Position Summary

The Department of Programmes is the cornerstone for achieving COUNSENUTH’s objectives.

The Senior Programmes Manager typically oversees multiple programmes or large-scale programs being implemented at the national, regional or district level, ensuring they align with organizational goals and are executed according to plans and donor requirements. She/he provides strategic leadership, manages teams, and is responsible for the overall success of the programmes/projects with support from coordinators. He/she will work closely with the Executive Director, ensuring donor compliance, conducting risk assessments, and in partnership with the head of the Finance and Admin department, manage and provide technical input on program implementation to officers under his/her supervision. The SPM shall coordinate COUNSENUTH’s programmes and maintain relations with all relevant strategic partners, stakeholders, including the Local Government Authorities, relevant Ministries, UN organizations, Universities and research institutions, CSOs and other Development Partners in the course of his/her work.

Qualifications and Special Skills

Minimum level of academic qualification, skills and knowledge required to perform effectively in the role:

1. A Master's degree or above in Public Health, social science area, including nutrition, education and/or agriculture and gender rights.
2. Tangible experience of 5+ years in a senior position and a strong understanding of Public Health-related policies, strategies, programs and field experience in coordinating and implementing large-scale development programmes.
3. Able to effectively lead teams, giving them a sense of purpose and guiding them towards a shared objective.
4. The ability to inspire, motivate and correct the course when necessary is vital.
5. Excellent communication, with the ability to deal with different teams, stakeholders and sometimes directly with clients; articulating expectations and feedback.
6. Fluent in written and spoken English and Kiswahili as well as making presentations.
7. Excellent strategic thinking and conceptualization of issues.
8. Exceptional risk management skills, identifying potential threats to the execution of a program and creating contingency plans, foreseeing issues, taking preventative measures and developing solutions swiftly when problems occur.

