Program Manager Job CARE

Program Quality, Accountability & Learning Manager Job, NGO Jobs in Kenya September 2020,

Closing date: October 5, 2020

JOB SUMMARY & PURPOSE:

The purpose of this position is to ensure the CO program is of high quality, mainstreams gender transformational approaches, utilizes learning and knowledge within and outside of CARE Kenya to develop/design and improve programs to achieve high impact. The position will have direct supervisory role of some Program/Project Managers and Strong Dotted line of all Program / Project MEAL Coordinators and Officers. In light of the CI Program Strategy and CO Long Range Strategic Plan and the need to strengthen CO program strategies, the position with support of the Programs Director and the Country Director, will support the development of coherent program strategy and sub strategies, coordinating with the program team and in collaborative working with CO program and MEAL teams. The holder of the position will provide technical support and guidance on gender transformative approaches and ensure initiatives are informed by gender analysis and informed by desired changes that seek to empower women and girls. The PQLA Manager will manage the CO knowledge management and learning agenda ensuring that this supports the CO programs for improvements, learning and sharing internally and externally and that system are in place to facilitate this. The PQLA Manager will provide substantial support to strategic planning processes especially with regards to full transformation to program approaches, supporting institutional transformation agenda in line with CI global program strategy and CO program strategy. The PQLA Manager is expected to take a lead role in developing and strengthening CO MEAL systems to track outputs, outcomes and contributions to impact, especially for identified impact groups, ensuring data for key performance indicators is collected, verified and reported on, timely – but also holistically for all initiatives under the CO. S/he should will ensure that all programmes have systems to monitor adherence to CARE’s programming principles and approaches (e.g. CI programming principles, programme approaches and programme characteristics, CARE’s unifying framework, Rights Based Approaches, etc) and abide by agreed CARE standards; s/he will also be responsible for supporting the Programs Director and the Country Director in facilitating updating and reviewing of CO LRSP and guiding the CO towards implementation of the long range strategic plan. Evidence of success for this position includes; the availability of CO program standards, their use and evidence of improved performance; functional coherence MEAL and quality measurement standards for the CO Theory of Change and initiatives that avails valid information of program results periodically as needed; program strategy and sub strategies guiding program initiatives; Evidence of use and outcomes that are gender transformative and that engage men and boys and empower women and girls as agents of change and active participants and influencers in development. Up to date knowledge management strategy, action plan and evidence of use internally and generating information shared externally and progress against LRSP areas; evidence of capacity building on areas of program quality providing technical support in the area of programme approaches, operational research, use of data for decision making; effective coordination on all program quality areas, and Model well managed Programs / Projects which others can learn from. **

Tasks and responsibilities.

R 1: Guiding development and implementation of CO impact measurement systems (30%)**

Tasks

• Provide technical advice, support and development/review of the CO LRSP and program strategies to guide program quality improvements
• Lead MEAL and research activities to provide relevant up to date information for use in designing and improving programs/projects
• Coordinate and take a leading role in the development and functionality of monitoring and evaluation system and MEAL for impact measurement especially to impact groups as well as for specific target beneficiaries per initiative
• Support and facilitate the development of sound theories of change for the impact groups and ensure that these theories of change are aligned to CARE Kenya’s overarching theory of change for women and girls in Kenya.
• Facilitate periodic and rigorous situational analysis for each impact group ensuring updates annually to monitor our impact on the underlying causes of poverty and vulnerability.
• Support the transition to a programme approach; in developing strategies aligned to the CO ToC and program strategy and informing future programming to the needs of the impact groups
• Coordinate, monitor and review annually the programme theory of change and programme implementation strategies for each of the impact groups identified.
• Review and advice Programs Director on all programmes to ensure that these are all are grounded in CARE’s programming principles and approaches and ensure all programmes (both long term and emergency response programmes) address the underlying causes of poverty. This will be through working with the MEAL staff of all Programs / Projects , including having a strong dotted line to all of them.
• Support the Senior Program Managers and Programs Director in the selection and formalization of strategic partnerships that are aimed at increasing CARE’s impact and commitment to women and girls – ensuring there is an updated partnership strategy
• Ensure national level impact indicators for each impact group is developed and monitored.
• Work with programme staff to ensure that all programs have coherent impact measurement systems in place, and that these systems are linked into the CO knowledge management system and generate the required evidence for learning and advocacy.
• Mainstream accountability and compliance mechanisms in strategies, program quality and MEAL functions.
• Liaise with CI, CMP and Region office Quality assurance and MEAL staff to ensure integration of systems between CO and CI systems.

