Overview

Since 1963 and in 148 countries, ACDI/VOCA has empowered people in developing and transitional nations to succeed in the global economy. Based in Washington, D.C., ACDI/VOCA is a nonprofit international development organization that designs and delivers technical and management solutions in agriculture, economic growth, and resilience to promote economic prosperity and social inclusion.

Chief of Party, Resilience Learning Activity (RLA), Kenya

ACDI/VOCA is seeking a Chief of Party for the Resilience Learning Activity (RLA) based in Nairobi, Kenya, funded by USAID. The RLA program is designed to identify, extrapolate, and amplify successful resilience approaches by using evidence-based research to support all USAID Implementing Partners (IPs) working on resilience initiatives.

This approach is defined by acting as a secretariat for the following three USAID IP coordination programs:

1. Partnership for Resilience and Economic Growth (PREG)
2. Southeastern Kenya (SEK)
3. Somalia Resilience Partnership (SRP)
4. Horn of Africa Resilience Network (HoRN)

RLA’s role as the secretariat of these coordination platforms requires ongoing communication, coordination and identification of best practices and lessons learned between USAID, USAID IPs, regional entities (IGAD) and/or national, and county level governments. This work also focuses on a localization approach, working with local registered entities in each of the 9-counties that the coordination programs cover. This works aligns with the following 4 objectives of the RLA program:

1. Data Analytics
2. Learning for Adaptive Management
3. Improving Knowledge Management; and
4. Apply collaboration, learning and adapting (CLA) principles.

Each of these objectives is driven by demand for the coordination platform members, the RLA work plan and through the co-creation approach (i.e. joint work plan), where the RLA staff and our local partners country government and other USAID IPs.

The Chief of Party will provide strategic leadership and oversee all fiduciary risks (with support from ACDI/VOCA Kenya and HQ team). S/he will serve as the program’s key liaison with USAID, ACDI/VOCA headquarters, government counterparts, private sector stakeholders, subcontractors, academic institutions, and all other entities working through these platforms.

RLA is a regionally active activity, implemented in Kenya, East Africa, and Somalia missions. The Chief of Party will oversee implementation in all three of the activity’s geographic areas.

The position is based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall strategic leadership and programmatic direction for the activity.
• Oversee all administrative and financial aspects of the activity.
• Supervise annual results reports, resource requests, quarterly reports, and pipeline analyses.
• Establish work plans and annual performance goals for team members, ensuring timely and quality execution of group deliverables.
• Analyze budgets, review and approve financial reports (with correct funding stream), and ensure all required regular and ad hoc reports are completed accurately and on time.
• Develop strategies to respond to changes affecting the activity’s successful completion.
• Ensure that expected results are achieved on time, within budget, and in compliance with USAID’s and ACDI/VOCA’s policies and regulations.
• Ensure transparency of bidding processes and selection of consultants and sub awardees.
• Provide input on program selection and implementation.
• Monitor and evaluate all work, ensuring a clear delineation of roles and responsibilities. Oversee activities that relate to program evaluations.
• Serve as the key liaison with ACDI/VOCA HQ, government officials, local and international NGOs, implementing partners, community members, private sector, and USAID.
• Deliver conference presentations on behalf of ACDI/VOCA.
• Maintain clear lines of communications in the field and with headquarters.
• Comply with all applicable donor, ACDI/VOCA, and government rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and schedules.
• Foster strong relationships with the following USAID divisions: Kenya, East Africa, Somalia, USAID bureau for humanitarian assistance and the Center for Resilience.
• Foster relationships with other ACDI/VOCA operating units and programs (which are under PREG), and partner implementing organizations, in addition to host and local government institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and other non-USAID donors.
• Undertake area assessments to identify needs and future direction. Develop existing and new program opportunities.
• Foster a work environment that is non-discriminatory and promotes open dialogue on gender-related issues.
• Travel to site offices as needed to provide technical assistance and troubleshoot.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise and experience as a Chief-of-Party in managing (at least $5 million), complex development activities, with demonstrated experience working within an African context and focused on learning and adaptive management.
• Demonstrated ability to be collaborative across activities and partners, preferably with a good understanding of best practice private sector-led market system implementation, analysis and knowledge management, and communications.
• Demonstrated experience and commitment to local solutions and local organization capacity building.
• Masters’ degree in economics, business, agriculture, development studies, international relations, or related field.
• Proven commitment to local solutions and local organization capacity building.
• Demonstrated commitment to gender streamlining and women’s empowerment activities.
• Strong understanding of Knowledge Management and Communications, including technology for high level remote presentation with multiple stakeholders.
• Superb interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, and ability to foster collaboration with local governments and implementing partners.
• Ability to travel within Kenya and East Africa region.
• Fluency in English required, proficiency in Swahili is highly desired.