JOB DESCRIPTION
Director ARTICLE 19 Kenya and East Africa
Responsible to: Senior Director for Development
Starting salary: 2,640,000 KES – 3,360,000 KES depending on experience
Working hours: 37.5 hours (Monday-Friday, flexible according to contract terms)
Special conditions: Based in ARTICLE 19’s Africa Office in Nairobi, Kenya. The post holder must have a right to work in Kenya. Some evening and weekend work and travel within Africa. Occasional travel internationally.
Contract: Two years, renewable subject to funding
CONTEXT
Article 19 is the leading international NGO which promotes and protects Freedom of Information and Freedom of Expression across the world. We believe that full enjoyment of these rights is the most potent force to strengthen peace and pre-empt conflict. They are central to achieving individual freedoms and developing democracy and play a critical role in tackling the underlying causes of poverty. Through our focus on developing and enforcing international standards and domestic legislation, the empowerment of civil society and practical actions on the ground, we deliver a unique contribution to the protection of human rights and development process.
Three years ago ARTICLE 19 embarked on a restructuring and change process to strengthen our impact on freedom of expression through the establishment of national and regional offices. Our aim is of a truly global organisation, nationally grounded and nationally owned, with operationally autonomous country and regional offices able to respond to opportunities and crises, strengthen, support and/or devise programmes of work to ensure stronger freedom of expression protection. This process has been successfully initiated in Mexico, Brazil, and Bangladesh. We now wish to initiate it in Kenya where A19 established an office in 2008. The Director of A19 Kenya and East Africa will be responsible for leading and developing A19’s presence and program of work for the defence of freedom of expression activities in Kenya and East Africa.
JOB SUMMARY
The Director for Kenya and East Africa will develop and lead the implementation of A19’s regional and country strategies and projects. They will build A19 Kenya’s profile, and strengthen its impact on freedom of expression. They will be an ambassador for ARTICLE 19 in the region, representing the organisation in the media, to donors, governments, opinion makers and leaders. They will have management responsibility for the East Africa Regional Office in Kenya. This will include ensuring proper co-ordination of the priorities and activities of the East Africa Programme with those of ARTICLE 19 as a whole, and the management of staff and consultants working on the programme.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership They will lead the development of A19 Kenya and East Africa programme of work in support of freedom of expression. They will: • Develop and implement appropriate strategies for the promotion and protection of freedom of expression in Kenya and East Africa, including regional and country strategies, and operational implementation • Oversee and/or manage implementation of current and future projects and advocacy work on freedom of expression and access to information in the sub-region • Ensure appropriate and effective response to opportunities and risks related to freedom of expression in Kenya and East Africa • Maintain, in consultation with other staff and others as appropriate, an overview of political, human rights and freedom of expression developments in the region. • Provide sound, timely political advice to A19 London, including Senior Manager for Development and Executive Director on developments in the sub-region • Oversee and/or directly develop projects for development
Development They will lead the development of A19 Kenya and East Africa by: • Developing and maintaining contacts with donors, particularly those located in the sub-region • Identifying new projects or programmes of work for development, and raising funds for these projects and the wider program • Build, maintain and strengthen effective working relationships with partners and other NGOs in the sub-region A19 Profile and impact in the region They will maintain and strengthen ARTICLE 19 profile in the country and sub-region by: • Securing high profile media coverage for ARTICLE 19 Kenya’s activities; • Ensuring A19 work and messages on a broad range of topics and countries are well covered and understood by the media; • Representing ARTICLE 19 to national authorities, donors and opinion makers • Leading on the development of A19’s lobbying and advocacy activities in the sub-region, including in partnership with other key actors
Effective Leadership and Management of A19 Kenya They will manage A19 Kenya effectively, including by • Leading on strategic and operational planning process and ensuring timely delivery of outputs; • Managing A19 Kenya’s budget and finances, overseeing financial management of project budgets, ensuring reporting schedules to A19 London and donors are adhered to, • Managing A19 Kenya’s staff and consultants, and providing support, guidance and feedback • Ensuring the implementation of relevant Kenyan laws and/or of A19 organizational policies and procedures, eg with regard to equal opportunity, gender, recruitment; health and safety, offices and mission security;
Quality control of policy implementation The postholder will: • Ensure effective sub-regional input into, and implementation of, A19’s policy development and relevant strategies on thematic areas and impact • Promote and/or participate actively in cross-fertilization across all A19 regional and country offices and London • Oversee the overall quality control function, including by reviewing and approving reports, press releases, etc. • Lead on results based management for the East Africa region, ensuring that all projects and programmes of work are designed for impact and are effectively implemented, monitored and evaluated. ESSENTIAL
1. Experience Significant experience of: • Work in the field of freedom of expression or human rights in Africa. • Living and working in Africa. • Fund-raising, strategic planning and budgetary processes within an organisation. • Programme, project and staff management. • Drafting of written materials. • Writing and/or editing materials for publication. • Involvement in policy development.
2. Skills and abilities • Ability to play a leadership role within an organisation and commitment to the professional development of staff. • Good interpersonal skills. • Written and spoken fluency in English. • Ability to work under pressure and manage time effectively. • Good writing skills, including the ability to write materials suitable for a variety of audiences and to tight deadlines • Word-processing skills and ability to work without administrative support.
3. Education/Training/Qualifications • Educated to degree standard
4. Knowledge • Familiarity with key freedom of expression issues • Familiarity with international human rights law and awareness of mechanisms for the protection of human rights. • Familiarity with developments in African politics and knowledge of the countries within which the East Africa Programme operates. • Awareness of Kenyan employment law and other law effecting operations.
5. Other Requirements • Commitment to work within ARTICLE 19's philosophy and objectives. • Cultural sensitivity and commitment to equal opportunities.
DESIRABLE
• Oher languages widely spoken in Africa • Experience of senior management in a non-governmental organisation. • Experience of Results based management.