EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Mennonite Economic Development Associates of Canada (MEDA) invites applications for the senior post of Field Project Manager (FPM) for a large scale, long term economic development project in (“the Project”) in Kenya. More detailed information on “the Project” can be found on the following page. Conditional upon MEDA signing a contract for recently awarded funding, the successful FPM candidate will ideally be able to assume duties in April-May 2015. MEDA is an association of Christians who invest in people living in poverty around the world so they can unleash their potential to earn a livelihood to provide for their families and enrich their communities. To learn more about MEDA and our work, please visit www.meda.org.
Field Project Manager, Kenya (2 year contract, renewable up to 4 years)
Leading a team of field staff and HQ specialists, the FPM ensures effective implementation of project strategies, adjusting course as needed based on interim performance, to achieve life-of-project performance targets. Responsibilities include: acting as MEDA’s representative in Kenya; relationships management with the Government of Kenya, donor agencies, the business community and other stakeholders; project implementation partnerships; field staff recruitment, management; performance contracting of service providers; project financial management and general administration; project performance tracking M&E/MIS systems; security. The FPM also assists MEDA to cultivate new business development opportunities in-country and regionally. The duty station for this position is likely to be in, or in the vicinity of, Nairobi and involves frequent travel to project locations country-wide. The FPM will report to and work closely with MEDA’s North America-based Senior Project Manager tasked to supervise this Project.
Qualifications
- A minimum of ten years’ (fifteen preferred) experience leading and managing complex, large scale economic and enterprise development initiatives (or similar private sector experience)
- Strong understanding of: business decision making in competitive market environments; inclusive subsector development and value chain development facilitation methods.
- Functional experience in marketing, business planning, enterprise finance and investment, business growth advisory service or related areas.
- Demonstrated ability to mobilize stakeholders into partnerships and alliances, lead and facilitate collaborative processes.
- Experience in using commercial business development services (BDS) providers to upgrade farmer, entrepreneur and enterprise competencies.
- Sector experience: agriculture/agribusiness, construction, services in the extractives sector
- Experience in support services (e.g.: input supply; supply chain logistics, supply consolidation, grading/packing operations; food safety and traceability systems; industry standards and certifications is desirable.
- Direct private sector experience is desirable.
- Relevant post-graduate qualifications.
- Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of Swahili is desirable.
- Prior work experience in Kenya or comparable country context is preferred.
- Appreciation and support of MEDA’s faith, values, mission and purpose.
Please send your resume by no later than March 13, 2015 to: jobs@meda.org
The Project
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The Project will advance equitable economic growth in Kenya in economic sectors with strong potential to substantially increase small supplier incomes, employment and achieve equitable distribution of new wealth created in high-poverty, food insecure locations to be targeted. It focuses on key Kenyan growth sectors offering scope for broad-based citizen participation (as suppliers, entrepreneurs, employees): agriculture/agribusiness, the emerging extractives industry and supplying these, the construction and related trades services sector. The Project supports Kenya’s Vision 2030 strategy, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Medium Term Investment Plan (MTIP) priorities aligned with Kenya’s CAADP strategy. Raising agricultural productivity, reducing barriers to trade, establishing efficient value chains and mobilizing private investment to support agribusiness are critical to future equitable growth in this sector and a sustainable path to food security. Generating demand for infrastructure and building construction services and opportunities for post-harvest processing and retail, a thriving agriculture sector is one of the strongest ‘driving forces’ of a robust national economy. Based on its oil, geothermal and alluvial titanium resources, Kenya’s emerging extractives sector, already a ‘top five’ foreign direct investment (FDI) destination in Africa, is expected to play a central role in forging national economic growth in the decades ahead. For more equitable wealth creation, ‘out-sourcing’ linkages to ‘more labour and small enterprise intensive’ economic sectors are needed. The most promising out-sourcing potential in the near term lies in the construction services sector. Extractive firms are large direct purchasers of such services and catalysts for construction of new housing, light commercial and other town facilities needed to accommodate and support a growing resident workforce and small service enterprises serving the extractives sector. As for agriculture, the construction services sector is characterized by high labour absorption and manifold small entrepreneur and SME participation opportunities.
Project Quick Facts |
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