Jobs at Palladium International

This Proposal Opportunity

• Palladium is seeking a Chief of Party for the upcoming USAID/Kenya East Africa Transboundary Ecosystem Restoration and Climate Resilience Activity. The purpose of the program is to promote climate resilient transboundary ecosystem conservation and management in critical areas of biological and economic significance in the East Africa region for the benefit of the ecosystem, people and the economy.
• The Chief of Party will be ultimately responsible for the efficient and effective oversight of all elements of the Project/Activity. Their primary responsibilities are to provide overall leadership, management, and general technical direction of the program, ensuring an integrated vision among different components and actors, and a focus on achieving the desired results. This individual must identify issues and risks related to implementation in a timely manner and suggest appropriate adjustments. This individual must act as the key liaison with USAID and all other counterparts, implementing partners and stakeholders involved with the program. The position requires significant leadership, management and coordination skills, broad general and technical knowledge, an ability to cope with multiple interests and challenges, experience in developing countries, and skills to ensure coherence and consistency in the face of urgent deadlines.
• This is an anticipated project, and all positions are contingent upon award from USAID.*

Primary Duties And Responsibilities

• Overall responsibilities, expected outcomes etc.

Program Management & Leadership

• Provide overall leadership, management, administrative, strategic and technical direction, and serve as the primary authority for all decision-making to ensure all program activities, staff, and partners achieve targeted results and that all required objectives, outcomes, targets, deliverables, and reporting are met.
• Provide clear and concise direction to the project team on the development and implementation of strategies, staffing, budgets, internal operations, project targets and milestones, communications, and reporting.
• Manage a core staff of technical and administrative program professionals, ensuring appropriate delegation of duties and assignments; and work with the US-based project support team to ensure responsive and efficient project operations.
• Monitor and manage the technical and professional performance of all project staff; providing constructive feedback and, where necessary, develop and implement performance improvement plans.
• Serve as the primary point of contact with USAID regarding the day-to-day today project implementation and administrative matters related to the cooperative agreement.
• Ensure that the project is implemented in accordance with the rules, regulations, and financial, operational, and reporting requirements of USAID and Palladium.
• Actively participate in timely recruitment of project staff, and develop and maintain a culture of professionalism and psychological safety in the workplace.
• Engage fully as a member of the Palladium staff team, including participating in staff meetings and other Palladium events.

Partner Stakeholder Engagement & Coordination

• Develop and maintain productive working relationships with broad range of public and private stakeholders, serving as the primary liaison with all stakeholders and proactively troubleshooting challenges as they arise, with support from other project staff as appropriate.
• Provide activity/intervention design and implementation oversight of work delivered by current and future implementing partners.

Technical Strategy, Oversight & Implementation

• Provide strong leadership, executive decision-making, and clear direction to technical staff in ways that create certainty, agency and accountability among team members across objectives and activities.
• Ensure that all project activities are connected to work plans and logically lead to expected results.
• Provide close oversight of progress towards program results, maintaining continuous communication with technical leads to identify and troubleshoot challenges and make clear decisions on appropriate solutions.
• Establish clear expectations for technical inputs and deliverables requested from team members, and provide timely feedback on requested inputs and deliverables.
• Ensure appropriate monitoring mechanisms are established to ensure that project/intervention progress and specific implementation concerns are regularly addressed and promptly reported to and that project objectives are met.
• Lead and oversee the development of all project reports and deliverables (including annual work plans and quarterly reports), ensuring their on-time delivery to USAID and Palladium Home Office.
• Oversee the recruitment and engagement of technical experts.
• Provide technical guidance on the development of RFQs, RFAs, and RFPs, as well as on the selection of subawardees (subgrantees, subcontractors, other service providers).
• Other related technical and management tasks requested by USAID (and in coordination with Palladium HQ) in accordance with the Project’s Scope of Work.

Key Competencies Required

• An advanced degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in a relevant field of study, e.g. natural resource management, climate change, sustainability, conservation, or a related field.
• Significant experience providing proven leadership in the administration of international donor- supported programs with skills in strategic planning, management, supervision, and budgeting.
• Knowledge of USAID contract management, policies, procedures, regulations and reporting requirements.
• Knowledge of the common drivers of ecosystem degradation in East Africa, and effective strategies for achieving restoration outcomes that improve the livelihoods.
• Demonstrated experience engaging the private sector to drive restoration and/or climate resilience outcomes.
• Familiarity with community-based natural resource management and locally led adaptation approaches.
• Proven ability to develop and communicate a common vision among diverse partners and the ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams.
• Evidence of strong communication skills, both interpersonal and written, to fulfil the diverse technical and managerial requirements of the contract.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Attention to detail and ability to effectively and efficiently perform multiple tasks and balance competing priorities,

Professional Expertise/Competencies Preferred

• Existing and productive relationships with key decision-makers in regional institutions (i.e. EAC, IGAD) preferred.
• Direct and recent experience in Kenya (Tanzania and Northern Uganda also a bonus).
• Professional proficiency in Swahili a bonus.

go to method of application »

• Under the supervision of the PROPEL Health Kenya Country Project Director (CPD), the Deputy Country Project Director (DCPD) leads technical aspects of the project in compliance with USAID and Palladium rules and regulations to achieve project objectives. S/he will also regularly engage with and maintain good relationships with relevant actors including the Government of Kenya, the donor and other non-government stakeholders. The DCPD will provide support to the CPD in liaising, programmatic, strategic development, and quality control duties.

