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Job Category 1 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Programme Roles)Job Subcategory 1
Private Sector DevelopmentJob Description (Roles and Responsibilities) 1
The UK in Kenya
Kenya is the largest economy in East Africa and has a reputation for pioneering innovative business ideas in financial services, telecoms, digital and renewable energy. Kenya’s success in these areas has had a significant impact on the lives of millions of people across the region. Yet, despite progress, over 16 million Kenyans still live below the national poverty line. Whilst Kenya’s growth is positive, political, climactic and security shocks affect its ability to grow, and keep the poorest and most marginalised in extreme poverty. Inequality is growing, and 750,000 young people enter the labour market each year with few job opportunities. Regional instability has an impact within Kenya’s own borders and stirs up internal grievances. FCDO’s work in Kenya is framed within the context of the UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership, which was launched by the Prime Minister and the President of Kenya in January 2020. It comprises 5 pillars: mutual prosperity, sustainable development, security & stability, climate change, and people-to-people links.
FCDO Kenya Prosperity & Climate Team
This is a dynamic, inclusive team comprising Kenya-focused staff and regional advisers. Combining diplomacy and development programming, the team plays a central role in both the prosperity and climate pillars of the UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership, and works closely with colleagues from other departments, particularly Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNEZ). Shaping a low carbon, job creating economic growth is at the heart of the team’s work, with areas of specific focus including urbanisation, trade, finance, investment and climate change. In the Country Business Plan (2023-2025), the economic development portfolio seeks to deliver on these thematic areas.
Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve:
This is a high-profile and critical role as FCDO Kenya’s Private Sector Development Adviser and lead on economic development, with a particular focus on three of the team’s priority areas: investment, urbanisation, and trade. The role includes policy and programme leadership – design and implementation of appropriate programmes to deliver include growth objectives. Reporting to FCDO Kenya’s Economic Counsellor and Head of Prosperity & Climate, the successful candidate will work closely with the team’s programme managers and other technical advisers within the team; and relevant colleagues across British High Commission (BHC) Kenya.
Key responsibilities and accountabilities:
Programme design and leadership.
- As Programme Responsible Owner, provide effective oversight of the day-to-day delivery of one of the largest FCDO Kenya’s bilateral programmes, the £75 million Sustainable Urban Economic Development programme (SUED) in a way that maximises value for money, boosts synergy across BHC objectives and retains flexibility to respond to changes in the delivery context. Key tasks include technical review of project appraisal reports and concept notes; recommending funding allocations to individual investment projects; oversight of risk management, results measurement, and finances; and ensuring effective annual reviews of programme performance.
- As Senior Responsible Owner, provide effective oversight of FCDO Kenya’s bilateral Regional Economic Development for Investment in Trade programme (REDIT), which is implemented by Trademark Africa. Specifically, support the Programme Responsible Owner in planning and implementing the digital customs valuation system that will improve the efficiency and transparency of customs valuation processes at the Port of Mombasa.
- Use evidence to recommend options for future economic development portfolio that responds to Kenya’s unemployment challenge and aligns with BHC’s strategic priorities. In the immediate, develop the terms of reference for the SUED extension and oversee the mobilisation process to onboard a credible delivery partner; and recommend options for taking forward the implementation of the final year of the Kenya Catalytic Jobs Fund in the financial year 2024/24 and thereafter recommend extension or new approaches as appropriate.
- Maintain effective relationships with internal and external programme stakeholders including the UK’s High Commissioner and Development Director, Kenyan County Governors, municipal teams; Council of Governor’s secretariat; private sector players; other development partners, etc.
- Work with programme managers to ensure compliance with the FCDO programme delivery framework rules and effective management of risks and finances, appropriately escalating risks when they arise. Ensure programme results framework is up to date, annual reviews undertaken as scheduled and lessons used to improve programme delivery.
- Work with the other technical advisers within the team (climate and environment adviser, Manufacturing Africa Adviser, International Finance Adviser, Infrastructure Adviser and Economist) as well as technical advisers from other teams across the office to ensure a joint-up approach that maximises the totality of the UK offer in Kenya.
Policy Leadership.
