Urban Program Manager

WHO WE ARE

Founded in 1937, Plan International, Inc. (“PII”) is a globally recognized non-profit dedicated to advancing children’s rights and gender equality in both humanitarian and development contexts. With over 80 years of experience, Plan International addresses the root causes of challenges faced by girls and vulnerable children, working in 70+ countries. The organization collaborates with children, young people, supporters, and partners to create a just world, acknowledging that the potential of every child is often hindered by poverty, violence, exclusion, disasters, and discrimination.

Plan International Kenya (PIK), operational since 1982, focuses on long-term development. Collaborating closely with local communities and governments, PIK implements programs to enhance the well-being of children in areas such as Nairobi, Machakos, Kajiado, Tharaka-Nithi, Siaya, Kwale, Kilifi, Homa Bay, Kisumu, Tana River, Turkana, and Marsabit.

OUR STRATEGY STATEMENT

Under the current Country Strategy (July 2021 – June 2026), PIK aims to end teenage pregnancies and gender-based violence against girls. This goal aligns with four strategic objectives:

1.    Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR): Improve access to SRHR services and information to reduce teenage pregnancies and harmful practices in Kenya.
2.    Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence: Ensure functional child and girls’ rights protection mechanisms to prevent and respond to all forms of violence and abuse.
3.    Protecting Girls and Young Women in Crisis and Climate Change Adaptation: Minimize the impact of disasters on girls, young women, families, and communities.
4.    Youth-led and Innovative Partnerships for Job Creation: Build a stronger ecosystem for youth employment and entrepreneurship, particularly for vulnerable young women, fostering job seekers and creators.

THE ROLE

The Urban Program Manager will provide overall managerial accountability for Urban Programs in Nairobi and by extension Eastern, Coast and Nyanza regions emerging urban grants. The job holder will critically appraise grants progress, troubleshooting project issues, maintaining and monitoring risk registers and inputting into annual reviews and dissemination activities. Build and maintain effective working relationships with programme partners/ suppliers, key donors and stakeholders. The position holder will oversee the development and implementation of gender transformative programs in line with country and global strategies. The role will be responsible for the overall leadership, and ultimately accountable for grants management and program’s strategic direction, quality programming, results and donor compliance. This includes financial management, donor relationships and management, donor compliance, team leadership, risk management, stakeholder and partner relations throughout the project cycle. The incumbent will provide strategic oversight for effective program delivery in line with the Country and Global Strategy. The incumbent is a member of the Extended Country Management Team (ECMT) and shares in the collective responsibility of ECMT in driving excellence across PIK programs and responsible for furthering the influencing and advocacy agenda at the County level, while ensuring synergy across all the urban grants.
The incumbent will build and manage partnership, networking and relationship with key stakeholders at county and sub-county levels, contribute to the development of concepts and proposals. The role will ensure safety and security, correct application of Plan Kenya policies and procedures, HR, programme and all aspects of programme support. The job holder will manage multi-million-dollar programs and must be abreast with Urban programming dynamics, donor regulations, environment and reporting. 

The role will directly supervise a minimum 8 staff in ensuring program design, implementation, quality and reporting, while ensuring efficiency throughout the project cycle and building their capabilities to deliver on program excellence and influencing agenda.
 

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Qualifications/ experience essential: 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, Project Management, Development studies and related disciplines. 
• At least 10 Years’ experience in relevant field preferable in management of multiple projects in Urban Context and programming
•  At least 5 years of leadership 
• Strong organizational and time management skills; excellent attention to detail
• Adaptability to flex across portfolios in delivering multiple grants, tasks and responsibilities for effective team delivery
• The resilience to manage multiple projects concurrently, with the ability to support project monitoring and evaluate project delivery to tight deadlines
• Demonstrable experience in effective partnership engagement and management 
• A minimum 5 Years in a leadership/managerial role leading Project Managers/Coordinators
• The role will have responsibility for the programme management from multiple grants with a value above US$5 million preferably across diverse thematic areas.
• Demonstrable experience in project cycle management
• Knowledge of programming methodologies. 
• Demonstrable experience in Gender Transformative programming
• Can lead others in holding Plan and our team accountable to the Policy on Gender Equality and Inclusion.
• Sound understanding of integrated and rights-based programming.
• Ability to facilitate, enable and provide leadership in adaptation and utilization of Corporate Organizational systems. e.g HRIS, Y.O.D.A 
• Good Interpersonal / Communication skills
• Strategic planning skills
• Analytical skills
• Risk management

Qualifications/ experience desirable: 

• Master’s degree
• Sound understanding of integrated development issues and rights-based programming.
• Experience in developing strong, equal and robust partnership contracts or experience in strengthening civil society
• Experience in advocacy and influencing
• Knowledge and experience of urban programming models
• Experience in capacity building of partners
• Experience working with grassroots organizations 

Languages required

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Kiswahili and English.

Click the link below to access the full job profile:

JD Urban Program Manager – Dec Final.pdf

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Location: Nairobi

Type of Role: Fixed Term Contract

Reports to: Director Progra Implementation & Operations

Closing Date:7th January 2024

Disclaimer:Plan International is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate applicants on any basis. We also do not charge Job seekers any fees at any point of the recruitment process.