Fund Manager Job in Kenya (Yes Youth Can)

Fund Manager 

Based in Nairobi with 40% Travel to Project Sites

Program/ Department Summary:

Yes Youth Can a USAID funded program that focuses on building youth-owned, youth-led and youth-managed institutional arrangements and capabilities at both national and county levels.  

The Yes Youth Can Program has four objectives: 

1. increase economic prospects for youth through skills development and access to finance to create: economically viable microenterprises; self-reliant community level economic development projects, and; employment opportunities 
2. improve youth voice in local, regional, and national policy dialogue through enhanced advocacy capabilities and inter-ethnic dialogue 
3. expand youth access to essential services that are more youth-friendly, and 
4. establish new institutional arrangements that can leverage public and private resources through youth-managed organizations.

General Position Summary:

The Fund Manager for YYCN will work under the direction of the Chief of Party (CoP) and provide oversight to all activities concerning the provision of financial services.  

The Fund Manager will directly support the creation of a youth-owned, youth-led and youth-managed fund that can support local solutions for community economic development while it grows in value and will promote economically viable youth enterprises with new finance products and methodologies, to facilitate livelihood development and employment.  

Ensure compliance with all donor regulations as well as Mercy Corps policies and procedures.

Essential Job Functions:

• Advise on all Tahidi Youth Fund (TYF) activities including:

1. Providing comprehensive work with youth structures to inform investment delivery channels to youth associations to access the Fund
2. Developing and conducting a due diligence process that will qualify potential financial intermediaries to engage with the youth using TYF funds 
3. Leading the development of the fund operations manual 
4. Establishing and managing disbursements from the Fund
   providing oversight with monitoring and auditing of financial intermediaries 
5. applying a robust business model to expand the Fund’s resource base by fundraising and identifying and applying an institutional framework for a youth-owned, youth-led and youth-managed institution with a viable business plan

• Ensure that the “New Enterprise” outcomes of the project are met, including: youth enterprises are able to access credit and savings products tailored to their needs, youth have access to livelihoods development and employment opportunities, and the Fund has brokered long-term deals with financial institutions to expand access for youth enterprises.
• Advise on Global Development Alliances (GDA) and Public-Private partnerships including GDA and partnership formation and achievement of concrete results.
• Work with the Chief of Party and Program Managers to develop future TYF strategy for the program and ensure that it continues to meet USAID requirements and standards. 
• Ensure that project performance is evaluated effectively, including coordinating internal and external performance review;
• Management and mentorship of program staff and partners, gradually transferring skills and capacities;
• Representation, coordination and relationship management with donor(s), local governance institutions, local partners, private sector, finance partners and other project stakeholders;
• Regular reporting to the Chief of Party and donor on program progress, ensuring that required deliverables are met in a timely fashion;
• Engage and develop joint initiatives with government, community leaders, NGOs, private sector and other stakeholders, providing heightened exposure and maximizing impact of the project;
• Work with project staff on an ongoing basis to ensure smooth planning, preparation, implementation and joint monitoring and evaluation of program activities and achievements towards project goals.

Supervisory Responsibility: Grant Manager and Regional Managers (5)
Reports Directly To:     Chief of Party

Knowledge And Experience:

• MA/S or equivalent in finance, business, or related field;
• 7 to 9  years of high-level management experience in finance, as well as a strong affinity with institution-building required;
• Successful record of accomplishments in working with key representatives from the financial sector in fund management processes, dialogue mechanisms and leading due diligence processes; preferably in relation to youth access to financial services such as youth enterprises seeking finance, and financial institutions interested in improving their outreach to youth;
• Experience in identifying and coordinating private sector businesspersons to provide mentorship to youth and youth enterprises;
• Experience with a range of financial products, such as mobile phone banking, mobile phone savings, and loans through commercial banks, micro-finance institutions, and credit unions in rural and peri-urban locations;
• Experience with managing/advising an investment fund that provides loans through financial intermediaries, preferably to youth groups and youth organizations;
• Technical expertise in financial services development for youth enterprises and their development;
• Ability to work independently with an affinity for decentralized administration and planning processes;
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English and Kiswahili;
• Proven project leadership, management, project planning, organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills;
• History of working effectively and respectfully with government, contractors and other partners including donors especially with strong understanding of USAID compliance issues;

Interested candidates who meet the above required qualifications and experience Should submit on or before August 3,2012 a cover letter, detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) listing three professional references (including a recent supervisor) to hrkenya@ke.mercycorps.org

Applicants must clearly indicate on the email subject; “Application for the position of “Fund Manager”.   Applications without this subject heading will be disqualified. 

Please do not attach any certificates.

(ONLY Qualified short-listed candidates will be contacted)