VACANCIES

 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

About Us: 

Kesho Kenya is a dynamic, medium sized and growing NGO currently facilitating over 700 children to access schools and universities and also supports more than 12,000 of their siblings, peers, parents and teachers. Founded in 2004, Kesho takes a novel long-term, creative and holistic approach to change that includes offering financial support for education, academic and literacy support, enrichment and training, child protection and family support and youth development.

The Position

We are seeking an innovative, active, and effective self-driven person to fill the Executive Director position to raise Kesho to the next level.  The Executive Director will report to the Kesho Board and shall assist the Board in the overall strategic and operational responsibility for Kesho consistent with its mission and objectives. The position location is Kilifi.

Scope of the job

The Executive Director will be responsible for leadership and management of Kesho Kenya.  The position will provide guidance and support to the Kesho team on the execution of the organizations projects and cross-cutting sector activities, and to ensure sound coordination and project management in achieving Kesho’s targets. The incumbent will ensure that appropriate resources, and policies, are aligned with the achievement of work plans within agreed-upon time lines and budgets.  The role is exciting and diverse, entailing a breadth of cross-functional skills including fundraising, programme management, development and expansion, staff and operations management, external relationship management, primarily with funders, the media, government and organizational partners.

The position holder will ensure on-going programmatic excellence including rigorous programme evaluation, consistent quality of finance and administration, fundraising, communications and systems and recommend timelines and resources needed to achieve the strategic goals

Key Responsibilities and duties

1. Leadership, Planning & Monitoring

  • Provide strategic leadership in the development and implementation of Kesho’s projects ensuring its alignment with its strategic plan, donor policies, and legal requirements.
  • Manage and provide leadership to the Kesho teams and its partners.
  • Oversee design, delivery, and quality of programs and services by setting work plans, monitoring implementation and evaluating performance and impact
  • Provide support to ensure effective systems to track progress, and regularly evaluate performance against strategic plan and programme components, so as to measure successes that can be effectively communicated to the Board, funders, and other stakeholders
  • Support the coordination of all programmes to ensure measurement of impacts and outcomes are recorded and reported effectively to donors.

 

2. Financial Management & Fundraising

  • Provide leadership in developing programme, organizational and financial plans/budgets with the Board and staff, and carry out plans and policies authorized by the Board.
  • Fundraising and developing other revenues necessary to support Kesho’s mission.
  • Responsible for the fiscal integrity of Kesho, to include submission to the Board of a proposed annual budget and monthly financial statements, which accurately reflect the financial condition of the organization.
  • Provide prompt, thorough, and accurate information and reports to keep the Board appropriately informed of the organisation’s financial position
  • Support with the procurement and management of all assets of the organization
  • Serve as a primary person in donor relationships and develop fund raising strategies and support the Board in fund raising activities
  • Ensure timely submission of grant applications and progress reports for funders
  • Develop and support the implementation and maintenance of sound financial policies, procedures and practices.

 

3. Marketing, PR and Community Relations

  • Oversee all aspects of communications—from web presence, social media, media/PR events to external relations with the goal of creating a stronger brand and publicizing the activities of the organization, its programmes and goals.
  • Establish and maintain relationships and networks with various organizations and utilize those relationships to strategically enhance Kesho’s Mission.

 

4. HR management

  • Lead the development and implementation of HR Policy and documentation in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
  • Oversee the development, supervision, training, objective setting, of all personnel, both paid staff and volunteers.
  • Promotes a culture that reflects the organisation’s values, encourages good performance, and rewards productivity
  • Support with the management of contracts, payroll, leave and all staff related operations.

 

5. Professional Qualifications Required

  • Advanced degree, ideally in Development Studies, Social Studies or any other relevant degree with at least 5 years of senior management experience; track record of effectively leading a performance- and outcomes-based organization and staff; ability to point to specific examples of having developed and operationalized strategies that have taken an organization to the next stage of growth will be an added advantage.
  • Unwavering commitment to quality programs and data-driven program evaluation
  • Excellence in organizational management with the ability to coach staff, manage, and develop high-performance teams, set and achieve strategic objectives, and manage a budget.
  • Past success working with a Board of Directors with the ability to cultivate existing board member relationships
  • Strong marketing, public relations, and fundraising experience with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills
  • Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative approach to business planning
  • Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people

 

6. Essential Competencies

  • Good knowledge of project implementation and management
  • Good knowledge and experience regarding gender mainstreaming and inclusion.
  • Good moderation, facilitation and training skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to liaise and negotiate with government and social partners.
  • Excellent analytical skills.
  • Ability to work independently with a minimum of supervision.
  • Ability to work in diversified environments.

 

7. Essential Personal Attributes

  • Team player
  • Integrity and confidentiality
  • Creative and innovative
  • Confident
  • Self-Starter

 

Qualified and interested candidates should fill this online form https://forms.gle/zjUPGXtkSkaXLuPp9 and submit a covering letter and current CV addressed to recruitment@keshokenya.org. Applications must be submitted by Thursday August 24th , 2023 at 5pm.   Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Kesho’s recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to respect the rights of the child including prevention of all forms of child abuse. As such, all recruitment is in accordance with Kesho’s Safeguarding Policy.