Primary Duties And Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight to support the PROPEL Health Kenya program implementation, ensuring effective management of the activity.
• Serve as a senior member of the program's leadership team, assisting the CPD in overseeing project staff and activities.
• Co-lead and oversee programmatic functions, including the development of work plans, budgets, and reports, to ensure the successful implementation of the program strategy.
• Maintain effective and open communication with key stakeholders, including the Country Project Director, USAID, Technical Leads, and project operations teams.
• Collaborate with the Country Project Director and project staff to continuously refine implementation processes by integrating lessons learned and best practices.
• Assume the role of Acting Country Project Director in their absence, providing continuity and leadership to the project, including liaison with the USAID Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) in the absence of the Country Project Director.
• Support the Country Project Director in providing technical direction, oversight, and quality control for all program activities, ensuring integration and collaboration across all areas.
• Offer technical and programmatic guidance and support for project activities.
• Coordinate with USAID representatives, USG projects, and other development partners to ensure collaboration and integrated approaches.
• Provide functional guidance to project staff and partners, ensuring deliverables are met within timelines and budgets.
• Promote sustainability of project activities through networking, capacity building, and institutional strengthening.
• Manage technical leads to ensure efficient technical implementation.
• Utilize analytical techniques to identify and resolve issues or problems.
• Organize and support project trainings, conferences, workshops, and meetings as needed.
• Represent the project in external associations, conferences, and symposia, and prepare necessary project-related reports.
• Perform other duties as requested.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in economics, health economics, public health, health administration, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of professional experience, and ideally experience in managing large donor projects involving multiple partners, with demonstrated skills in strategic planning, management, supervision, and budgeting.
• Comprehensive knowledge of USAID contract management, policies, regulations, and reporting requirements.
• Extensive experience in health systems strengthening and proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams effectively.
• Demonstrated expertise with USAID planning and reporting systems, operations, and programming, including previous leadership roles.
• Track record of building teams, fostering collaboration, and achieving high-quality deliverables.
• Success in partnership building with diverse stakeholders, including public and private sectors, government representatives, donors, and community organizations.
• Proficient in interpersonal communication, writing, presentation, organization, and computer skills (Outlook, Microsoft office).
• Detail-oriented with the ability to balance multiple tasks and priorities within designated timeframes.
• Responsive and adaptable to changing requirements and demands.

go to method of application »

• The Senior Program Officer will contribute to the PROPEL Health Kenya country program by providing a combination of technical, logistical, and administrative support to senior technical program staff to ensure the successful implementation of project activities. The Senior Program Officer will also support other technical staff in the office who are responsible for directing other components of PROPEL Health Kenya’s work as needed.

Primary Duties And Responsibilities

• Work closely with technical staff to support the planning and organizing of meetings, workshops, and trainings related to PROPEL Health's activities, including drafting invitation lists and letters and following up with participant RSVPs.
• Support production of technical materials, including estimating quantities for workshops, compiling info packets etc.
• Support technical staff in developing technical content for meetings, such as drafting agendas and presentations and participate in actual coordination and implementation of the meetings/activities.
• Take meeting minutes at weekly and bi-weekly team meetings and other technical meetings as required.
• Circulate these minutes to relevant staff in a timely manner and document follow up or outstanding items for subsequent meetings.
• Support project documentation by taking activity notes (notes to file), interviewing technical staff, and submitting to HQ for reporting purposes and capturing project successes.
• Initiate and coordinate inputs for bi-weekly activity trackers according to schedule and ensure team calendar is up to date. Work closely with the operations team to ensure all Ops issues are incorporated, and with the technical team/project director to ensure all program activities are accurate.
• Assist with activity planning (e.g., timelines, tasks) and provide inputs for the development of budgets for programmatic activities.
• Collaborate with finance staff on procurement and spending projections.
• Prepare creative briefs, workshop/ meeting agendas, activity reports.
• Support the project in data collection and analysis.
• Identify areas of success and support with drafting success stories and nuggets.
• Represent PROPEL Health in meetings with partners and stakeholders as requested.
• Work with the PROPEL Health Technical team to provide inputs for draft quarterly, semi-annual, and annual activity reports and success stories to showcase PROPEL Health Kenya work.
• Work with the PROPEL Health headquarters team as needed to provide updates on activity implementation and documentation of activities and results.
• Work with other PROPEL Health Kenya team members on capacity development through the design and development of PROPEL Health workshops and trainings. This may include supporting colleagues with logistical arrangements and delivery of trainings.
• Contribute to the PROPEL Health Kenya components including data collection and analysis, support to modelling processes, providing technical assistance to GOK counterparts in strategy implementation and monitoring.
• Work with senior staff and/or consultants to engage with GOK counterparts and relevant multi- sectoral technical working groups to enhance information sharing, collaboration.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social sciences, public health, public policy, health systems or similar degree program.
• 5 years of experience providing technical assistance on HIV and other health programs in areas such as health governance, health policy, using data for decision making, capacity development of public sector, functional transfer, strategic and implementation planning, and leadership.
• Experience working both with public sector and NGOs in the health sector.
• Experience developing and applying systems management and monitoring tools and conducting assessments and analyses.
• Experience strengthening accountability and transparency of public sector health programs.
• Experience implementing programs and providing technical assistance at the national and county levels in Kenya.
• Proven experience conducting training events, workshops, and building the capacity of counterparts to strengthen policy and governance at the national and subnational levels.
• Demonstrated experience in disseminating work through conference presentations, publications, and journal articles.