The National Democratic Institute (NDI) seeks a Country Director with excellent management skills and extensive experience to lead the implementation of its democracy and governance programs in Kenya. The Country Director’s experience should include providing assistance to civil society groups, particularly related to encouraging political participation and inclusion of women, youth, and other traditionally excluded groups as citizens and elected officials; supporting political parties and legislatures; working with public opinion research; and strengthening local governance. The Country Director will oversee all aspects of programmatic, staff and office management, including the implementation of program activities, managing grants, providing leadership to a team of Kenyan staff, and ensuring compliance with NDI and donor procurement and financial policies and procedures. The Country Director will be based in Nairobi and serve as principal NDI liaison with political and civic leaders, program partners, donors, and representatives of the international community in Kenya. A high degree of professional judgement, political analysis and objectivity, and creativity are essential to the successful leadership of NDI in Kenya. This position works closely with Washington-based program staff and management who manage communications and provide overall strategic guidance and support for country office activities. The Country Director reports to the Regional Director for Southern and East Africa. This is an unaccompanied post and candidates must be legally eligible to work in Kenya. NDI will not provide sponsorship. Responsibilities: PROGRAM MANAGEMENT Provide day-to-day management of program activities, office administration, and oversight and evaluation of Kenyan program staff Serve as a resource for civil society and political leaders in response to their specific questions and requests for assistance Possess strong writing skills and provide political analysis to support current and potential programming Monitor programs to determine that programmatic goals are achieved and that operational and reporting requirements are adhered to Adjust programmatic activities based on changing political circumstances and in response to needs articulated by local partners and program stakeholders Work in tandem with the Finance and Administrative staff in Nairobi and Washington, DC to oversee the NDI Kenya budget, financial management and the submission of monthly program activity budgets and financial reconciliations to the Washington, DC, office Make programmatic adjustments as necessary throughout the implementation cycle to avoid budget overruns Ensure program compliance with donor requirements with regards to work plans and performance monitoring plans, and respect of procedures to ensure the integrity of all financial transactions EXTERNAL RELATIONS Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with Kenyan political and civil society leaders, partners, government officials and members of the international, diplomatic, and donor communities Serve as principal liaison between NDI and international donor representatives in country, Kenyan officials, international and local NGOs, the media, and representatives of foreign governments Serve as NDI’s principal representative at speaking engagements and at donor-related activities Develop fundraising strategies with donors to help raise additional funds in coordination with the NDI Washington staff INTERNAL COMMUNICATION/STAFF AND PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT Oversee the writing and timely submission of monthly program activity reports, quarterly reports, monitoring and evaluation data, periodic updates on political/security developments, and other program related materials Collaborate with and build the capacity of NDI Kenyan staff to play a substantive role in program development and implementation Contribute to NDI's overall strategic vision for democracy and governance support in Kenya Contribute to regional and global planning, collaboration and knowledge management Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree, preferably in International Relations or a related subject Minimum fourteen (14) years of relevant work experience in the democracy and governance sector or working for the legislature, executive branch or political parties Strong track record of visionary leadership and personnel management Solid experience in all aspects of program design and management, including office operations, financial and human resources management Proven ability to effectively communicate skills and experiences to others as a trainer, facilitator, and advisor Demonstrated ability to engage in strategic planning and conduct and apply sophisticated political analysis to programmatic activities in pursuit of the organizational mission Exceptional interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity to effectively interact and maintain professional relationships with all levels of staff, policy makers, US and foreign government personnel, members of donor organizations, and funders Knowledge of DFID/FCDO, USAID, DRL, and/or NED funding agencies and funding processes Proven ability to ethically manage budgets and employ accountable financial practices Strong oral and written communication skills in English; Swahili language ability desirable Experience working in a multicultural environment, preferably in Africa Demonstrated ability to work as a member of a team and to promote staff development Working knowledge of PC-based word processing, spreadsheet applications, and e-mail technology
