Last Date: May 12, 2011
SERVIR East Africa Regional Director
Initiated in 2005 by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), SERVIR focuses on integrating satellite observations and predictive models with other geographic information (sensor and field-based) to monitor and forecast ecological changes and respond to natural disasters.
SERVIR seeks to recruit a highly motivated and skilled individual for the position of East Africa Regional Director, to be based at the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), in Nairobi, Kenya. The East Africa Regional Director is a remote member of the SERVIR Coordination Office, collocated at RCMRD with a small staff working on several very high profile Projects. Current staffing is three, but the Director is expected to make assessments and build the team as necessary. The Director has the responsibility for on-site operational oversight, as well as providing strategic direction regarding SERVIR East Africa activities and partnerships. The Director will ensure efficient administration of all SERVIR components conducted in East Africa, including needs assessments, implementation of the SERVIR geospatial IT infrastructure, development of science applications, training and capacity building, outreach, and ensuring Project sustainability is integrated into all decision making. The Director will report to the International Programs Director in Huntsville, Alabama, USA and will be responsible for the timely monitoring and completion of project activities.
Duties and Responsibilities
Management & Team Leadership
· Lead team to achieve SERVIR vision and goals. Formulate/draft strategic management plan for SERVIR-East Africa. Create a work environment that encourages innovation. Motivate staff to solve problems and delegate decision making as appropriate.
· Objectively assess staff skill levels and expertise. Create team/office structure that fosters job enrichment and professional growth.
· Ensure that staffing is in line with project size and complexity and deployed to support most critical work. Ensure that staff is appropriately utilized, appraised, and rewarded. Work to prevent and resolve personnel problems in a timely manner.
· Manage the development and implementation of quarterly team work plans for the SERVIR-Africa node; closely monitor project execution and provide regular feedback to the SERVIR Coordination Office on the status of activities;
· Ensure that each East Africa node staff member has detailed individual work plans and that the plans are effectively aligned with the quarterly team work plans;
· Ensure optimal resource allocation across strategic objectives and project implementation components. Seek out cost-effective ways to utilize budgetary resources. Implement standards for efficient, transparent financial management. Ensure that quality assurance processes are routinely applied and that amendments to project execution are made based on quality assessment findings.
· Oversee the development and implementation of a communications plan; ensuring there is a clear communication and feedback structure for activities and an updated calendar of events relevant to SERVIR-Africa;
· Direct day-to-day project activities, in accordance with the procedures and requirements of the SERVIR Coordination Office
· Maximize performance through leadership, coaching, and mentoring of team;
Strategic Direction & Partnership Building
· Take the lead role in assessing the breadth, depth, and appropriateness of SERVIR activities in East Africa and the programs of various donors involving the use of earth observation and geospatial technologies in support of climate change adaptation.
· Interpret/analyze the social, economic, political, and institutional that affect the achievement of SERVIR-East Africa objectives and apply the results to the design and implementation of new activities or to the modification of existing activities.
· Cultivate relationships with implementing partners based on shared objectives and mutual respect. Select acquisition or assistance instruments most likely to accomplish strategic/work plan objectives.
· Participate in grant/contractor selection; ensure transparency and integrity in procurement and contractor/grantee management.
· Engage appropriate decision makers in national government ministries and regional bodies to strengthen SERVIR’s understanding of technical needs which SERVIR could address.
· Network with regional stakeholders and partners and explore new partnership possibilities in East Africa; Develop and nurture relationships with the USAID Regional Mission and appropriate bi-lateral Missions; Establish beneficial linkages with other initiatives at RCMRD; Forge relationships, where appropriate, with other technical institutions in East Africa.
Accountability and Synergy with the global SERVIR program
· Attend to any other duties related to needs assessment, training, product development, and communications, as may be determined by the International Programs Director.
· Satisfy Coordination Office reporting procedures; compile and submit bi-weekly progress reports, quarterly reports, and ensure timely communication with Coordination Office as needed;
Qualifications and experience required
· At least 10 years of international development experience, demonstrating management abilities, including: management of teams, ability to prioritize activities and implement numerous assignments concurrently, respond quickly, effectively and flexibly to wide-ranging requests.
· A minimum of a MBA or Master’s degree in a related field to the duties described above; such as Natural Resources Management, Environmental Economics, Climate Adaptation, Geography, etc.
· Demonstrated ability to work well with senior colleagues, particularly interacting productively, proactively, and comfortably with government agencies, NGOs, private sector groups, USAID, and donor organizations.
· Track record of strong commitment to sharing knowledge, documenting experience, supporting creative initiatives, and sharing credit.
· Proven expertise in ensuring institutional capacity development and skills transfer.
· Demonstrated strategic agility, diplomacy, conflict management, team building, written and oral communication, and negotiation skills.
· Displays cultural sensitivity and adaptability.
· Very good knowledge of remote sensing, GIS, and database applications, web-based applications; excellent skills and experience in management and manipulation of spatial and tabular data sets (GIS, relational databases, etc) is preferred.
· Experience using, and training others to use, GIS technology, as a tool for planning and resource management is preferred.
Interested Parties should apply online at Jacobs Technology, include a cover letter describing how their education and past experience qualifies them for the position, and indicate when they would be able to begin.
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