Job Opportunity: Project Manager – Darwin Extra, Kenya

Fauna & Flora International

Fauna & Flora International (FFI) saves species from extinction and habitats from destruction, whilst improving the livelihoods of local people. Our guiding principles are to work with and alongside local partnerships, act as a catalyst for change, make conservation relevant and base decisions on sound science. Founded in 1903, FFI is the world’s longest established international conservation body; our conservation work, and impact, spans the globe.

Africa Programme

Working closely with local partners, FFI’s Africa Programme currently supports operations in 13 countries in West, Central, East and Southern Africa, and is implementing a range of projects focused on both terrestrial and marine species and habitat conservation, biodiversity planning, protected area management, institutional development and capacity building, sustainable use and community-focused wildlife management initiatives.

To achieve its mission in Africa, FFI uses different approaches to work with and alongside local partners to focus on the sustainable use and management of natural resources as a means to effective conservation in the long-term. In all its projects in Africa, FFI seeks to:

• Build and support local partnerships with African conservation and community development organizations
• Strengthen institutions to bring sustainability and added value to projects
• Maintain long term presence and relationships
• Reconcile conservation goals with the needs of local people
• Incorporate sound science in decision-making

Kenya Programme

FFI has been championing wildlife conservation in Kenya in some shape or form since our foundation in 1903. Exactly a century later, we opened an office in Nairobi and established a formal country programme, and have been supporting local partners to protect key habitats and species. In particular, we played a crucial role in developing the capacity and self-sufficiency of community conservancies and natural management in Northern Kenya. Alongside continuing support of the Northern Rangelands Trust and Ol Pejeta Conservancy today, FFI’s portfolio within Kenya includes both terrestrial and marine work, focusing on flagship species such as Black rhinos for example but also natural resources management and social assessments across many sites. The long-term goal of FFI’s Kenya programme is to be, and to be recognized as, a valued partner in the conservation of Kenya’s biodiversity, working with and supporting government and other local and international partners.

The Opportunity

FFI and local partners in the Upper-Ewaso Ng’iro North Ecosystem are implementing a 5-year project entitled ‘Increasing ecological and socio-economic resilience of Upper-Ewaso Ng’iro North Ecosystem’. FFI is seeking an experienced Project Manager to oversee delivery of this project. The manager will work closely with key project partners and other contractors to ensure the delivery of the project (including match-funding) on time and on budget in full compliance with the terms of the donor Grant Agreement, and in accordance with FFI policies and procedures.

The successful candidate will have proven experience of managing complex high-value statutory grants, involving diverse actors, with delivery and monitoring of multiple streams of work. They will have strong organizational and financial management skills, and experience working in the environment and/or development field, a team player, able to seek out and harness the views and contributions of others, with excellent interpersonal skills, an ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with partner organizations and donors, and the ability to understand the perspective of different stakeholders in order to help identify solutions to obstacles and challenges. They will be self-motivated and committed to producing the highest quality of work.

Terms and Conditions

Start Date: As soon as possible

Duration of Contract: Fixed-term contract until 31 March 2028

Probation Period: Six months

Salary: USD 35,000 gross per annum

Location: Nanyuki with regular travel to FFI country office in Nairobi as required.

Benefits: 25 working days’ annual leave entitlement plus national public holidays observed in Kenya

Hours of Work: This is a full-time position, working 40 hours per week Monday to Friday inclusive. These hours may vary depending on the requirements of the job in the field.

Job Title: Project Manager – Darwin Extra, Kenya

Reporting to: Programme Manager – Terrestrial, Kenya

Key Internal Relationships: Kenya Programme Team (Kenya), Africa Programme Team (UK), Statutory Fundraising Team (UK), Finance Business Partner, East & Southern Africa (FBP (E&SA)) (UK), Social Equity, Agriculture & Enterprise team (UK), Corporate Sustainability Team (UK)

Key External Relationships: The Project Manager – Darwin Extra, Kenya will work closely with key staff from the project implementing partners. The Project Manager – Darwin Extra, Kenya will, as required, represent FFI with government agencies, communities and community-based organizations, international and national stakeholders, including academic institutions and funders, representing the values and interests of FFI at all times.

Purpose

The Project Manager – Darwin Extra, Kenya will be responsible for day-to-day management, partner coordination, and oversight of the delivery of the Darwin Extra project ‘Increasing ecological and socio-economic resilience of Upper-Ewaso Ng’iro North Ecosystem’. This will include but not be limited to: oversight of the implementation of activities, operational and project expenditure management, coordinating technical input from FFI staff and partners, technical and financial reporting, and ensuring compliance with FFI procedures and funding agreements.

