Program Manager at Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative (YEDI)

ROLE SUMMARY

This position has overall technical, financial, and compliance responsibility for program delivery and oversees project delivery teams. Monitors compliance with donor regulations, mitigates risk, and ensures projects meet high-quality standards. The position has important business development responsibilities to grow the organisation, attract new donors, lead project design and proposal development efforts and drive external relations and communication initiatives. The Program Manager reports to the Executive Director and will work closely with other units of the organization for prompt and excellent deliverables.

TASK & RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership:

• Lead new partner outreach, project design and business development efforts.
• Cultivate existing relationships with stakeholders with the goal of ensuring that YEDI achieves its mission and vision.
• Develop and implement strategies that will maximize the synergies among programs. Provide strategic support and assistance in integrating the technical elements of the programs with other project partners.
• Lead YEDI’s programmatic reporting, including quarterly and annual programmatic reports to partner audiences.

Team Management and Development:

• Work with staff to develop objective performance measurements across all sites, to ensure consistent, high-quality evaluation and goal setting for all employees.
• Instill a sense of accountability among team members by modeling tight oversight of individual and organizational performance standards.
• Lead capacity-building and institutional strengthening efforts.
• Maintain collaborative working relationship with senior-level stakeholders within and outside YEDI to ensure timely and successful achievement of project goals and objectives.
• Oversee the team to complete the project’s work plan and participate in project monitoring and evaluation.

Program Operational Management:

• Optimally use existing balanced scorecard and program dashboard salesforce; establish consistent, objective program performance standards of accountability.
• Direct, lead, and manage the development of grants applications and reports.
• Monitor scopes of work to ensure timeliness, quality, and accuracy of activities vis- à-vis contractual and grant commitments.
• Ensure compliance for all program contracts to ensure timely, accurate reports and communications to funders.
• Seek and develop new funding relationships.
• Monitor scopes of work to ensure timeliness, quality, and accuracy of activities vis- à-vis contractual and grant commitments.
• Ensure program success through the development and implementation of innovative performance and outcomes measures.
• Oversee varied activities and processes to support effective project implementation, reporting, and compliance.
• Identify risk factors with the potential to disrupt the achievement of program/project goals.
• Participate in the development and implementation of strategies to track and mitigate risk and its potential impact.
• Ensure and direct the development of regular and timely program updates across all programs to ensure cross-pollination of ideas, knowledge-building, and resource sharing.

Business Development

• Create business development strategies and forecast growth projections
• Proactively identify and pursue donor and partner funding opportunities.
• Maintain and grow existing donor and partner relations.
• Provide leadership to new project design, proposal writing and new project presentations.
• Represent the organisation in meetings, at events, conferences, exhibitions etc.
• Engage colleagues in new project design and proposal development efforts and build business development capacity in the organisation

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in the successful implementation of community development initiatives.
• Strong leadership, problem-solving, coordination, and consensus-building skills is a must.
• Strong project management experience managing complex, multifaceted projects resulting in measurable successes and program growth.
• Experience relevant to accomplishment of cross-cutting objectives including health, family planning, gender, youth, and marginalized populations.
• Prior experience working with International NGOs and International Donors/Partners. Experience with diverse donors, including USAID, will be an added advantage.
• Demonstrated proposal writing experience notably for international aid agencies and donors.
• Strong organizational skills, time management, and creativity, performed in dynamic work environments.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with exceptional attention to details
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and work in an extremely fast-paced environment, independently or in a team environment.
• Strong technology literacy. Must be a savvy user of technology as a management reporting tool and experience working with information technology staff to develop and implement program evaluation systems. Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office products a requirement
• The ideal candidate has a Masters Degree or a BA with numerous years of relevant experience.
• YEDI values personal qualities of integrity, credibility, initiative, a positive attitude and a passion for improving young peoples’ lives.