their capacity.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic approach: Experience in strategy development, developing tools and guidance, providing technical assistance and in establishing and maintaining networks.
• People & Financial Management: Proven leadership and management experience including in the areas of human resources management, financial management, administration, and organizational risk management.
• Results focused: demonstrated success in project/programme planning, budgeting, management, reporting and evaluation.
• Change Leadership: transforming and aligning an organization through its people to drive for improvement in new and challenging directions.
• Collaboration and Influence: working effectively with, and influencing others, creates innovative partnerships that benefit the organisation
• Excellent communication skills (written and spoken) in English and the ability to influence a variety of audiences, including policy makers

About Practical Action

Practical Action is an international NGO that uses technology to challenge poverty in developing countries. We enable poor communities to build on their skills and knowledge to produce sustainable and practical solutions.

Our Vision

Technology justice: A sustainable world free of poverty and injustice in which technology is used for the benefit of all.

Our Mission

To contribute to poor people’s wellbeing, using technology to challenge poverty by:

1. building the capabilities of poor men and women
2. improving their access to technical options and knowledge;
3. and working with them to influence social, economic and institutional systems for innovation and the use of technology.

Our values

1. Practical answers to poverty: Using our expertise in simple and appropriate ways, we make technology work for people living in poverty through innovative thinking.
2. Sustainable solutions: Sustainable development is crucial if poor people are to improve the ongoing quality of their lives. Our technologies are easily replicable, affordable and sustainable.
3. People focused: We help people to create their own solutions, and apply and share ideas and skills that make their lives better and their communities stronger

Where we work

Practical Action has over 650 staff, of which 550 are in the developing countries where we implement a programme of projects, knowledge sharing and influencing development policy and practice for the benefit of poor people and communities.

Our programmes operate from seven country and regional offices:

1. Bangladesh
2. East Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia and Rwanda)
3. Latin America (Peru and Bolivia)
4. South Asia (Nepal, India and Sri Lanka)
5. Southern Africa (Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mozambique)
6. Sudan
7. West Africa.

In addition to these seven offices, Practical Action also has a Head Office in the UK, with responsibility for management, knowledge sharing, policy and practice, fundraising and marketing and coordinating group finances and a small fundraising liaison office in Washington. The work of our consultancy team extends across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Technology

Practical Action uses technology to challenge poverty in developing countries. Through technology we enable poor communities to build on their skills and knowledge to produce sustainable and practical solutions that can transform their lives. We see technology as a vital contributor to people’s lives and livelihoods. We work with communities and use participatory approaches, sharing knowledge and experience. We increase our impact by learning and sharing knowledge and pushing for policy change that directly benefits poor communities.

Practical Action was founded by radical economist and philosopher Fritz Schumacher, famous for his 1973 book ‘Small is Beautiful’, who argued that there needed to be a different form of development one that started with people. He was also hugely influential as an environmentalist arguing our need to live within the finite limits of our planet. Schumacher’s ideas and philosophy continue to inform and inspire our work around the world. Today, we continue to improve access to technical options and knowledge. Practical Answers, our technical information service, and our consultancy and publishing activities play key roles in this. We combine our learning with that of others to spread knowledge and ideas around the world. We influence national and international systems for technology innovation and use them to improve the lives of people living in poverty.

Partnership

We forge partnerships and alliances to create greater impact in three aspects of our work: direct project work, knowledge sharing and influencing policies to benefit poor people in developing countries. For example, Practical Action is proud to be a member of the ‘Global Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance’, a partnership with the Zurich Insurance Company which aims to save the lives and livelihoods of the most poor by preventing floods from becoming disasters. By working with diverse organisations and experts we magnify our reach and effectiveness and are taking a global leadership role in enhancing community resilience to floods in terms of technical knowledge and practice.

Transforming lives

Through projects on the ground in 13 countries, we improve the lives of around one million people every year. We focus on four areas where access to technology can make a real difference to the lives of poor and marginalised communities in the developing world. These are: access to basic energy services, sustainable agro ecological approaches to food production, access to clean water, sanitation and waste management services for the urban poor, and reducing the vulnerability of communities to natural disasters. Through all of this work we look for opportunities for people to enhance their livelihoods and build their voice and participation in local systems of governance.

Sharing knowledge

We change the lives of many more people by sharing our knowledge and experience. Our knowledge services are used in almost every developing country in the world. Practical Answers, our technical information service which combines our learning with others’, offers freely available resources and advice. Our publishing operation publishes books on development authored by a wide range of individuals and institutions as well as a number of well-respected journals. Its products, in both traditional print and, increasingly in digital form, are widely used by development professionals, practitioners, researchers and universities. Our consultancy team, located around the world, provides high-quality independent and professional advice to governments, INGOs, development banks, bilateral donors and the private sector.

Technology Justice

We want to use technology to help end poverty and protect our planet. We want a world where:

1. everyone has access to the technology needed to achieve a reasonable standard of living, in a way that doesn’t prevent others now, and in the future, from doing the same.
2. the focus of efforts to innovate and develop the new technologies is firmly centred on solving the greatest challenges the world faces today: ending poverty and finding a sustainable future for everyone on our planet.
   Our global “call to action” seeks to build a movement where others join us in helping to bring about this vision.

Context for recruitment

Practical Action has a long and successful history of development programming in Eastern Africa Region working with poor rural and urban communities mostly in Kenya but also in Rwanda, Ethiopia, Somalia and Uganda. Our work on the ground with local partner organisations has centred on the development and demonstration of innovative technologies and has covered a variety of sectors, including food security; energy access; and urban water and sanitation. We currently have a strong focus on engaging with, and influencing market systems based approach, and increasing engagement with the private sector, including banking and international impact investors.

Through our knowledge brokering efforts, we capture, and share our experiences in many formats, including a Practical Answers service which puts technical information into the hands of local practitioners, and a consulting company which shares our knowledge and experience with government; private sector, donors, and NGOs. (Visit our website to learn more about Practical Answers)

Practical Action is now seeking to recruit a Regional Director for Eastern Africa Regional Office .Reporting to the International Director, the Regional Director will build on the solid foundations of our programme work in East Africa to date and will redefine and deliver on an impactful vision for the region. The Regional Director will successfully lead and manage the team through this period of exciting strategic change and growth whilst ensuring high quality delivery of existing programmes; helping to refine our organisational “USP” in the region; and managing the change with staff & partners.

As a member of the global Strategic leadership team, s/he will also play an important leadership role in setting the direction for the whole of Practical Action.

This role is an exciting opportunity for a professional who wants to bring about change, whilst creating and developing a high performing team in the region. This challenge will require a dynamic, creative and inspirational leader with a proven track record of leadership in multiple countries from the Eastern Africa region.

HOW TO APPLY:

If you believe your career objectives match the above role, please forward your application and detailed CV stating your current

position, contact details as well as names and contacts (telephone and e-mail address) of three (3) referees familiar with your

qualifications and work experience, STRICTLY on or before 6th May 2016 to: smuigai@deloitte.co.ke, stating the role you are

applying for clearly, and addressed to :

The Executive Selection

Deloitte Consulting Limited

Deloitte Place, Waiyaki Way, Muthangari

P O Box 40092 00100 Nairobi**