Roles and Responsibilities

(1) Grant Making, Donor Relations, Partnerships and Networking

1. Facilitate stakeholder mapping and update stakeholder database
2. Identify potential platforms, locally and internationally, to enhance networking and partnership building
3. Proactively identify, research, and evaluate grant opportunities from foundations, corporations, and government entities.
4. Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with current and prospective funders, working closely with the ED to achieve this.
5. Use existing programmes to determine ways to expand or scale up lessons or best practices in new innovative projects.
6. Lead the Program and Finance teams in the development of high-quality grant proposals/products and preparation of budgets.
7. Participate in the writing, editing, and submission of grant proposals, and preparation of budgets.
8. Represent the Organisation in different resource mobilisation initiatives as assigned by the leadership.
9. Ensure grant programs align with organisational values and strategic objectives.
10. Stay informed on evolving donor and government financial regulations, integrate changes into program planning and proposal writing.
11. Program Oversight and Alignment with Funding
12. Clearly define programme management plan with workflows from the outset according to donor requirements.
13. Align Program management and financial practices with donor expectations while optimizing value for money and operational efficiency.
14. Working with FAM, oversees proper utilization of grant funds, ensuring alignment with donor restrictions, local laws, and internal policies.
15. Oversee preparation and submission of timely, accurate program reports -monthly, Quarterly, Mid-year and Annual to donors while maintaining accountability.
16. Program Compliance Management
17. Ensure program plans and implementation meet contractual requirements, comply with donor guidelines, local legal requirements, and internal financial policies/manuals.
18. In consultation with Senior Advisors, review and approve Track activity deadlines, monitor budgets, ensure adherence to donor requirements, and manage agreements.
19. Track program and budget performance against initial objectives and forecasts.
20. Support COUNSENUTH Senior Management Team (SMT) in ensuring the overall implementation and monitoring of the Centre’s Safeguarding Framework Policy.
21. Program Planning, Management and Implementation,
22. Working with the Finance and Administration Department and other program officers to coordinate organizational Strategic Planning and reviews.
23. Provide leadership in the development Annual plans and budgets for all programs/projects within the organization.
24. Develop, monitor, review and update the Program Department Annual work plans to ensure the plans align with the Strategic Plan and achieve organizational objectives, effectiveness and efficiency.
25. Collaborate with program, finance, and leadership teams to align program plans and budgets with organizational goals.
26. Support internal staff and sub-grantees on program management best practices and compliance.
27. Support with budget development and organise training on program budgeting for program teams and partners.
28. Oversee the assessment and monitoring of sub-recipients.
29. Provide the Management with up-to-date information on the progress of program implementation to inform decision-making.
30. Internal Coordination of Program Staff and Capacity Building
31. Lead and manage the programme team to achieve its mandated targets in accordance with the annual operational plans.
32. Work with the HR to realistically ensure an enabling environment for staff performance, recognition and reward of the program team to encourage staff productivity, innovation and performance (e.g. facilities, equipment, duty facilitation, team building etc.)
33. Participate in the review of staff job descriptions and the setting of performance standards.
34. Assigns performance objectives to supervised staff, conducts comprehensive performance appraisal of supervised staff and provides/obtains feedback and timely submission of appraisal reports to the HR.
35. Provides induction, training, coaching, mentoring and advice to supervised staff to ensure that they understand and carry out their responsibilities effectively.
36. Oversight of field implementation
37. Guide implementation of the programs, empower staff, define staff roles, promote teamwork, delegate and supervise all activities.
38. Build staff capacity as mentor and trainer, both formally and as a capacity building coach and supervise all training conducted by different cadres working in the program, for relevant purposes.
39. Build the capacity of Government partners -CHMT, RHMT, other regional/district technical facilitators; health workers, community health volunteers; and actively involve them in the program design, planning, budgeting, implementation and supervision of activities at all times to promote ownership and sustainability.
40. Conduct program staff weekly meetings to plan, report on previous week’s plans, document best practices, lessons, challenges and re-plan for the coming week.
41. Involve regional/district partners and key community people in weekly meetings as much as possible to determine progress of the program, identify challenges and find ways to overcome these with support of the HQ SPO II.
42. Promote quality implementation of the program at all times and where necessary seek support of other program officers and ED.
43. Promote innovation and work with evidence gained from the ground and from other works and research.

(7)Strengthening regional and districts existing systems relevant to the programme implemented

1. Work with relevant systems in health, nutrition, education, gender or other and motivate them to take an active role in the program/project (example: Multisectoral Nutrition Steering Committees or education committees).
2. Participate in regional/district meetings and work with them to integrate issues from COUNSENUTH programs into Council plans and budgets.
3. Build the capacity of existing committees, such as the Nutrition Multisectoral Nutrition Steering Committees, in planning, budgeting and implementation of COUNSENUTH-supported specific program/project interventions.
4. Provide other support and participate in all relevant regional or Council meetings.

(8) Program Reviews, MEAL and Reporting

1. Work closely with M/E officer to ensure the meal plan is operational and closely monitor and track the implementation of the different activities of the program in the field as scheduled in the annual/program plan of action, record achieved results, lessons, learnings, and design adaptation plans.
2. Prepare and timely submit monthly, quarterly, bi-annual and annual programme reports to the ED as per desired standards and guidelines
3. Ensure quality and timely submission of monthly, quarterly and annual reports or required project and program performance Reports as per desired standards and guidelines
4. Ensure that success stories, best practices, testimonies, learnings, change/outcomes stories, etc., are compiled and reported in the form of draft newsletters, testimonials or brochures suitable for publicity.

(9) Promote COUNSENUTH Visibility

1. Contribute to COUNSENUTH Visibility through events, articles/stories, taking and sharing quality pictures and short videos for dissemination in various media houses.
2. Initiate campaigns, advocacy meetings with strategic partners at community levels with proper information and feedback to the line manager.
3. Share success stories, best practices and other publicity articles with the IT and Communication Officer for further treatment and dissemination in various media houses, website and social media.
4. Represent the organization in national, regional and international meetings as assigned by the authority.
5. Perform any other duty as assigned by the authority.

