Signature Program Technical Lead – East Africa

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

Function

The Signature Program Technical Lead – East Africa will be responsible for setting and ensuring embedding quality standards, promote learning, increase efficiency and act as liaison between relevant HQ departments, Region and country offices. S/he will play an advisory role on technical market systems data that inform decisions on value chains and further drive deliberate co-design relationships for effective singnature programming. S/he will be accountable for supporting the countries in the effective roll-out out and implementation of Signature Programs in the countries, as well as in the areas of investment and initiatives to catalyze Signature Programs. S/he will provide technical advice and support to a range of Signature Program design and implementation issues in the area of Program Quality, in line with Heifer International’s project management principles and standards, donor guidelines and industry best practice. The Signature Program Technical Lead will report to the Signature Program Director – Africa.

The role may be located in any of the following countries; Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania Uganda, or Rwanda.

Essential Character Traits

Detailed-oriented, self driven, action oriented, team player.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DELIVERABLES

A. Program Quality Initiatives (45%)

• Advise countries on Market Systems, Access to Finance, Corperatives & Off-takers capacity/capability building and Value Chain analysis to inform co-design relationships for in-country signature programming.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of strategies, standards, tools and best practice in Program Quality, that effectively engage partners, donors, and governments.
• Provide technical advise to Country Program teams, remotely and on-site, in strategic planning and how best to apply standards, best practice, partnership principles, processes and tools, to ensure high-quality implementation of signature programs.
• In consultation with Country Directors and Country Signature Program Technical Leads, creatively design initiatives that uphold and improve program quality, innovation and learning on signature programs.
• Provide technical process advisory for the preparation, design, submission and approval of project concepts and full-fledged proposals. Act as a second line of defence for in-country technical writing on proposal development, advise project teams on integrating donor strategies, priorities and technical requirements into Heifer’s approach.
• Roll out capacity strengthening initiatives in Program Quality for staff and partners, develop learning and training strategies and agenda, conducting trainings and workshops.
• Collect and analyze program data, capture and share lessons learnt and best practice for specific projects, to facilitate improvement in decisions.
• Enable strong relationships with donors, peer organizations, research and other institutions, towards enhancing Program Quality.
• Monitor and provide feedback on Program Quality through regular team meetings, field visits and regular communication.

B. Partnerships and Capacity Improvement (30%)

• Ensure adherence to set compliance standards within Heifer and donor program and project guidelines and standards, including transparency, policy compliance, accountability, communication with HQ, donors and external constituencies.
• Enable new partnerships and nurture existing ones.
• Develop and adopt standardized approaches, practices, tools and measurements in partnership and capacity strengthening.
• Support relevant country program, Regional and HQ staff in the development of comprehensive plans and materials, for the development and implementation of capacity strengthening strategies in the Signature Program area.
• On a delegated authority, ensure country programs monitor and evaluate partnership and capacity strengthening activities and initiatives.
• Identify and ensure the creation of strong inter-organizational networks and efforts to strengthen the capacities of local partners.
• Represent Heifer Africa in external professional fora and with donor agencies in support of resource acquisition for capacity building.

C. Strengthen Core Global Operating System (20%)

• Provide support to country offices to ensure compliance with Heifer International policies and procedures and other accountability standards through trainings, event participation and field visits.
• Liaise with departments at HQ on behalf of the country programs and the Africa Regional Program, with regard to Signature Programs.
• Ensure Signature Program proposals and concept notes are entered into HQ tracking systems, to avoid delay in activation.
• Support the adequate development, implementation, evaluation and systematization of signature programs implemented by country programs.
• Review signature program and field office monitoring and evaluation reports and make recommendations.
• Maintain Signature Program files and documents.

D. Any Other Assigned Function (5%)

• May perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

1. Bachelor’s degree plus ten (10) to fifteen (15) years’ job-related experience.

Preferred Requirements

1. Master’s degree preferred.
2. At least seven (7) years in technical signature programming leadership.
3. At At least five (5) years in management.

Most Critical Proficiencies

1. Knowledge of strategic planning, program and project development and implementation processes (including planning, monitoring and evaluation).
2. Knowledge and work experience in agriculture and community development in a developing country context (market systems, value chains, access to market, access to finance, etc).
3. Excellent knowledge on monitoring and evaluation of programs and projects.
4. Excellent organizational and administrative skills including strong attention to detail.
5. Knowledge of grant acquisition and management.
6. Basic knowledge of finance controls and systems.
7. Proficiency in basic statistics sufficient to analyze data.
8. Knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, database and electronic mail software (Microsoft preferred).
9. Strong English language skills – oral and written.

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands

1. Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work cooperatively, tactfully and diplomatically with a culturally diverse group of people.
2. Ability to produce accurate documents in a well-designed and attractive format with impeccable attention to detail.
3. Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues and the general public.
4. May require constant sitting; working at a computer for extended periods of time.
5. Ability and willingness to extensively travel 30% of the time both domestically and internationally.
6. Ability to develop and present training materials.
7. Ability to work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.