Specific Duties:

Under the line management of the Programme Manager – Terrestrial, Kenya, the Project Manager -Darwin Extra, Kenya will have the following responsibilities:

Project Management and coordination

• Coordinate effective implementation of the Darwin Extra project objectives and Theory of Change, managing and supporting the inputs of multiple technical experts and field and partner staff
• Provide technical support to project partners, facilitating partners and stakeholders to deliver outcomes and outputs
• Lead the development of budgets, work plans and monitoring and evaluation frameworks for the project, in close coordination with the project implementing partners and key FFI staff
• Ensure effective and timely delivery of project activities and deliverables against the work plan, targets, reporting timeline and budget
• Manage procurement processes for FFI in accordance with institutional and donor requirements
• Manage project inputs from relevant technical and operational staff, consultants and implementing partners
• Coordinate project data and results management, ensuring compliance with FFI’s data management framework
• Identify support needed to build the organizational and technical capacity of the implementing partners to deliver the project
• Ensure that field operations are conducted to a high standard of health, safety, welfare, environmental good practice, and cultural sensitivity, in line with FFI global policies and procedures and any national policies and procedures

Grant Management

• Act as primary point of FFI contact for the project implementing partners and stakeholders in coordination with line manager, Country Manager and Technical Specialists.
• Ensure all grant agreements, sub-grant agreements and contracts are in place, appropriate to, and comply with, FFI operating standards, FFI Delegation of Authority (DoA), and implementation context within the region.
• Manage the project to ensure delivery of the grant within timeframe and budget, in compliance with all obligations within the terms of the Grant Agreement, and in accordance with FFI policies and procedures, in close cooperation with partner leads.
• Lead donor technical report writing, coordinating the inputs of FFI staff and partners, ensuring accurate and timely technical, operational and institutional reporting as per FFI and donor requirements.
• Ensure any non-compliance is addressed or raised through appropriate policies and procedures.
• At grant end, lead the grant management and administrative steps required for smooth grant closure and finalization of all requirements with the donor.

Financial Management and Reporting

• Be responsible for project finances with specific attention to tracking and forecasting expenditures to ensure project delivery is on budget and satisfies donor compliance requirements, FFI regulations, and the FFI Delegation of Authorities (DoA)
• Ensure proper book-keeping for project financial records that meet both FFI’s in-country and UK-based institutional auditing requirements and internal and donor reporting and auditing requirements
• Analyze project financial performance, including postings and spend, working closely with the Finance and Administration Manager, Kenya and FBP (E&SA)
• Be responsible for regular budget forecasting and re-budget throughout the year in collaboration with project team as required
• Oversee project implementing partners to ensure appropriate maintenance of project financial records and that financial management meets both FFI’s institutional auditing requirements and donor reporting and auditing requirements, working with Grants and Operations Manager, Kenya and FBP (E&SA)
• Prepare project financial reports, with support from the Grants and Operations Manager, Kenya and FBP (E&SA), and ensure timely and accurate financial donor and institutional reporting.
• Prepare periodic disbursement requests and budget justifications for the donor
• Prepare periodic transfers to project partners as per sub-grant agreements in place, following receipt of accurate and timely project financial reporting from them as required
• Ensure grant budget details are accurately entered into FFI’s institutional annual budget within agreed timeframes

Communications & Representation

• Assist with documentation and dissemination of lessons learned internally and externally
• Bring to the attention of the Communications Department news worthy items arising within the project
• As required, represent FFI at appropriate external meetings and fora, including consultations, meetings and briefings

Project Development

• As required, support the raising of additional support (financial and non-financial) to enable and complement project activities
• Contribute to strategic planning and development of FFI’s wider work in the project landscape

Other

• Support a culture of excellent communication, sharing of knowledge, lessons learnt and best practices and collaboration between project staff, wider FFI team members, implementing partners and other stakeholders as appropriate
• Undertake any other tasks commensurate with the position that may be requested from time to-time by Line Manager

Person Specification

Skills- Essential

• Excellent project management skills with proven experience in project design, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation· Excellent financial management and numeracy skills, including budgeting and reforecasting
• Strong organizational skills, with structured and methodical approach to work
• Excellent interpersonal skills, specifically ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with partner organizations and donors
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including report writing
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, including Outlook and Excel
• Fluency in English (spoken and written)

Desirable

• Fluency in Swahili strongly desirable

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• Undergraduate degree in wildlife management, conservation biology, natural resources management or a relevant field.
• At least seven years of experience in project management – delivering complex statutory grants, involving diverse actors, and requiring delivery and monitoring of multiple streams of work
• Proven experience in financial management of high-value grants (budgets totaling in excess of 1m GBP/USD pa)
• At least seven years of experience in the design and implementation of conservation projects
• Experience of grant management – legal compliance and the responsible management of donor funds
• Proven experience in managing donor relationships effectively

Desirable

• Master’s degree in Wildlife Management, conservation biology, natural resources management or a relevant field
• Experience working with government agencies, communities and community-based organizations, local NGOs and for-profit entities
• Experience working within a geographically dispersed team
• Previous experience with DEFRA-funded projects
• Proven experience working in the environment and development field internationally

Behavioral Qualities

Essential

• Excellent team player, able to seek out and harness the views and contributions of others
• Ability to understand the perspective of different stakeholders, to empathizes, in order to facilitate identification of solutions to obstacles and challenges
• Self-motivated and output-driven, committed to producing the highest quality of work
• Flexible and adaptable in uncertain and changeable work situations
• Rigorous and diligent approach to work
• Commitment to FFI’s values and mission

Other

• Candidates must have pre-existing right to work in Kenya

FFI Values

Values underpin who we are and how we act. Just as values shape who we are as individuals, they define us as an organization, creating the culture of success for which FFI is renowned. Our people exemplify our shared values, which are interconnected and interdependent:

• We act with integrity
• We are collaborative
• We are committed
• We are supportive & respectful
• We get things done