Operations Program Manager at Flone Initiative

Role Description

• This is a full-time on-site role for an Operations Program Manager. The Operations Program Manager will oversee day-to-day operations, manage programs and projects, and ensure the organization's smooth running. This role is located in Kiambu, Kenya.

Strategic leadership

• As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), contribute to strategic direction, organisational decision-making, and other management related issues
• Encourage and promote empowering and collaborative leadership, effective management, and a culture of openness, innovation and accountability in line Flone’s values
• Regularly update and account to SMT on programs work and provide expert advice.
• Identify the key gaps and opportunities in the external public policy and service delivery environments where Flone programmatic and advocacy interventions can have high impact and bring about progressive change.
• Identify the key gaps and opportunities in the public transport sector where Floans’s programmatic and advocacy interventions can have high impact and bring about progressive change
• Leads the design of quality projects and proposals for implementation of Flone’s strategic plan
• Guide the development of policy and advocacy programs
• Communicate Flone’s impact through strategic media engagements including writing, radio and tv interviews etc
• Deputise for, and represent, the Executive Director as required

Program design and implementation

• Lead the planning and design of high quality programmes around for gender equity, inclusion and movement building ,
• Ensure effective programme design and delivery in line with Flones’s strategic plan,
• Set high standards and protocols for programming quality that reflect adherence to technical standards, best practice and donor guidelines,
• Work collaboratively with Grants and Partnerships Office to mobilise resources, effectively manage relationships, negotiations and communication efforts with donors and partners in all phases of project design and implementation
• Assist in development of funding and partnership proposals
• Develop and ensure timely monthly, quarterly and annual programmatic reporting and information
• Develop operational plans and budgets for the implementation of programmes.
• Manage and monitor expenditure against budgets for strategic and annual plans in adherence to financial guidelines and ensuring value for money
• Lead monitoring and evaluation processes and measure both qualitative and quantitative outcomes and impacts of programs
• Serve as the key liaison with key stakeholders and implementing partners;
• Evaluate and manage program risks
• Manage data collection for the updating of metrics to achieve productivity targets, reduce cost per unit, eliminate errors, and deliver excellent service

Research and Knowledge management

• Keep up to date with the existing body of research and ensure its effective use in our programmes and advocacy;
• Conduct high quality research to generate new evidence to address knowledge gaps and our organisational gaps;
• Build organisational capacity and effective partnerships to generate, understand and use research evidence;
• Ensure effective dissemination of research findings within and outside the organisation;
• Facilitates knowledge management, learning and capacity building .

Policy advocacy and social accountability

• Build strong movements of women and linkages with like-minded organisations to advocate for a gender sensitive, fair, and equitable public transport systems;
• Represent Flone in relationships with senior decision-makers to persuasively advocate for gender sensitive, fair and equitable public transport sector;
• Contribute to regional and global advocacy platforms to advocate for gender sensitive, fair and equitable public transport;
• Raise awareness of gender, equity, and human rights issues in public transport systems;
• Draft policy positions, standards and guidelines for a gender sensitive , fair and just public transport systems and advocate for their adoption,
• Advocate for incorporation of climate change resilience, adaptation , and green energy transition in public transport sector.

Donor Compliance and Reporting

• In collaboration with the Grants and Partnerships and programmme team ensure effective compliance with funding agreements through translated proposal documents, start-of-project workshops and training on donor guidelines.
• Effectively manage and lead the program teams to ensure appropriate compliance including reporting schedules, preparation of quality donor narratives and financial reports.
• Produce Flone’s annual and half-year program reports, consolidating inputs into the country level report.

Human Resources Management

• Provide management support to Executive Director including track staffing requirements, hiring new employees as needed
• Support the recruitment of competent staff and effectively manage the program team to deliver high performance;
• develop team members in order to maximize their contribution to the team and organization;
• Coach, guide, and mentor program staff so that they are effective in quality program delivery;
• Create and maintain a positive environment conducive for high performance of the department;
• Ensure proper staff performance management processes are undertaken and maintained with people management responsibility, ensuring that all processes are properly documented;
• Ensure that work within the programme team(s) is planned and organised in a way which will meet the organisation’s needs in the most cost-effective manner, ensuring that team members are given appropriate workloads and are working efficiently;
• Build clear processes in each programme to ensure organisational learning is prioritised and systematically used in project cycle management, external exchange and advocacy.
• Lead, motivate, and support colleagues within a time-sensitive and demanding environment, including career development plans for direct reports and problem resolution
• Perform any other tasks as may be assigned from time to time.

Qualifications

• Five or more years of proven success in a program management role
• Strong skills in budget development and oversight
• Competence in application of common approaches to work including partnerships, inclusion, systems strengthening, creating behavioral change, and mainstreaming gender and inclusion of women and PLWD.
• Experience of leading the design and implementation of projects; facilitating capacity building or institutional support activities targeting partners/ actors
• Proven ability to innovate and develop a successful change agenda.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative partnerships and alliances for influencing government policy and program delivery.
• Familiarity with the rights-based approach, social justice, adult empowerment and gender sensitive approaches.
• Ability to take outputs from critical thoughts/analysis to inform programme plans, ‘hands on’ and problem solving.
• Excellent relationship management skills with a variety of stakeholders.
• Excellent ability to delegate responsibilities while maintaining organizational control of operations and beneficiary service
• Understanding of monitoring and evaluation tools and methodologies
• Demonstrated leadership skills and experience in leading, managing, and motivating others, and building high performing teams.
• Strong people management skills
• Proficiency in conflict management and negotiation processes
• Ability to quickly and effectively problem solve and troubleshoot independently
• Knowledge of productivity software, program management techniques and methods
• An aptitude for learning new applications
• Good communication skills and fluent command of written and spoken English, Kiswahili and Sheng