Project Development Officer

Contract duration:Open Ended
Duty Station:Nairobi with regular travels to the field
Starting Date:TBC

ACTED is a non-governmental organization whose vocation is to support vulnerable population world wide and to accompany them in building a better future. ACTED was created in 1993, is governed by the French law and has its head quarters in Paris, France.

ACTED Kenya/Somalia is looking for a self driven and a self oriented professional to fill the position of a Project Development Officer

Reporting to the Project Development Manager, the successful candidate will work closely with Project Development Department within the ACTED Kenya/Somalia offices.

Key Job responsibilities

• Project Cycle Management
• Facilitate the development and implementation of project cycle management;
• Keep track of all projects and programmes monitoring and evaluation schedules and work with field staff to design and implement monitoring and evaluation procedures;
• Developing an External Donor Relations Strategy
• Update on a weekly and monthly basis the external relations database, which documents latest negotiations and proposal possibilities with a number of key donors;
• Develop high quality proposals for new projects
• Ensuring the Production of Timely, Accurate and Analytical Reports for Donors
• Understand and disseminate Donors guidelines ;
• Liaise regularly with Area Coordinators, Programme Managers and technical staff to ensure the production of quality reports across areas and across Donors;
• Information System
• Work with all departments to follow up project and programmes databases incl. work on the nomenclature used (official names etc.);
• Ensure that appraisal, monitoring and evaluation reports are made useful for fundraising and add to the general base of field knowledge in the country for all organisations working in the area;
• Participatory Appraisal, Monitoring and Evaluation
• Ensure that local partners, when appropriate, engaged in appraisal for and/or with ACTED are trained and given advice in participatory approaches, minimalizing bias, and other key methodologies for information gathering;
• Departmental Follow-up
• Manage the AME staff in cooperation with Area Coordinators and Programme Managers;
• Follow up work plans, activities and their quality;
• Communicate regularly to the regional Coordination, Programme Managers and Coordinations on all activities;
• Developing Internal Coordination and Communication mechanisms
• In relation with the project development manager and Country Director, ensure that all meetings are held and documented (capital coordination meetings, area coordination meetings, monthly coordination meetings, quarterly country coordination meetings);
• Developing an External Communication Strategy
• Define the main target groups, activities, resources and partnerships needed;
• Assisting the Project Development Manager and Country Director in developing the country strategy, project proposals, addressing ad hoc donor requests or catalysing action on specific projects or components of projects

Qualifications and Competencies

• Degree in Political Science, International Development studies or related field is preferable.
• Demonstrated experience in project development in an NGO/INGOis highly preferable.
• Able to manage a high workload and meet tight deadlines
• Excellent experience in proposal writing
• Understanding of the developments issues and/or work experience in Somalia
• Well versed with computer knowledge
• Excellent communication skills with knowledge of both internal and external communications environments.
• Proactive, self-starter – able to work with minimum supervision.
• Excellent time management, organisation, and prioritisation skills, with the ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines.
• Willingness to travel to the field
• Understanding and ability to speak Somali language is an added advantage
• Flexible, enthusiastic and a willingness to listen and learn from others.

Application Procedure
Qualified persons with the required skills are invited to submit their applications accompanied by detailed curriculum vitae, three work related referees, contacts and expected salary to kenya.jobs@acted.org and received on or before 5.00PM on 12 February, 2014.

Kindly note that due to the urgency of the position, CVs will be shortlisted on on-going basis.

ACTED reserves the right to hire prior to the application deadline.

Please note that only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

ACTED is an Equal Opportunity Employer