AREA MANAGER (JOBS AND VACANCIES IN KENYA SEPTEMBER 2013)

Reporting To: Country Director

Matrix Management: Kenya Program

Base Location: Mandera/Wajir (2 posts)

BACKGROUND

Established in 1984 in the UK, Islamic Relief is an international NGO seeking to promote sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities through relief and development activities. IR started operations in Kenya in 1993 on one to one orphans sponsorship programme through a local CBO in Mandera District, Northern Kenya. It opened its fully fledged office in March in 2006 at the height of drought in the Horn of Africa. Since then IR has been providing humanitarian and development assistance to vulnerable communities. Over these years it has implemented various development and relief activities in Mandera. This has remarkably changed the lives of the vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. IR aims to help the needy regardless of race, religion or gender and implement our work within the following sectors:

• Education and Vocational Training § Income Generation
• Emergency & Relief Orphans § Health and Nutrition
• Water and sanitation § Disaster Preparedness
• Ramadan and Qurbani

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY:

To act as key Islamic Relief’s Representative in the County and to manage and coordinate the effective and efficient implementation of IRW programmes. The Area Manager will be reporting to the CD on all aspects of the implementation of the humanitarian programme with a day to day contact and dotted line to the Head of Programmes (HoP). These include Project Development (Design Project proposal followed by assessment), Monitoring, Reporting and Administration. Representation of the organisation and coordination with other players is central.

AREA MANAGER MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Representing Islamic Relief, co-ordination and negotiation with all relevant stakeholders, such as local authorities, community leaders, representatives of NGOs and government.
• Undertake assessments and design new interventions as appropriate.
• Prepare scenario plans and manage assessments of emergency situations.
• Managing the operational security of the programme and staff. Keep the CD and the HoP at the Country office updated on the security situation / incidents related to the programme, including devising and implementing security and evacuation plans.
• Developing programme policies and preparing plans, budgets and resource requirements to meet planned objectives.
• Responsibility for all administrative aspects of the running of the project, including establishing and maintaining systems to monitor, evaluate and report on the project.
• Monitoring and controlling budget and finance issues related to the project.
• Ensuring narrative reporting and financial accounting as appropriate e.g. produce programme update reports for use in internal communications.
• Ensuring that the programme is implemented in a consultative, participative and gender sensitive way.
• Effective management of personnel associated with the project .
• Recruitment of local staff and management of all staff in line with IR policies.
• Identify staffing needs, undertake recruitment of staff and manage the performance and development of all direct reports, ensuring performance objectives are produced and worked to, including identification of effective delivery training and development needs.
• To be familiar with and abide by the Islamic Relief Code of conduct and other regulatory codes.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

• Five years previous experience in project management (in humanitarian work) and a proven record of effective management in a high impact emergency situation (University graduate or MSC holder is preferable).
• Ability to work on your own initiative as well as a part of a team
• Proven analytical skills and ability to think strategically
• Fluency in English – written and verbal
• Effective IT skills ( Word and Excel)
• Financial reporting and planning skills
• Report writing and research skills
• Communication and negotiation skills

AREA MANAGER

• Problem solving
• Sensitivity to cultural difference and ability to work in a variety of cultural contexts.
• Sympathetic with aims & objectives of Islamic Relief, empathy with understanding of the basic teachings and values of Islam.
• Energetic and able to operate in situations which may be arduous.

HOW TO APPLY:

If you meet the requirements of the above position, please send your application letter, detailed CV, phone and email contacts of three (3) references; to Hr.kenya@islamic-relief.or.ke by 23rd September, 2013. We regret that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Categories: NGO, PROGRAM MANAGEMENT