Country Director, Kenya

Responsibilities

These will evolve as the role develops. The key initial areas are below.

Strategy & Program Leadership:

Set the strategic direction for PxD in Kenya, in line with organizational strategy, and contribute to and execute PxD’s research and program vision

Direct the implementation of existing projects and the design of new services, with input from the wider PxD team

Oversee all Kenya projects and scoping studies, including implementation plans and monitoring

Own the country budget

Support the development and use of research methods, monitoring and evaluation tools, and program management systems

Work with research affiliates to keep programs grounded in evidence and contributing to PxD’s learning

Team Leadership & Operations:

Lead the Kenya team: set priorities across projects, run regular team meetings, and foster a culture aligned with PxD’s values

Supervise and develop direct reports and build overall team capacity

Oversee in-country finance personnel, working with the CFO and finance team to ensure sound financial management

Oversee and support the Program Management Unit (PMU), working with the PMU Lead, to ensure its work fits Kenya program priorities and government partnerships

Work with the Operations team and local legal counsel to ensure compliance with Kenyan law and local policies

Act as the link between the wider PxD team and the Kenya team, ensuring compliance with PxD policies and supporting reporting to internal and external stakeholders

Partnerships & Fundraising:

Lead PxD’s outreach to and relationships with county and national governments

Build and manage relationships with technology providers, agribusinesses and other private businesses, development organizations, NGOs, service providers, implementation partners and donors

Oversee business development, fundraising and donor management, and lead the development of mid- and long-term financial sustainability for PxD Kenya

Support policy dissemination and partnership development in other African countries, as needed

Organizational Contribution:

Contribute to organizational strategy and leadership, fundraising and development, communications, events, and institutional learning

Take on other work as directed by the CEO and/or Africa Regional Director to help PxD Kenya grow and succeed

What You’ll Bring:

Qualifications and experience:

Master’s degree in economics, agricultural economics, public policy, or a closely related field

10+ years of experience leading large programs, including managing managers or senior staff

Experience living and working in Kenya

Strategic leadership experience, with the ability to translate organizational strategy into country-level plans

Experience owning a country or program budget and overseeing finance staff, working with a central finance team

Experience with project planning, risk management, and monitoring and evaluation tools and program management systems

Track record in fundraising and business development, including managing donors and large grants and building mid- to long-term financial sustainability

Leadership and people management:

A demonstrated ability to retain top talent, build staff capacity, and address performance issues promptly

Experience fostering a values-led team culture and working effectively with a wider team based outside Kenya

Partnerships and stakeholder engagement:

A strong track record of building and managing relationships with government partners, private sector and technology partners, and other stakeholders, and of getting things done within complex bureaucracies

Ability to coordinate effectively with cross-functional teams, donors, government agencies, and researchers at all levels

Familiarity with Kenya’s legal and regulatory environment, and experience working with legal counsel to ensure compliance

Research and evidence:

Familiarity with RCTs and rigorous research methods, and the ability to translate evidence into practical program decisions

Skills and working style:

A clear, confident communicator with strong written and spoken English and advanced presentation skills

Comfort working in a fast-paced, resource-constrained nonprofit or social-impact setting, managing multiple projects to tight timelines

Ability to travel within Kenya and internationally

Desirable:

Experience developing research projects, preferably quantitative

Experience working with public sector enterprises and NGOs in Kenya

Knowledge of agricultural economics

Minimum qualifications

MBA/MSc/MA

How to apply

Interested and qualified? Go to Precision Development (PxD) on precisiondev.bamboohr.com to apply

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