• Facilitate stakeholder mapping and update stakeholder database
• Identify potential platforms, locally and internationally, to enhance networking and partnership building
• Proactively identify, research, and evaluate grant opportunities from foundations, corporations, and government entities.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with current and prospective funders, working closely with the ED to achieve this.
• Use existing programmes to determine ways to expand or scale up lessons or best practices in new innovative projects.
• Lead the Program and Finance teams in the development of high-quality grant proposals/products and preparation of budgets.
• Participate in the writing, editing, and submission of grant proposals, and preparation of budgets.
• Represent the Organisation in different resource mobilisation initiatives as assigned by the leadership.
• Ensure grant programs align with organisational values and strategic objectives.
• Stay informed on evolving donor and government financial regulations, integrate changes into program planning and proposal writing.
• Clearly define programme management plan with workflows from the outset according to donor requirements.
• Align Program management and financial practices with donor expectations while optimizing value for money and operational efficiency.
• Working with FAM, oversees proper utilization of grant funds, ensuring alignment with donor restrictions, local laws, and internal policies.
• Oversee preparation and submission of timely, accurate program reports -monthly, Quarterly, Mid-year and Annual to donors while maintaining accountability.
• Ensure program plans and implementation meet contractual requirements, comply with donor guidelines, local legal requirements, and internal financial policies/manuals.
• In consultation with Senior Advisors, review and approve Track activity deadlines, monitor budgets, ensure adherence to donor requirements, and manage agreements.
• Track program and budget performance against initial objectives and forecasts.
• Support COUNSENUTH Senior Management Team (SMT) in ensuring the overall implementation and monitoring of the Centre’s Safeguarding Framework Policy.
• Working with the Finance and Administration Department and other program officers to coordinate organizational Strategic Planning and reviews.
• Provide leadership in the development Annual plans and budgets for all programs/projects within the organization.
• Develop, monitor, review and update the Program Department Annual work plans to ensure the plans align with the Strategic Plan and achieve organizational objectives, effectiveness and efficiency.
• Collaborate with program, finance, and leadership teams to align program plans and budgets with organizational goals.
• Support internal staff and sub-grantees on program management best practices and compliance.
• Support with budget development and organise training on program budgeting for program teams and partners.
• Oversee the assessment and monitoring of sub-recipients.
• Provide the Management with up-to-date information on the progress of program implementation to inform decision-making.
• Lead and manage the programme team to achieve its mandated targets in accordance with the annual operational plans.
• Work with the HR to realistically ensure an enabling environment for staff performance, recognition and reward of the program team to encourage staff productivity, innovation and performance (e.g. facilities, equipment, duty facilitation, team building etc.)
• Participate in the review of staff job descriptions and the setting of performance standards.
• Assigns performance objectives to supervised staff, conducts comprehensive performance appraisal of supervised staff and provides/obtains feedback and timely submission of appraisal reports to the HR.
• Provides induction, training, coaching, mentoring and advice to supervised staff to ensure that they understand and carry out their responsibilities effectively.
• Guide implementation of the programs, empower staff, define staff roles, promote teamwork, delegate and supervise all activities.
• Build staff capacity as mentor and trainer, both formally and as a capacity building coach and supervise all

• Able to effectively lead teams, giving them a sense of purpose and guiding them towards a shared objective.
• The ability to inspire, motivate and correct the course when necessary is vital.
• Excellent communication, with the ability to deal with different teams, stakeholders and sometimes directly with clients; articulating expectations and feedback.
• Fluent in written and spoken English and Kiswahili as well as making presentations.
• Excellent strategic thinking and conceptualization of issues.
• Exceptional risk management skills, identifying potential threats to the execution of a program and creating contingency plans, foreseeing issues, taking preventative measures and developing solutions swiftly when problems occur.

• A Master's degree or above in Public Health, social science area, including nutrition, education and/or agriculture and gender rights.
• Tangible experience of 5+ years in a senior position and a strong understanding of Public Health-related policies, strategies, programs and field experience in coordinating and implementing large-scale development programmes.