Africa Area Director

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GENERAL SUMMARY:

The Africa Area Director is responsible for the overall leadership and management of all of World Concern’s programs in Africa. Lead national and expatriate staff in successful fundraising, program development, management and expansion of WC’s disaster assistance and development programs in Africa. Ensure cohesive alignment of program, country and organizational strategies to deliver an integrated development approach to reduce extreme poverty.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:
(Responsibilities, Accountabilities, and Competencies; May not include all duties of this job)

Leadership, Governance & Management

 Provide the strategic leadership, management, administration, planning, organization, and controls necessary to accomplish World Concern’s objectives in Africa.
 Expand organizational capacity to identify opportunities, create innovative approaches, generate quality proposals, implement successful programs and monitor for effective learning and increased impact.
 Guide staff in pursuit of the vision, mission and World Concern’s core values through exemplary Christian leadership, lifestyle and ministry integrity
 Ensure the health and spiritual growth of the organization through discipleship programs, personal modeling and fostering of transparent accountable relationships.
 Facilitate synergy between country programs to exploit core competencies or comparative advantages and overcome challenges
 Participate as a member of the World Concern Global Leadership Team providing field based perspective for the development of policies and strategic plans of World Concern.
 Maintain organizational compliance with all relevant country laws or regulations ensuring WC is in good standing with government agencies.
 Serve as Chairman of WCDO local board in Kenya bringing key issues to the forefront for discussion and decision making.
 Mentor direct reports for improved decision making, increased skill development and higher capacity to lead others.
 Ensure effective policies and procedures are being utilized to enhance selection, motivation, development, nurture and evaluation of personnel.
 Ensure organizational management tools are being implemented and completed in a timely manner.
 Responsible for staff and asset security ensuring that country programs are maintaining and implementing good security practices and procedures.
 Ensure programs in the Africa region have integrated spiritual impact strategy in operation plans that are appropriate to the country contexts.

Financial Management

 Ensure compliance with World Concern finance policies and procedures.
 Monitor program and country financial reports on a monthly basis working closely with Country Directors to ensure programs stay within available funding sources and that program expenditures are reasonable and allowable.
 Supervise the Regional Accountant and Regional Grant/Compliance Officer to ensure that financial systems and reports have integrity.
 Advise senior management regarding changes, trends or developments that might influence decision making or pose additional risk to the organization.

Communication & Reporting

 Ensure that programs and country offices deliver the necessary written, oral, and visual input for use by Resource Development to promote the work of World Concern.
 Foster effective communication throughout the organization by keeping relevant people in the know; sharing information transparently, appropriately and in a manner that engenders trust and goodwill. Ability to keep things appropriately confidential.
 Ensure timely, accurate, professional internal and external reports for all World Concern projects/programs or administration in compliance with WC, donor and other stakeholder requirements.

Networking, Donor and Public Relations

 Develop a growing inter-agency networking strategy leading to increased opportunities for partnership and program funding
 Represent World Concern as the primary contact in Africa for partnerships, organizational memberships, UN, US Government and other key relationships
 Facilitate networking and partner relationships to expand WC Africa donor base resulting in increased locally raised funding sources for all programs.
 Assure effective collaboration with fund-raising conducted out of the US by Crista and WR donor relations and marketing.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Directly supervise the Country Directors in Africa, Deputy Africa Director, Uganda Representative and Regional Office support staff.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:
(Any Equivalent Combination of Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education and Experience)

1. Christian Commitment:
• Agreement and support of CRISTA’s Statement of Faith
• Demonstrate a living and maturing Christ-centered life-style
• Demonstrate a high degree of personal integrity- Trustworthy and conscientious. Can be relied on to act with consistency and honesty. Speaks the truth in love.
• Willing and able to resolve conflicts using biblical principles with the goal of restoring relationships.
• Accountability-welcomes objective evaluation of working relationships and performance of self and others.

