Project Officer for Kenya Office

Position: Project Officer

Reporting to: Project Manager in the Kenya Office

Location: Nairobi, Kenya with hybrid working of 2 days in the Nairobi office and 3 days remote

Contract Type: Permanent and full-time

Starting Salary Range KES 113,335 to KES 116,000 gross per month (commensurate with experience) plus benefits

Purpose

The Project Officer will be responsible for supporting the effective implementation of project delivery activities across our portfolio, predominantly based across Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East. 

The post holder will support projects, ensuring that delivery meets quality expectations (internal and client), scope of project, within budgeted resources, and in line with project timelines. The post holder will work closely with project managers, delivery partners, consultants, and internal technical experts to ensure projects maximise their positive impact.  

This post will also support the Project Manager in Kenya and the Project Delivery Team to disseminate good management practice across the organisation, and advise on delivery approaches.  

Main Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Project Officer will cover the following:

Project Support

• Provide support to Project Managers in the delivery of projects, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget and scope and comply with client contract.
• Take on Project Management responsibilities for select projects, as required.
• Set-up and monitor projects workplans, including change requests ensuring that approvals are formally recorded.
• Manage day-to-day relationships with delivery partners and the internal team(s) and build solid understanding of delivery needs and timelines across projects.
• Monitor and support timely client and consultant billing and invoices attached to delivery.
• Support onboarding of consultants for new projects, including due diligence checks and contract preparation based on set templates.
• Ensure project management software and tools are accurate and kept up to date for allocated projects.
• Provide timely responses to client queries and alert Project Managers of any potential risks.
• Lead duty of care and travel planning for staff and consultants, working alongside administrative officers Liaise closely with technical colleagues and Project Managers on project support needs.
• Monitor staff capacity across Kenya office projects and support project manager in updating Capacity tracker for forward planning.

Project Financial Management

• Monitor project budget performance by accurately and regularly updating finance forecasts, maintaining budget trackers and escalating any variances.
• Monitor consultants’ expenses/fees against contracts and client invoices against contracts.
• Make recommendations to ensure financial outcomes are met in respect to time, quality and cost ensuring early warning of project overspend.
• Prepare internal project update reporting including finances and resourcing using required management tools. 

Organisational Support and Business Development

• Providing support in strengthening policies, procedures, and management tools for Development Pathways.
• Coordinate with wider the wider projects team to ensure technical capacity is well planned across Development Pathways’ portfolio of projects.
• Signpost colleagues to relevant project management tools and processes, when required.
• Support project closure processes as required, capturing and sharing lessons internally. 
• Provide ad hoc input to evolving organisational requirements as directed by the Director of Project Delivery. 
• Assist with identification and monitor business opportunities in donor markets, as requested.
• Update SharePoint and ensure project data sheets are developed and up to date to facilitate BD tenders.
• Collate and share project information to support the Business Development and Communications departments.  

Skills, Knowledge and Behaviours

The Project Officer will require the following combination of applied skills, knowledge, and behaviours to successfully contribute to team goals:

• An undergraduate degree in an appropriate subject 
• 1-2 years’ experience working within international development, research and/or the consultancy sector 
• Understanding of project implementation requirements and specifications
• Ability to plan and coordinate project implementation activities including reporting, finance, project management and develop and implement administrative systems in a complex environment
• Ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with a broad range of stakeholders
• Demonstrated capacity to coordinate quality documentation that conveys ideas and concepts in a clear, logical and accessible manner
• Well-developed interpersonal communication skills demonstrated by successful liaison and rapport building with consultants and stakeholders consulting
• Ability to understand and effectively utilise financial information
• Ability to prioritise, plan and organise workflow to tight timeframes, handle multiple tasks and be flexible with changing priorities
• Proven ability to resolve problems, anticipate barriers and create practical solutions
• High IT proficiency (Microsoft Office (Word, Excel), SharePoint, etc.)
• Demonstrated attention to detail ensuring quality standards are maintained
• Ability to travel internationally when required
• Proficiency in additional languages, especially French, would be advantageous but is not required
• Commitment to values of international development, social justice and equality. 

Terms of Employment and Benefits

Recruitment will be at the junior level and is a permanent and full-time post. Along with basic salary, the successful candidate would receive an attractive package of the following:

• Fulfilling work - working to make a difference to some of the world’s most under-served communities.
• Flexible working – Development Pathways offers employees flexible work hours and remote work options.
• Generous time off – recharge with 26-holiday entitlement plus public/bank holidays.
• Excellent health and well-being provision – access to the comprehensive medical insurance cover that includes in-patient, out-patient, dental and optical cover and an employee assistance programme.
• Group Life Insurance
• Commitment to professional development opportunities – we encourage our staff to participate in professional learning and development.
• Provision of a company laptop
• Yearly working at home allowance
• Monthly travel allowance if attend the office two days per week
• Reward Scheme for involvement in winning bid work
• Lunch provided when in the office.

How to apply

We invite interested candidates to please apply for the post by including all of the following:

1. A cover letter explaining why you are applying for this position, and how you would meet the selection criteria for the post of Project Officer in Kenya
2. A detailed CV (curriculum vitae) specifying your qualifications, education, and relevant work experience
3. All applicants will be required to specify if they have the right to work and live in the Kenya.

Closing date for this post will be the close of business on the 20th August 2024.

Applications should be submitted by email.

Applicants must confirm if they have the right to live and work in Kenya.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and we retain the right to close this role without notice.

Due to the high number of applications expected, unfortunately only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Applicants please note the Privacy Notice on our website.

Development Pathways is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate and support diversity and are committed to providing a work environment that is inclusive and free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on individual qualifications and abilities.  without regard to race, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, family or parental status, or disability status.

Background

Development Pathways is an international consultancy organisation with a wealth of expertise in the areas of social protection, poverty and vulnerability analysis, social development, management information systems, research, and training. We are committed to innovative, progressive, and evidence-based social policy and aim to influence international debates on social policy through our website and participation in international fora. We combine country-specific social and political analysis with lessons learnt from extensive international experience to ensure that policies and programmes are robust and benefit the most vulnerable, including children, women, and persons with disabilities.

Our team has worked extensively across Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America on assignments for a range of clients, including the United Nations’ agencies (UNICEF, WFP, FAO, ILO, UNDP, UNDESA) and development banks (World Bank, ADB, KfW), governmental donors (FCDO, GIZ, DFAT), and international NGOs (e.g. HelpAge, Save the Children). Across our projects, Development Pathways is the lead supplier in the Partnership for Social Protection (P4SP) project based in the Pacific, with DFAT; the Strengthening the Societal and Economic Resilience in Jordan (SSERJ) project with FCDO; the DFAT capacity building platform called Social Protection Advice, Research and Capability (SPARC); and a KfW project in Malawi focused the Social Cash Transfer Programme.

We currently have around 50 staff members working across our four offices located in Greater London (United Kingdom), Nairobi (Kenya), Amman (Jordan) and Canberra (Australia). Our staff work alongside a global network of trusted consultants. As an employer, we put our staff first and are committed to flexible working practices and developing our staff’s professional capabilities.

For more information about our organisation, please visit our website.