Program Manager -Gender Equality
- Sep 19, 2023
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Full-time
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit a Program Manager to support HER+, the OneCGIAR Research Initiative with the title ‘Harnessing Gender and Social Equality for Resilience in Agrifood Systems’ (Initiative on Gender Equality; HER+) to achieve its planned outcomes.
This position reports to the Gender Equality Initiative lead and works closely with the Initiative co-lead, the work package (WP) leaders, research teams and partners.
ILRI works to improve food security and nutrition and reduce poverty in developing countries through research for efficient, safe and sustainable use of livestock. It is the only one of 11 CGIAR research centers dedicated entirely to animal agriculture research for the developing world. Co-hosted by Kenya and Ethiopia, ILRI has regional or country offices and projects in East, South and Southeast Asia as well as Central, East, Southern and West Africa. www.ilri.org
CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food-secure future. Its science is carried out by 15 Research Centers in close collaboration with hundreds of partners across the globe.
The Gender Equality Initiative aims to use impactful gender research to address the four dimensions of gender inequality by applying gender-transformative approaches to harmful norms (WP1 Transform), bundling socio-technical innovations for women’s empowerment (WP2 Empower), leveraging social protection to increase women’s access to and control over resources (WP3 Protect), and promoting inclusive governance and policies for increased resilience (WP4 Voice).
Key Responsibilities
Management and operations
The Program Manager will support and engage with the leadership of the Gender Equality Initiative, providing an effective enabling environment for them to be able to lead, guide and advise the program. Duties include
- Work with the Initiative and work package leads to develop and implement the initiative level strategy and continually review as required.
- Overseeing the development, management and implementation of work plans to ensure effective and timely delivery of outputs and ensure that intended outcomes are reached
- Supporting the Initiative leadership of Gender Equality with timely and accurate documentation to enable effective leadership and management of the program. Such documentation may include but is not limited to: budgets; finance and/or performance reports; CGIAR processes, procedures, and timelines; results-based management frameworks and performance management tools.
- Managing administration and overseeing day-to-day operations and logistics; such as, for instance: developing and monitoring partner and consultant agreements; ensuring that CGIAR and ILRI policies relating to intellectual property, Open Access, human resources and others are being followed at the Initiative level; overseeing travel, meeting arrangements and other logistics
- Contributing to the development of proposals for future research programs
- Lead the initiative program management and administrative team and build their capacity on the best project management practices
Planning and Reporting
The Program Manager will be responsible for all the Gender Equality Initiative work related to planning and reporting on results, which involves coordination of contributions from work package leaders and their teams. Duties include
- Taking responsibility for understanding and meeting CGIAR’s requirements on annual plans of work and results and annual reporting and integrating this in a planning and reporting system that is useful and helpful for the Initiative and work package leadership to keep track of work, progress, and results
- Managing the development of the annual plans of work and results
- Managing the development of the annual report for the Gender Equality Initiative
- Contributing to efforts of harmonizing reporting and planning tools/templates across Initiatives
- Managing planning and reporting commitments to other stakeholders if any
Budgeting and Financial Planning
The Program Manager will be responsible for budgeting and financial planning for the Gender Equality Initiative, working closely with finance and administration teams of the Hosting Center ILRI and, where needed, liaise and follow up with finance and administration teams of any of the other involved CGIAR centers. Duties include
- Overseeing Initiative-level budgeting, including development of annual budgets for approval
- Monitoring and supervising budgets and expenditures of the Gender Equality Initiative; and advising on adaptive management if needed
- Contributing to the development of budgets for proposals of future research programs
- Managing budgeting and financial reporting to other stakeholders if any
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
The Program Manager will contribute to developing and maintaining robust and harmonized monitoring, evaluation and learning systems and structures for the Gender Equality Initiative. Duties include
- Ensuring that effective systems are in place for tracking and reporting on planned results and outcomes and implemented
- Managing data collection and maintaining a database on project indicators
- Fostering a learning culture and overseeing the development of a learning strategy for the Gender Equality Initiative
- Actively participating in CGIAR-wide monitoring, evaluation and learning efforts
- Working with Communications to compile final reports and identify topics for wider communication.
Requirements
- A Master’s degree in project management, business administration, public policy, social sciences, international development, agricultural or environmental sciences or closely related field with a minimum of 7 years of relevant professional program management experience with 3 years at managerial level
- Bachelor’s degree level degree will be considered if the candidate has a minimum of 10 years of relevant professional program management with 3 years at managerial level
- A certification in Project Management
- Experience in successfully coordinating large, multi-partner projects
- Excellent understanding of and demonstrated experience with program planning and reporting in complex, multi-faceted programs
- Excellent understanding of and demonstrated experience with budgeting and financial reporting processes
- Demonstrated experience with monitoring, evaluation and learning in complex, multi-faceted programs
- Experience with developing and implementing MELIA plans and reports and supporting scientists or other professionals to understand MELIA concepts
- Proven decision-making and problem-solving ability
- Analytical skills relevant to research, acquisition and analysis of appropriate data for effective problem solving and/or decision-making
- Demonstrated capacity for negotiation, communication, facilitation and delivery of complex tasks in challenging international environments
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, while also seeing the big picture
- Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment
- Good proficiency in the use of MS Windows-based software packages, including word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation programs
- Fluency in written and spoken English
Post location
The position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya.
Terms of Appointment
This is position is at job level HG17 and it is open to national applicants. The position is a two (2) year contract, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funding. ILRI offers a competitive salary and benefits package which includes medical and other insurances.
Applications: Applicants should send a 1) cover letter expressing their interest in the position, what they can bring to the role, how they will build on previous experience ; 2) a resumé (CV) and 3) the names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to the Director, People and Organizational Development through our recruitment portal by clicking on the “Apply Now” on this page before 19th September 2023. The position title and reference number: PM/1092/2023
Should be clearly marked on the subject line of the online application.
We thank all applicants for their interest in working for ILRI. Due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
ILRI does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training). ILRI also does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.