- Lead the UK’s overall ambition and strategy for supporting low-carbon, job creating economic growth in Kenya by offering strong technical and contextual advice in the design and implementation of the economic development programmes, ensuring alignment with broader strategies including the Country Business Plan (2023-2025), the International Development strategy and the British Investment Partnership (BIP) strategy.
- Collaborate with the BHC Nairobi political and governance team to support the UK-Kenya political partnership objectives by leading on relationship management in SUED counties including with County Governors and the Council of Governors’ secretariat.
- Collaborate with the Department for Business and Trade to support the goal of increasing the UK-Kenya trade by identifying and flagging commercial opportunities arising in the economic development portfolio particularly in the SUED investment pipeline.
- Collaborate with the BHC Nairobi Communications team to raise the profile of the UK economic partnerships in Kenya by arranging high-profile media events to showcase UK support through the economic development programmes.
People leadership.
- Opportunity to line manage and provide people leadership both within the Prosperity and Climate Change team but also across the whole BHC mission.
- Model coaching and feedback behaviour that inspires others and builds a positive culture within the team and across the office.
Language requirements:
Language: English
Level of language required: Business.
Guidance: FCDO technical competency frameworks: Private Sector Development: Technical Competency Framework – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The list of core competencies for advisers that set out the skills and attributes that make up each competence.
Essential qualifications, skills and experience 1
Market Systems Development and Business Fundamentals
The candidate should demonstrate the ability to:
- Understand characteristics, business models, constraints, incentives, and strategies of firms in developing countries; potential contributions to development, particularly for sustainable outcomes and women; select appropriate interventions for enabling, supporting, and engaging firms; manage risks and value for money.
- Understand the roles and relationships between different economic actors, organisations, and institutions; identify constraints and opportunities for investment and growth, and for improving economic opportunities for poor people, women and excluded groups; situate economic development in wider social, political, and environmental context and identify risks.
- Explain a market systems approach, understanding the core market, supply chains, the role of supporting functions and rules, together with inter-linkages, incentives, and externalities.
Investment and Finance
The candidate should demonstrate the ability to:
- Explain how the investment climate contributions to competitiveness in regional and global markets. This will include an understanding of the political economy as well as such things as foreign exchange policies, industrial policy, tax, profit-shifting, the implications of land and labour rules, competition law.
- Describe and explain the role of financial sector development in driving inclusive and low-carbon economic growth and poverty reduction, in supporting domestic revenue mobilisation, green finance, digital financial inclusion and the graduation from aid.
Trade and Supply Chains
The candidate should demonstrate the ability to:
- Explain the role of trade in economic development, inclusive growth, low-carbon development, and poverty reduction, with reference to value chains, trade theory,
- Explain barriers to trade including those related to trade facilitation, tariff and non-tariff barriers, trade logistics, infrastructure, and trade finance.
Desirable qualifications, skills and experience 1
- Experience managing complex development programmes.
- Proven track record in building effective relationships with diverse stakeholders –particularly, development organisations, government officials, private investors, and business.
- Working collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
- Good communication skills, and ability to convey complex messages clearly and concisely, both written and verbally.
- Business Studies, Commerce, Economics or finance qualification (degree level)
Required behaviours 1
Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Working Together
Application deadline 1 8 October 2023
Grade 1
Grade 7 (G7)
Type of Position 1 Full-time, Permanent
Working hours per week 1 36.25 hours per week
Region 1 Africa
Country/Territory 1 Kenya
Location (City) 1 Nairobi
Type of Post 1
British High Commission
Number of vacancies 1
Salary KES 8,891,885.00 per annum
Start Date 1 November 2023
Additional information 1
- Please complete the application form in full as the information provided is used during screening.
- Please check your application carefully before you submit, as no changes can be made once submitted.
- The British High Commission / Embassy will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position.
- Employees recruited locally by the British High Commission / Embassy are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law.
- All candidates must be legally able to work and reside in the country of the vacancy with the correct visa/work permit status or demonstrate eligibility to obtain the relevant permit.
- The responsibility lies on the successful candidate to:
- Obtain the relevant permit
- Pay fees for the permit
- Make arrangements to relocate
- Meet the costs to relocate
- The British High Commission / Embassy does not sponsor visas/work permits except where it may be local practice to do so.
- Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount.
- Information about the Civil Service Success Profiles can be found on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles
- Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates.
- Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list’. If during the reserve period of 12 months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate”.
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