PLATFORM MANAGER – PEACE BUILDING & CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION (PBCT) – REF: ACT-PM-PBCT/19/2022 Nationals Position

Act Change Transform (Act!) is a local Non-Governmental Organization whose mission is to facilitate the empowerment of marginalized people and communities in Kenya and neighbouring countries, to become active participants in their development by enabling them to: stand up for their rights; demand good governance in the management of resources; and participate in decision-making processes. Act! does this through implementing partners, offering them capacity development, management of grants so that value for money is achieved and providing strategic leadership in national advocacy for the benefit of women, youth, people with disabilities and other marginalized communities.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Head (Director) of Programmes, the Platform Manager, Peace Building & Conflict Transformation (PBCT), based in Nairobi with frequent travels across the country is responsible for one of the three Strategic Pillars of Act! Change Transform will be responsible for providing strategic direction to all the peace & conflict programs/projects under this platform. Key tasks include the (1). overall implementation oversight of all activities; (2). new programs design and development for growth and sustainability; (3). leadership and management of technical staff within the platform; (4). Coordinating MERL, Knowledge Management and Communication needs of the platform; (5). all technical and financial reporting to donors and by implementing partners; (6). ensuring the platform is responsive to the local and international context; and (7). ensuring that sound internal and external analyses inform program/project responsiveness. The key responsibilities are described in more detail below.

Key Responsibilities

A. Program Management

• Be part of Act! Program Technical & Management Team.
• Provide strategic visioning, guidance and technical leadership to the PBCT platform.
• Work with the head of programs and other senior managers in designing effective PBCT programming strategies.
• Lead new business development (resources mobilization) efforts and the identification of new potential partners and initiatives under the PBCT platform.
• Collaborate with the other platform managers and the broader program team members to ensure that all current and future programs are delivered according to the approved plans and that adequate consultations happen with all key stakeholders (internal and external).
• Ensures that staff and partners within the existing PBCT programs engage effectively with target communities, CSOs partners and the government (National and Sub National).
• Ensures that the platform undertakes regular political, economic and conflict analyses to inform choices and design of interventions (evidence-based programming)

B. Financial Management

• Responsible for the overall PBCT Platform budget within Act!.
• Provide oversight in budget preparation and tracking for all programs within the platform.
• Provide oversight for all expenditures related to grants and administration within the platform.
• Provide up-to-date advice to the Head (Director) of Programmes on the financial health of the platform.
• Provide oversight to the budgeting process for all proposals submitted within the platform.
• Work closely with the Grants departmental Lead, in providing up-to-date reports on partner’s performance.

C. Monitoring Evaluation Reporting & Learning

• Collaborate with the MERL team to design and operationalize integrated platform-level MERL plans which are linked to the overall Act! organizational MERL framework.
• Develop content for relevant internal publications and liaise with Act! communication team for production (case studies, end-term reports, biennial impact reports, and features, etc.) for the Platform.
• Provide technical support to research experts, consultants and internal teams by coordinating their work ensuring coordination, process thoroughness and high-quality final outputs.
• Participate in setting baseline and target indicators in line with the overall strategic goals of the individual programs/projects.
• Lead the timely preparation of all periodic technical reports and financials, coordinating downstream partners’ reporting while linking with donor partners’ contact persons on high-quality deliverables.
• Lead the archiving and efficient storage of all communications and documentation related to the platform in the central repository for knowledge management.

D. Capacity Development

• Provide technical inputs to the design of responsive Capacity Development plans for PBCT Program partners and collaborators in close consultation with the Act! CD team.
• Provide leadership in training and delivery of PBCT training for Act! Partners/subgrantees.
• Provide leadership in mentoring and coaching for partners through accompaniment and quarterly site visits.
• Ensure all capacity development needs for the partners are addressed in a timely manner.
• Prepare of CD and training materials and content modules that respond to the training needs identified and feedback from the Organizational Capacity Assessments (OCAs).

E. Program Staff Supervision

• Provide leadership for the Performance Management of all staff within the PBCT Platform.
• Provide mentorship and technical support to Program Managers and Senior Officers, and ensure that officers supervising others do the same.
• Ensure that all staff within the platform are adequately supported to develop objectives and work plans in line with their agreed objectives.
• Ensure that all staff within the platform are adequately appraised by filing timely reports with the HR department.
• Provide advice and technical support to the Program Team within the platform.
• Provide targeted mentorship and technical support to all staff under their supervision. Ensuring that all staff under their supervision are performing to their best.

F. Networking and Representation

• Maintain good external linkages with all actors including national and county government, and the community.
• Establish and maintain regular contact with beneficiary groups and partner organizations, and to liaise and coordinate with the appropriate government and non-governmental bodies whenever appropriate to ensure successful project progress.
• Negotiate collaboration with partner institutions and government departments in support of Act!.
• Represent the PBCT platform and Act! when called upon at relevant meetings, forums and processes to stay up to date with unfolding events or issues and ensure that Act! is best placed to advise donors and other stakeholders.

G. Resource Mobilization

• Responsible for the sustainability and steady growth of the programs under this platform.
• Leads active and ongoing research on the funding landscape to identify opportunities for new partnerships and collaboration.
• Ensures all partnerships and collaborations with key actors and stakeholders are guided by the Act! Partnerships development strategies and are sustained.

H. Strategic Planning

• The PBCT Platform Manager is part of the core team managing and ensuring delivery of the relevant Strategic Plan objectives assigned to this platform within the broader framework of the organization.
• Participate in program planning, review, coordination and lessons learning meetings.
• Contribute to the formulation and review of the platform strategy and business planning.
• Provide management support to the Head (Director) of Programmes and the Chief Executive Officer of Act!.

I. Qualifications, Experience and Essential Skills:

Academic Qualifications

Masters’ degree in Conflict Studies or Social Studies or other related fields.

Professional Qualifications

Post-graduate qualification in Project Management or any specialized subject in the area of PBCT.

Relevant Field & Managerial Experience

Minimum10 years’ demonstrable experience (post-graduation) experience in PBCT-related programs management – including budget oversight, grants management, programs design, project proposal development, reporting and relationship management. One must demonstrate that they have spent the last five years leading multiple programmes and teams at any one given time.

Essential Skills and Competencies

• Knowledge and experience in Program Management at a Senior Level with proven track record.
• Experience working in grant making and capacity development.
• Excellent people management skills.
• Excellent supervision & mentorship skills.
• Excellent Public Relations and representation skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills.
• Strong analytical and complex problem-solving skills.
• Excellent team player in a cultural and multi-disciplinary setting.
• Excellent policy influencing, advocacy and lobby skills.
• Able to work with minimum or no supervision.

Highly proficient in Ms Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and the use of the Internet for research.