Job Opportunity: Program Lead
Location: Nairobi, Nairobi Municipality, Kenya
Requisition ID: req56895
Employment Type: Full-Time
Sector: Health
Employment Category: Proposal
Work Arrangement: In-person
Open to Expatriates: Yes
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is seeking a Program Lead for an anticipated multi-million-dollar Department of Health CDC-funded initiative: Expanding Efforts and Strategies to Protect and Improve Global Health Security in Kenya. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a high-impact program aimed at improving public health security and advancing global health efforts in Kenya.
The Program Lead will collaborate with IRC country programs, regional teams, and HQ leadership to ensure seamless implementation of the project, adhering to IRC’s policies and principles. This role is pivotal in establishing and maintaining relationships with the CDC, government officials, project partners, and other stakeholders. Recruitment for this position is contingent upon the successful award of the project, which is anticipated to begin in March 2025. The selection of the final candidate is subject to CDC approval.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic and Administrative Leadership:
- Provide strategic vision and administrative leadership to guide project activities toward achieving the greatest impact.
- Define and implement activities that align with the project’s objectives and deliver measurable results.
Project Management:
- Oversee technical direction and project delivery, ensuring all activities adhere to performance frameworks and IRC’s operational policies.
- Lead the development, review, and monitoring of yearly work plans, project strategy documents, implementation measures, knowledge management, and sustainability efforts to achieve both short- and long-term goals.
Partnership Management:
- Manage consortium partnerships, ensuring all partners understand expectations and are actively involved in achieving project objectives.
- Facilitate collaborative relationships among partners using project management tools tailored to the consortium.
Financial and Operational Oversight:
- Support county-level staff in managing partners and provide financial and operational guidance to optimize resource allocation.
- Ensure sound budget management, consistent financial tracking, and timely submission of reports to donors.
Reporting and Stakeholder Engagement:
- Provide regular updates to the CDC through formal and informal debriefings, annual and semi-annual reports, ensuring timely submission of high-quality deliverables.
- Maintain active and cooperative relationships with key stakeholders, including government officials, project partners, and other implementing agencies.
- Represent the project and IRC in national, regional, and international forums, including technical conferences and policy briefings. Share information on project achievements and lessons learned within the organization and the wider development community.
Team Management and Capacity Building:
- Create and maintain a work environment that fosters teamwork, trust, and mutual respect.
- Empower project staff to take ownership of their responsibilities while supporting their professional growth.
Requirements
- Degree from an accredited university in public health, international development, or a related field; equivalent experience may be substituted for a graduate degree.
- Minimum of 10 years of experience in similar immunization activities, including managing complex international donor-funded public health projects in challenging environments.
- At least 8 years of project management experience.
- Proven expertise in administrative and financial management for large projects, with significant knowledge of US Government compliance, rules, and regulations.
- Strong experience in developing and maintaining partnerships with diverse stakeholders, including local counterparts, donors, and other implementers.
- Substantial experience managing diverse sub-grantees/sub-contractors, including INGOs, NGOs, local FBOs, and private sector actors.
- Demonstrated success in staff capacity-building, using participatory, flexible, and gender-sensitive approaches.
- Exceptional negotiation and communication skills, both oral and written. Fluency in English is required.
- Experience working in fragile contexts and leading public health responses and programs is highly desirable.
About IRC
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping people to survive, recover, and rebuild their lives. Established in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC provides lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees and others affected by war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity, and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure.
