ACTED Project Development Manager (Horn of Africa) Job in Nairobi Kenya

Department: Reporting
 

Position: Project Development Manager - Horn of Africa
 

Contract duration: 6 months, renewable
 

Location: Nairobi, Kenya
 

Starting Date: ASAP
 

I. Background on ACTED: ACTED is a French humanitarian NGO, founded in 1993, which supports vulnerable populations, affected by humanitarian crises worldwide.

ACTED provides continued support to vulnerable communities by ensuring the sustainability of post-crisis interventions and engaging long-term challenges facing our target populations, in order to break the poverty cycle, foster development and reduce vulnerability to disasters. 

Our interventions seek to cover the multiple aspects of humanitarian and development crises through a multidisciplinary approach which is both global and local, and adapted to each context. Our 3,300 staff is committed in to responding to emergencies worldwide, to supporting recovery and rehabilitation, towards sustainable development.
 

Our teams in the field implement some 340 projects in 34 countries covering the following sectors emergency relief, food security, access to health, education and training, economic development, microfinance, advocacy, institutional support, and regional dialogue, cultural promotion.

Based on considerable experience addressing the needs and situations of vulnerable communities, ACTED contributes to the international agenda towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals,
through a wide range of partnerships, innovative initiatives, and campaigns.
 

II. Country Profile
 

Capital Office: Nairobi
 

National Staff: 105
 

Areas: Kenya, Uganda (Pokot, Middle Juba, Northern Uganda, Karamoja)
 

On-going programmes: 19
 

Budget: 4.2 M
 

ACTED launched its Kenya mission in January of 2008 with an emergency assistance program for residents in Nairobi slums affected by the post election violence. Since 2009, Nairobi has been the home base of ACTED’s relief operation in Southern Somalia aimed at supporting vulnerable famers affected by recurrent droughts.
 

In 2010, ACTED’s mission in Kenya/Somalia sought to address the needs of pastoralist and farmer communities of North Central Kenya and South Somalia arising from multiple shocks such as adverse climatic conditions and disease outbreaks, through emergency food and non-food items distribution.

In the wake of this emergency context, ACTED also promoted the adoption of sustainable community based solutions, emphasizing livelihood strengthening and diversification, natural resource rehabilitation and management, good hygiene practices and access to sanitation facilities.

ACTED is developing its programs in South Somalia, focusing on building capacity to respond to emergency outbreaks, as well as ensuring local populations are integrated into longer term projects aiming at improving their livelihoods. 

This will occur in the form of food, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and livelihood support to vulnerable agro-pastoral and riverine communities.

Today, ACTED's teams and resources are mobilized on the front of dire needs in our areas of intervention in Somalia and Kenya, as well as other areas in the Horn of Africa.
 

III. Position Profile
 

The Project Development Manager is in charge of managing in liaison with the director of the cluster Horn of Africa and the Deputy Country director for Kenya / Somalia to ensure:
 

1) the development of adapted, relevant and qualitative project proposals
 

2) the production of timely reports for ongoing projects
 

3) the follow up of Programme strategy and internal communication amongst programme teams.

He/she assists the deputy Country Director and Director for Horn of Africa in developing a country communications strategy, both internal and external.

He/She is in charge of maintaining an in-depth insight on donors and other stakeholders ‘strategies, activities and opportunities in-country, in line with ACTED’s overall programme strategy

1. Project Cycle Management and Reporting

• Facilitate the development and implementation of project cycle management;
• Liaise regularly with Area Coordinators, Programme Managers and technical staff to ensure solid knowledge and follow up on project implementation and the production of quality reports across areas and across Donors;
• Ensure reporting and contractual requirements are met and reports to donors reflect the progress and status of projects in a transparent, timely and professional manner.
• Ensure in particular that reporting guidelines, formats, philosophy, deadlines for each project and donor is communicated clearly and standardized across the region for new and on-going projects
• Follow up the implementation of the Project Management framework (PMF, ACTED PCM Tool) for all projects
• Keep track of all projects and programmes monitoring and evaluation schedules and work with field staff to design and implement monitoring and evaluation procedures;
• Work in close relation with AME Department to develop and incorporate more solid monitoring and evaluation components in reports;
• Work in close relation with Finance Department and ACTED HQ to ensure greater coherence between financial and narrative reports, and ensure steady cash inflow based on the timeliness and quality of report submissions.

2. Information System

• Work with all departments to follow up project and programmes databases incl. work on the nomenclature used (official names etc.);
• Ensure that appraisal, monitoring and evaluation and donor reports are made useful for fundraising and proposal development strategy and add to the general base of field knowledge in the country for all organisations working in the area;
• Set up a Resource Centre at the regional cluster’s office regularly updated with appropriate and relevant external and internal resources.
• Diffuse information to other internal stakeholders
• Ensure that all meetings are held and documented (monthly management meetings, capital coordination meetings, area coordination meetings, weekly base meetings, quarterly country coordination meetings);
• Follow-up meetings at the field level and/or in the capital, between the bases and between the Country Managers;
• Draft and / or supervise agenda and minutes of region-wide meetings.

3. Proposal Development and External Relations and Donor Strategy

• Participate in and contribute to defining and formalising an ACTED strategy in the area.
• Update on a weekly and monthly basis the external relations database (donor follow up), which documents latest negotiations and proposal possibilities with a number of key donors;
• Update monthly the reporting follow up and ensure smooth and regular communication with ACTED HQ Project Development Department.
• Mobilise Area Coordinators, Programme Managers and technical staff to ensure that proposals are developed in a cohesive and professional manner and in line with ACTED country strategy and donor requirements;
• Act as point of contact for all Donor communication, including the organisation of and hosting of Donor visits in the field.
• Address ad hoc donor requests in liaison with the director of the cluster Horn of Africa and the Deputy Country director for Kenya / Somalia
• Take the lead in the development, drafting and consolidation of project proposals and fundraising documents in liaison with ACTED HQ Project Development Department and other stakeholders

4. External Communication

• Define the main target groups, activities, resources and partnerships needed;
• Ensure continuum of PR activities, including formal presentations, engaging media for coverage on success stories, updating project-specific and regional fact sheets, and documenting publications featuring ACTED in the media ;
• Provide ACTED Global with full information on projects whenever needed.
• Participate in ACTED Global communication strategy by providing regular informal updates on projects, by sending pictures and articles on projects progress and/or specific events for ACTED Newsletter and Annual Report.

IV. Qualifications:

• Postgraduate diploma in International Development and (or) relevant Master’s level degree (anthropology, development studies, humanitarian aid, sociology);
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Proficiency in written and spoken English
• Strong writing abilities and analytical skills
• Skills in political sciences or international relations
• Ability to work efficiently under pressure
• Previous experience in the humanitarian field, proposals development, and donor relations are required
• Previous experience abroad is required

V. Conditions:

• Salary defined by the ACTED salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance are considered for pay bonus
• Additional monthly living allowance
• Free food and lodging provided at the organisation’s guesthouse/or housing allowance (depending on contract length and country of assignment)
• Transportation costs covered, including additional return ticket + luggage allowance
• Provision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance + retirement package

VI. Submission of applications:
 

Please send, in English, your cover letter, CV, and three references to jobs@acted.org
 

Ref: PDM/KEN/SA
 

ACTED
Att: Human Resources Department
33, rue Godot de Mauroy
75009 Paris
France

Fax. + 33 (0) 1 42 65 33 46

For more information, visit us at http://www.acted.org