2. Education: Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution in a relevant field. Master’s Degree in development, leadership or other relevant field is desirable

3. Experience: Minimum 7 years management experience in relief and development with at least 3 years in a senior management role. Must have extensive experience managing US Government funded programs. Prior experience working in conflict or post-conflict settings is a must. Significant experience living and working cross culturally. Proven ability to write quality program proposals. Successful at fundraising across a broad spectrum of donors.

4. Competencies:
 Leadership: Inspires others towards organizational goals, higher standards, personal commitment and greater impact to reduce poverty.
 Initiative: Plans work and carries out tasks without detailed instructions. Makes constructive suggestions and prepares for problems or opportunities in advance. Undertakes additional responsibilities and responds to situations as they arise with minimal supervision.
 Judgment: Makes sound decisions based on World Concern’s core values, mission and the Africa Area strategy, a careful and thorough understanding of the overall cultural, relational, and regulatory context, and a careful consideration of the consequences of the decision in the long and short term.
 Cooperation/Teamwork: Works harmoniously with others to get the job done, effectively delegating responsibilities and decision-making authority. Shares critical information with all relevant parties. Seeks opinions and value working relationships. Appropriately facilitates discussion before decision-making process is complete.
 Quality: Maintains high standards despite pressing deadlines; regularly produces accurate, thorough, professional work. Considers excellence a fundamental principle.
 Reliability: Takes personal responsibility. Completes work in a timely, consistent manner. Works hours necessary to complete the task. Is committed to doing the best job possible and keeps commitments.
 Quantity of work: Produces an appropriate quantity of work and does not get bogged down in unnecessary details. Able to manage multiple projects and to determine project urgency in a meaningful and practical way. Is able to organize and schedule people and tasks to meet goals.
 Communication: Writes and speaks effectively using conventions proper to the situation. Able to state own opinions clearly and concisely. Demonstrates openness and honesty. Listens well during meetings and other interactions. Able to explain reasoning behind own opinions and asks others for their opinions and feedback. Asks questions to ensure understanding and uses consideration and tact when offering opinions. Responds to requests in a timely manner.
 Problem Solving: Anticipates problems. Sees how a problem and its solution(s) may affect other things. Gathers information before making decisions and weighs alternatives against objectives before arriving at a reasonable decision. Adapts well to changing priorities, deadlines and directions. Works to eliminate or change all processes that do not add value. Is willing to take action even under pressure, criticism or tight deadlines. Takes informed considered risks. Notifies supervisor of problems in a timely manner.
 Staff Development: Works to improve technical knowledge and performance of oneself and others by pursuing opportunities for continuous learning/feedback. Constructively helps and coaches others in their professional development. Exhibits a “can-do” approach and inspires associates to excel. Develops a team spirit.
 Networking: Able to network broadly with others to keep abreast of key issues and opportunities; connects people and opportunities resulting in fruitful partnerships and new funding or program resources.
 Confidentiality: Has no hidden agendas but is open with information while maintaining the privacy of individuals. Able to keep organizational information confidential until the appropriate time.

5. Language: Excellent command of the English language both written and oral is required. Proficiency in Kiswahili is highly desirable. Ability to speak, French or Arabic is a plus.

6. Licensure/Certification: Not applicable

6. Software and Equipment Used: Broad experience in Word, Excel, and Microsoft Office programs, in a network Environment.

7. Other Considerations: International travel in the region includes Somalia, Sudan, Chad, Uganda, Kenya and others as necessary. Travel to the US averages two times per year to attend meetings. This person must have proven ability to work cross culturally. May travel to remote, harsh or insecure locations. Accommodations may be primitive and in areas that do not have good hygiene or medical facilities.
Position is based in Nairobi Kenya. Office hours are M-F 7:30-4:00 however working hours will vary depending on work load.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
(Any Equivalent Combination of Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education and Experience)

1. Education: Advanced degree in Development or Leadership.

2. Experience: Multi sector program implementation experience. Advanced specialty in one or more sectors. .

3. Licensure/Certification: Not applicable

Please submit your application to www.worldconcern.org/employment . Thank you!