TechnoServe has been working in Kenya for nearly 50 years to address market systems challenges, particularly the lack of integration of smallholders into commercial markets and support for entrepreneurs. We have focused on strengthening a variety of value chains including coffee, dairy, livestock, fruits and vegetables, and staple crops. We have assisted farmers to access improved inputs, adopt good agricultural practices, and link to buyers, and we have helped small and large companies and entrepreneurs increase their incomes, create jobs and grow their businesses. We have worked in nearly every county across the country. Currently, our Kenya team spans across 6 projects with an annual budget of $4M.
Position Description:
The DCD-Operations lead strategic and daily operations for the country platform through management, planning, and analysis. The DCD role is a combination of working directly to manage and solve operational issues and developing and overseeing a capable team of direct reports, many of whom will have their own teams. The DCD top priorities will be to:
- Lead and drive implementation of operational initiatives
- Improve program and people management capabilities across operational and project teams
- Build relationships with internal program directors to streamline and add rigor to operations
- Lead systems improvements in knowledge management, budgeting, and people management
- Ensure high levels of consistency and compliance across head office and field offices that support programmatic excellence
- Set up systems to monitor and drive program quality for the country portfolio
- Successfully manage a large team through recruiting, strong performance management and coaching, and proactive professional development.
Strategic Planning
As part of Kenya’s Senior Management Team, the DCD will:
- Regularly review and update TechnoServe Kenya’s Country strategy, identifying opportunities to achieve targets.
- Lead strategic organizational development or technical initiatives, such as the Gender, Green Growth, or new industries and businesses TNS can support
- Lead internal communications with a goal of cohesion and engagement of staff
- Support other initiatives and priorities, as assigned by the CD
Program Quality / Monitoring & Evaluation
The DCD will review and strengthen program quality metrics, working closely with project leadership and M&E teams. In particular, the DCD will:
- Support Program Managers to update and refine work plans to ensure their projects comply with grants and contracts as well as providing tools and training for sub-grants, donor communications and M&E.
- Establish culture of data capture and application across programs
- Develop tools and templates for project leadership to leverage to maintain high quality monitoring, reporting, and learning
- Ensure accurate and timely submission of corporate measurement and donor reports
Operations & Administration
- Ensure and plan for efficient use of resources to deliver quality operations support to program teams
- Create tools and drive higher standards of people management, development, feedback, and learning
- Develop and train on strengthened knowledge management systems and processes
- Ensure efficiency and transparency of the procurement function; and provide training. Ensure systems are in place for inventory management
- Oversee contracts and relationships with security services and vendors - including IT, security procedures and equipment,
- Oversee compliance with immigration and visa regulations for all staff and visitors
- Design and oversee production of communication materials, including print and web materials in the form of articles, reports, briefs (policy), multimedia products, posters, and information packets;
Financial Planning and Reporting
Along with the Financial Controller, the DCD will:
- Lead key strategic operational decisions around organizational structures, new investments and the funding pipeline, and design tools to synthesize data
- Analyze current review and approval processes and systems, identify gaps and implement improvements
- Develop and utilize forecasting, and financial analyses to inform planning and operational decision-making
- Work with Program Managers for budgeting, financial planning and centralized reporting
- Assist with annual and mid-year budgeting processes
- Ensure timely, accurate, and useful financial and management reporting for multiple audiences, including Country Director and Program Directors, and donors/funding sources, including development or refining of financial dashboards
Basic qualifications:
- A Master’s degree in international development, business administration or other relevant discipline plus 10 years relevant professional or a Bachelors with minimum of 12 years of relevant professional and leadership experience
- Strong leadership experience, sourcing, attracting, managing, motivating, retaining their team and developing their own managers
- Technical skills and experience in the private sector, markets, and quantitative and qualitative monitoring and evaluation
Preferred Qualifications:
- Excellent oral and written communication skills essential, including report writing, presentations, and strong analytical and budgeting capabilities
- Strong financial analysis and ability to lead programs based on rigorous data analysis
- Experience working in and knowledge of Kenya and current environment
- Willingness and ability to travel domestically
- Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English; fluency in Swahili
Travel Required
10-20%
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Analytical and empathetic manager and leader who strives for sustainable impact, by building and working through impactful, high-performing teams;
- Flexible, creative, proactive and resilient problem solver who doesn’t get discouraged
- Effectively cultivates and engages external networks; inspires donors, partners, smallholder farmers and other counterparts and stakeholders to take action toward bold and large-scale transformation that benefits the poor, especially women
- Embraces and exemplifies a learning mindset
- Passion for development, the environment, advancing gender equity
- Excellent problem solving and analytical skills; a self-starter