R2: Program Management for Program Quality, learning & Accountability Department and assigned Programs / Projects (30%)

Provide leadership for effective coordination and management of assigned Programs / Projects in line with program quality standards, policies and guidelines (global, national, technical specific and in line with program design.**

• Ensure that Programs / Projects portfolio are managed in a manner which achieves stated goals and objectives, is in line with CARE policies and procedures and donor rules and regulations, and demonstrate sound resource management.
• Ensure that qualified staff and appropriate management tools, policies, procedures and systems are in place to properly manage, guide and supervise staff to achieve results.
• Monitor the assigned Programs / Projects to ensure that they are implemented in a professional manner in line with the Programs / Projects proposal and with donor rules and regulations through Programs / Projects visits, program review sessions, development and review of annual implementation plans, program performance reports, activity reports among other verifiable program management tools and processes.
• Ensure that proper MEAL systems are in place to demonstrate impact on underlying causes of poverty and that program lessons are being used to promote improved programming and learning.
• Ensure donor and government reporting is done according to quality standards (SOPs, national guidelines, policies, algorithms e.t.c) and in a timely manner.
• Oversee and approve Programs / Projects budget preparation, monitoring, reporting and resource mobilization and management, ensure timely budget submission, and improve project financial management.
• Ensure Programs / Projects adherence to CARE Kenya’s donors and human resources, administration and financial policies and guidelines and compliance with contract requirements.
• Ensure timely and quality submission of Programs / Projects reports (narrative and financial) to donors and CARE HQ (PCMIS Data base).
• Actively seek opportunities for inter-project and inter-agency collaboration and seek mechanisms to create an environment of collaboration and synergy.
• Monitor projects to pro-actively identify risks related to contract compliance and manage corrective action.
• Provide technical and administrative assistance to Managers and Programs / Projects to enable them meet their goals.
• Work with Programs / Projects Managers to generate and in sharing lessons learnt and best practices with donors, NGOs, GOK, Private Sector, CI Members, Cos, communities and stakeholders
• Work closely with units in Program Support (finance, procurement, HR, Fleet, logistics etc.) to ensure proper coordination exists for efficient implementation.

R3: Staff Management for the Program Quality, Accountability and Learning and the assigned Programs/ Projects (20%)

• Supervise, mentor, coach and manage direct and strong dotted lines staff and ensure effective management of all of them.
• Provide proper supervision and management for all direct reports and lead the establishment and functioning of a strong, effective and coordinated team.
• Ensure the proper implementation of CARE’s performance management system for direct reports, including job description and IOP development, regular feedback, mid-term reviews and annual performance appraisals.
• Keep abreast of all staff issues by regular visits to the projects and regular communication and follow ups.
• Ensure information flow to and from and between all staff and the rest of the mission and ensure participation of staff in decision making.
• Promote staff development through support, coaching, mentoring and regular feedback.
• Ensure timely compliance with CARE Kenya’s performance management system.
• Ensure / Develop adequate and realistic Job Descriptions and ensure Individual Operating Plans (IOPs) are developed.
• Promote team spirit through participatory leadership and a supportive work environment.
• Proactively identify staff weaknesses and challenges and based on weaknesses, encourage staff training and or provide mentorship for the realization of program goals or other appropriate.
• Proactively address performance issues through regular, constructive and honest feedback and coaching, as well as disciplinary actions.
• Participate in the orientation and lead on-the-job training, identify necessary staff development, career development and succession planning strategies for direct reports.
• Ensure that space and incentives are available to allow staff to develop and innovate.
• Oversee the recruitment and orientation of new department and assigned Programs / Projects staff.
• Ensure effective team coordination through regular forums of key management and MEAL staff and general staff forums to review the program, strategic direction, enhance learning and knowledge sharing for use in ongoing and in development of new program areas. **

R4: Capacity building of staff and technical Support (15%)

Tasks

• Guide and support the technical advisors, MEAL Coordinators, MEAL Officers and Program/ Project Managers in implementation in line with the CO and CI strategy, programme approach and approved strategies.
• Coordinate with MEAL Staff and Programs / Project Managers and provide updates to CARE staff on progress made on our strategic plan and implementation of the programme approach
• Provide input in the design of new initiatives to ensure the needs of impact groups are addressed in accordance with CARE Kenya’s programme approach.
• Provide technical assistance in performance monitoring, programme evaluation, dissemination and utilization of information.
• Provide technical guidance in programme monitoring, evaluation, learning and research initiatives.
• Assist in the review of evaluation, baselines and other researches done at the country office.
• Contribute to the development of the CO operating plan, ensuring alignment with programme approach and achievement of annual target indicators.
• Provide technical support in development of program profiles, annual contributions to CO report ensuring tools are place to guide teams in generation of information, analysis and compilation.
• Review of Technical Briefing Papers produced by sectors.

