Chief of Party (World Vision Kenya)

Job Title: Chief of Party

Grade Level: 18

Reports to: Operations Director

Location: Western/ Nyanza

Provides supervision to: Senior Technical OVC Advisor

Effective Date: January, 2017

Purpose of the position:

The Chief of Party (CoP) has overall responsibility for the leadership and management of all grant activities, consortium members and staff. The incumbent has principal responsibility for representation for the projects to USAID and local Government entities and provides strategic leadership and supervision of sub-grantees and sub-contractors while ensuring the security, feasibility, and sustainability of the program and contribution to Child wellbeing outcomes.

Experience interacting with host country government agencies including local governments, development partners, and civil society organizations including community based organizations is essential. The applicant must demonstrate strong experience in sub-grantee management, including building the capacity of local organizations and sub-grantees in U.S. government (USG) - supported grants. Coaching, advising, and enforcement are essential functions of this position. As the focus of this project is Orphans and Vulnerable Children, the most competitive candidates will have experience in OVC programs.

The position holder must effectively communicate World Vision’s Christian ethos and demonstrate a quality of spiritual life that serves as an example to others.

Strategic Leadership and management (40%)

• Responsible for the overall planning, implementation and management of the project as well as the achievement of the goals and objectives of the project in a timely and cost-effective manner.
• Ensure strong communication and coordination with all team members as a means to effectively achieve program objectives. Encourage transparency among and between consortium members to promote coordination and effectiveness.
• Lead the planning of project activities and set high quality performance targets ensuring adherence to technical standards, best practices and donor guidelines.
• Design strategies, partnerships and interventions to guarantee the project is gender and ability-sensitive and that WV and implementing partners are accountable to beneficiaries.
• Ensure grant management compliance for the project in alignment with donor and WV regulations.
• Primary point of contact and collaboration for the team and in-country stakeholders, including USAID, implementation partners, government partners and other key stakeholders.
• Ensure timely, high-quality and complete submission of work plans, quarterly and annual reports, financial reports, and any other reports required by the donor.
• Promote sustainability of project activities with effective networking, linkages to other programs, capacity building of project staff, and institutional strengthening of implementing partners and community-based organizations.
• Supervise a team of senior level international and national staff with skills across a diverse set of technical areas
• Develop and maintain and adequate human resource plan to ensure proper technical capacity to manage project work.
  Ensure low risk audits for the projects.
  Strategic Engagement and Donor Relations (20%)
• Direct and oversee grant implementation, ensuring that all strategic objectives are met through proper design, staffing, implementation and quality assurance
• Represent the OVC project and World Vision to USAID, Government of Kenya, UN agencies, implementing, technical partners and other appropriate bodies.
• Research new funding opportunities and develop and write funding proposals
• Ensure effective liaison with local government officials, local communities, donor representatives and other stakeholders as appropriate
• Constantly look for more effective and efficient implementation and opportunities to increase impact
  Monitoring, Reporting, Documentation & Knowledge Management (15%)
• Establish and maintain effective project reporting, evaluation, and communication systems.
• Submit timely accurate and quality reports that meet donor requirements
• Document and disseminate project best practices, lessons learnt and success stories
  Budget Management 20
• Manage grant/project budget within approved spending levels and ensure accurate and timely financial reports to donors and World Vision.
• Ensure grant/project expenses are reasonable, allocated as per assigned budget, prudent and spent in accordance with donor rules and regulations to ensure low risk audits.
  Others (5%) Any other duties as assigned by supervisor or designee from time to time
  Qualifications: Education/Knowledge/Technical Skills and Experience
  The following may be acquired through a combination of formal or self-education, prior experience or on-the-job training:
• A Master's degree in related field or equivalent experience in grant management in developing countries
• Minimum 10 years of extensive international development experience managing large OVC grants, working with local governments, civil societies and communities.
• Proven ability to manage technical assistance teams and ability to integrate teams of professionals around common goals
• Keen understanding of the unique political dynamics of the country and ability to work carefully and collaboratively to support the various political entities in Kenya
• Familiarity with USAID programs, their history and their development; mastery of USAID regulations governing such programs
• Demonstrated accomplishment in working with host-country professionals, ministries and with donor colleagues in country
• Excellent managerial and operational experience, preferably in managing large donor projects involving coordination with multiple program partners or institutions in Kenya or the region.
• Past experience of working with USG supported projects and knowledge of financial rules and regulations at a senior level ;Familiarity with USG programs, their history and their development;
• Experience in developing program work-plans, budgets, managing implementation, staff and short-term technical assistance.
• Excellent representational and communication skills, written and oral proficiency in English, and verbal communication skills in one or more local Kenyan languages (i.e. Swahili and other local languages).
• Excellent past performance references (Three contacts should be provided with e- mail address, phone, title, name)
• Experience in integrating teams of professionals around common goals and motivating through visionary leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver results and meet all donor deliverables.

Other Competencies/Attributes:

• Demonstrated strong analytical, managerial, leadership, communications and interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability in the management of large integrated programs.
• Managing inter-agency consortiums.
• Positive collaboration and facilitating skills
• Leadership of large and diverse teams; diplomacy,
• Excellent communications skills.

HOW TO APPLY:

For more information on the job and application procedure, please visit: http://careers.wvi.org/job-opportunities-in-africa and submit your online application including a detailed CV with names of three referees. Application deadline is September 14, 2016 at midnight. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.