Africa Director, Nairobi

Africa Director, Nairobi

Development Initiatives (DI) works to end poverty by 2030 by making data and information on poverty and resources transparent, accessible and useable.

The DI Africa Hub is an integral part of DI’s global programme and the successful post holder will form part of the global DI leadership team reporting to the Executive Director. The Africa Director will also be responsible for taking a greater role in building DI’s south–south partnerships and links specifically with staff and partners in Latin America and Asia.

The ideal candidate will have strong programmatic and managerial skills and be able to demonstrate experience in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, budget and staff management. This is an excellent opportunity for someone with a high level of integrity and an interest to work with a highly motivated team on development issues of regional, national and global importance.

Content and programme

The role will involve developing a resource mobilisation strategy in order for the Africa Hub to secure a stable and financial future and achieve the ambition to be the preferred go-to destination for good data, evidence and analysis on resource flows, poverty, vulnerability and development effectiveness.  

The position holder will need to work across our issue areas including development finance, chronic poverty, transparency and accountability, humanitarian assistance and other areas around development and financing the end of poverty. They will be frequently required to represent the organisation’s work national, regional and global levels.

The post holder will provide leadership within the DI Africa Hub team, taking responsibility for the effective management and use of all the organisation’s human and financial resources in Africa, including work on analysis, engagement and partnerships. They will provide cross-functional support and share key learning across the organisation. In order to achieve this, the post holder will develop ways of working creatively with DI partner organisations and with key programme stakeholders. In particular, the Africa Director will prioritise our continuing relationship with our principle partner Development Research and Training in Kampala, Uganda, where DI staff are based and with whom we jointly work on our Department for International Development (DFID) UK Programme Partnership Agreement.

Person specification 

Education/qualifications

• Degree in  development studies, politics, statistics, law, economics or other social science subject
• Masters in development, economics, politics or other social science desirable

Knowledge/technical competencies

• Good depth of knowledge of the global and African development sector including the policy environment and development agenda including discussions on post-2015 goals, development finance, transparency and open development agenda, Africa Union and East Africa Community development strategies and how these can be influenced through effective communications and engagement.
• Ability to engage strongly with the global development narrative, and to switch between a global and an African focus rapidly, in order to maximise DI’s contribution within Africa and to ensure that an African perspective shapes DI’s global approach.
• Experience of engaging and building relationships with a wide range of people including politicians, government and international officials, civil society organisations, the private sector, academics and journalists, especially those working on the anti-poverty agenda.
• Ability to identify opportunities and to turn these into funded Africa Hub programmes.
• Able to demonstrate excellent management and leadership skills with a sound knowledge of business administration and budgetary control.
• An entrepreneurial approach and openness to taking initiatives, creating and seizing opportunities as they arise.
• Excellent written and spoken English with strong attention to detai.
• A strong grasp of numbers and ability to interpret and present data.

Personal skills/qualities ·        

• Considerate and supportive, a self-starter able to work collaboratively within and across teams and to organise time accordingly.
• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills, coupled with the ability to build and nurture strong relationships with key stakeholders and colleagues.
• Rigorous and conscientious with ability to work under pressure yet deliver on time with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to generate innovative new ideas and strategies to shape the debate and influence key people.
• Enthusiastic and willing to learn and develop both individually and as part of a team and able to work with people and in coalitions to get the job done.
• Highly organised with the ability to multi-task and juggle a variety of projects and priorities on a daily basis, as well as work flexibly to respond to new opportunities as they may emerge.
• Flexibility and willingness/ability to travel (including abroad) often at short notice, for specified periods.

Duties/responsibilities

• Provide leadership and direction for the DI Africa Hub office, staff and partners ensuring that programmes, policies and standards are maintained and followed in line with DI global offices. This includes, but is not limited to, maintaining strategic links and partnerships, managing a team of senior staff at the Africa Hub and ensuring that regional programme development and impact reporting is achieved.
• Build and maintain the DI brand in Africa and represent the organisation, its policies and positions nationally, regionally and globally.
• Ensure development of regional, country-specific and thematic programmes for DI in Africa, including providing leadership on annual and multi-year planning
• Work with DI’s directors, advisors and management and with partner organisations to develop shared and/or collaborative programmes; secure resources for successful implementation of programmes; and manage the Africa Hub’s plan and budget.
• Report to donors and provide financial and programmatic reports from Africa for the DI non-executive Directors on a quarterly basis.

Other key areas include:

• Financial Management: The Africa Director will provide overall strategic leadership for the Africa Hub’s multi-year planning and budgeting, ensuring that specific annual budgets and allocations are in place. The Africa Director will also ensure the efficient use of resources, working directly with the DI Director for Finance and Business and with the Africa Hub’s Office Manager.
• Maintaining relationships: The new appointee will be expected to cultivate new prospects and maintain relationships, including those with potential and existing partner organisations, donors, governments and other development communities. They will also be responsible for building links with DI’s other southern partners and offices in Brazil and South Asia to develop closer programming and relations for greater global impact.
• Monitoring and evaluation: It will also be the Africa Director’s responsibility to have general oversight for the monitoring and evaluation function, including ensuring that relevant staff colleagues provide timely/adequate data/stories and assess the impact of the office against objectives and outcomes.

Technical duties

• Developing Africa Hub strategy.
• Work with DI's Executive Director to provide strategic leadership to the Africa Hub.
• Mobilising Africa Hub team members to efficiently and effectively undertake their work.
• Contributing to DI’s overall work and goals

Contractual details

Start date:  ASAP
Hours:   35 hours per week
Probation:  3 months

Benefits:  Refer to http://devinit.org/#!/ 

Application details

Your CV (no more than 3 pages) and covering letter, which should detail your skills and evidence of experience and how it relates to the role profile, should be emailed to:  HR.Africa@devinit.org, quoting ref: DirAfrica in the email subject line. Your letter should also include your salary expectations, notice period/available start date and where you saw the job advert. Closing date:  4^th September  2015 

                             

Supporting documents

• Job supporting document