R4: Emergency preparedness and response (5%)

• Work with the national emergency coordinator to ensure that issues of emergency preparedness and response include analysis of specific needs of impact groups in emergency response.
• Support the emergency team in timely assessment, monitoring and review of emergency initiatives
• Support the emergency team in developing an M&E framework that seeks to integrate accountability, performance review and use of lessons-learned to guide decision-making and institutional learning within CIK programming and CARE International

R5: Any other appropriate duties assigned by supervisor

AUTHORITY:

• Spending Authority: Up to $8,000 (Ksh.800,000) *Can adjust in line with revised approval policy
• Supervision (Direct): Program / Project Managers ; MEAL Coordinators ; MEAL Officers
• Decision Making: strategic, analytical and research decision making. **

CONTACTS/KEY RELATIONSHIPS (internal & external):

• The Program Quality, Accountability and Learning Manager is a member of the senior management team, and so will have close contact with all other members of this team.
• The Program Quality, Accountability and Learning Manager reports directly to the Programs Director and has a dotted reporting line to the Country Director.
• Apart from three direct reports, the manager will work closely with thematic area Senior Program Managers, Programme Coordinators, Project Managers, and finance units.
• Coordinates with CI Programme quality and learning personnel and Regional management unit technical personnel and other stakeholders in the implementation of the programme approach.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Position is based in Nairobi with up to 40 % travel to the field offices & Projects.

Qualifications and experience Required

• Masters degree – in Social Science, Impact measurement, Project management or any other relevant field.

· At least 5 years experience in senior management positions in monitoring and evaluation and program quality in development programs in at least two of the following areas; health, economic empowerment, livelihood interventions, combined with staff management

• Excellent written, verbal English and presentation/communication skills.
• The ability to coordinate effective team work and to work effectively within a team

Diplomacy, tact and negotiating skills

• Proficient in MS Office Suite and highly organized and able to multitask.
• Demonstrable ability to develop and implement monitoring and evaluation systems and plans

Desirable

• Postgraduate education in the relevant area
• In-depth understanding of underlying causes of poverty and vulnerability analysis in Kenya with good knowledge of the political, economic, social and technological environment is desirable.
• Experience and knowledge on the development of theory of change desired
• Knowledge of statistical computer packages e.g. SPSS, EPI-INFO etc.
• Senior management experience in development agency
• Extensive knowledge of CARE programme approach, programming principles and frameworks is an added advantage

Skills

• People Skills: Ability to work both independently and as a team player .The post holder needs to be able to work independently whilst supporting a wider team of monitoring and evaluation staff in other departments as well as the team in the his/her unit and demonstrates leadership. The post holder needs to demonstrate diplomacy, good communication skills, possess excellent analytical skills, facilitation skills, and the ability to work as a team player.
• Integrity: Works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a clear commitment to CARE’s core values and humanitarian principles.
• Resilience/adaptability and flexibility: Ability to operate effectively under difficult circumstances and to interact effectively with a geographically dispersed multicultural team.

How to Apply

To apply, please click on the link below:

https://smrtr.io/4qqcJ

For the detailed job descriptions and how to apply, please visit our careers page at; www.care.or.ke . Deadline to receive all applications will be on or before 5^th October, 2020 at 5.00pm EAT. Only short listed candidates will be contacted. *CARE is an equal opportunity employer and promotes gender equity. Canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification.CARE does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. Qualified Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply. CARE has a commitment to gender, equity and diversity in our workplace and operations. CARE respects and values diversity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, gender identity, sexuality, ethnicity, age, disability, religion or politics. This is reflected in our recruitment decisions which are made entirely through a transparent, merit-based selection process. All CARE staffs are required to comply with the Code of Conduct, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Child Protection (CP) policies. CARE is committed to protecting the rights of the communities whom we serve, and therefore reserves the right to conduct background checks and other screening procedures to ensure a safe, dignified work environment*