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We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law.
We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.
Duties
This is an important role at the heart of British High Commission (BHC) Nairobi offering great opportunities to shape the development agenda to include the most vulnerable and marginalised groups and make a real difference to people living below the poverty line in Kenya.
BHC Nairobi hosts over 400 staff covering roles on Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and the region. The UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership and the BHC Country Plan goals cover five pillars: mutual prosperity; security and stability; sustainable development; climate change; science, technology and innovation; and democracy and human rights.
The Social Development Adviser (SDA) will sit within the Humanitarian, Resilience and Inclusion (HRI) Team responsible for ensuring that the UK’s portfolio in Kenya is effectively addressing the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable, building resilience and pioneering new instruments that catalyse greater government responsibility for service delivery. The HRI team is part of a larger Human and Social Development (HSD) Team which focuses on supporting Kenyan Government to deliver basic services to all its people. This is critical to Kenya’s sustained growth and vital as the country becomes an increasingly important trade and development partner for the United Kingdom (UK) in the region. The HSD team covers a portfolio that aims to strengthen systems to deliver health, education and social protection safety nets that protect the poorest and vulnerable, while identifying sustainable pathways to increase the Government of Kenya’s (GoK) commitment on these essential services over time.
The SDA will lead work on enabling UK delivery of all its development portfolio in Kenya while enabling GoK’s own systems to design and deliver solutions to tackling poverty and inequalities that limit development for all. The role holder will lead on undertaking social analyses, social impact assessments, and promoting civil society engagement in policy making. The role will also work across BHC Nairobi, providing social development technical support to strengthen evidence-based policy making. The post holder must be a motivated and experienced development professional with a commitment to overcoming poverty, ready to oversee, support and manage a wide range of programmes.
Requirements
- Minimum formal qualification, or equivalent, required is a bachelor’s degree in one of the following fields: Social and Political Analysis, Poverty and Vulnerability and Analysis and Monitoring, Gender Equality and the Rights and Empowerment of Women and Girls, Empowerment and Accountability, Social Protection, or any other relevant discipline.
- Five years minimum work experience in related field.
- Understanding of, and ability to influence, the structures, policies, programmes and processes at local and national.
- Proven ability to work closely and influence stakeholders on technical policy issues.
- Building systems for improved empowerment of poor and marginalised people and for greater accountability of state and non-state actors.
- Social protection knowledge and expertise
- Leadership, including in challenging environments and with broad dossiers.
- Engaging internationally – often on complex and sensitive matters.
- Experience of working across, diverse and engaging diverse teams, being flexible and able to adjust.
- Ability to conduct and interpret social and political analyses
- Experience in conducting poverty and vulnerability analysis and monitoring
