Project Manager- Policy & Advocacy

About Village Enterprise:

Village Enterprise’s mission is to end extreme poverty through entrepreneurship and innovation. We have impacted the lives of over a million people living in extreme poverty in East Africa and our new strategy focuses on ‘scale and impact’, and the organization has ambitious goals in both areas. Village Enterprise aims to end extreme poverty for 20 million Africans by 2030. We recognize the importance of partnerships in achieving this goal, and as such, we actively collaborate with Governments and other partners to scale our cost-effective approach, which has been proven to work in multiple countries and with different populations.

Project Overview:

Village Enterprise aims to support county governments in Makueni, Taita Taveta, and West Pokot in managing and scaling Ultra-Poor Graduation (UPG) programs . Our focus will be on the development and implementation of UPG policies in Makueni and Taita Taveta, and conducting a pilot program in West Pokot to enhance the capacity of government officials and promote collaborative efforts towards poverty alleviation. Additionally, the project involves the creation of an integrated Management Information System (MIS) across these counties to enable efficient and sustainable program monitoring. This initiative is positioned as a model for effective poverty graduation strategies in Kenya.

Role Overview:

The Project Manager will lead the policy development in Makueni and Taita Taveta. This role involves close collaboration with county governments to formulate effective UPG policies and oversee the implementation of an integrated Management Information System (MIS) in Makueni, Taita-Taveta and West Pokot. The position is vital for ensuring that our poverty graduation efforts are underpinned by robust policies and data-driven decision-making processes.

Key Responsibilities:

Policy Development and Advocacy: Facilitate the development of UPG policies in partnership with county governments. Ensure policies are tailored to meet local needs and effectively advocate for their adoption and implementation.

Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain strong relationships with county government officials, including decision-makers in the Governor's office, County Executive Committee, and County Assembly. Drive the formation and guidance of county steering committees to champion UPG policy development and implementation.

MIS Coordination and Oversight: Manage the development and implementation of a tailored MIS for the counties, focusing on specific data management and program monitoring needs.

Capacity Building: Facilitate training and continuous engagement with county officials and stakeholders, emphasizing the benefits and impact of UPG policy and MIS in poverty alleviation.

Collaborative Planning and Execution: Work in tandem with Village Enterprise teams, government officials, and local stakeholders to ensure a harmonized approach to UPG policy and MIS implementation.

Reporting and Analysis: Monitor and report on policy development progress and MIS implementation status. Provide insightful analyses and updates to the Chief Government Relations Officer and other key stakeholders.

KPIs:

• % of advocacy meetings resulting in positive responses or actions from county officials
• % completion of each policy draft against planned milestones by the set date.
• % MIS development and rollout milestones achieved on time and the rate of utilization by county staff post-training.
• Number of successful training sessions or workshops conducted with county government officials.
• Number of strategic relationships established with key county stakeholders.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master's degree in Law, Public Administration, Political Science, Development Studies, or a related field.
• Minimum of three years of experience in policy development, project management and government relations, preferably within the NGO sector.
• Demonstrated experience in developing government policies and coordinating information systems.
• Strong understanding of Kenyan county and national government systems and political landscape.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Proven ability to work independently, strategically, and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Strong networking and relationship-building skills, especially within government and development sectors.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate policy and data insights into actionable plans.
• Proficiency in English and Swahili, with knowledge of local Kenyan languages being an added advantage.
• Commitment to Village Enterprise's mission of ending extreme poverty through innovative approaches.

Safeguarding:

"Safeguarding at VE is everyone’s responsibility"

• Ensure program participants are continuously sensitized about possible risks of child abuse, sexual/financial exploitation, prevention and response mechanisms.
• Ensure compliance with VE’s safeguarding policies and Code of Conduct in all programs, operations and practices.
• Report any child or adult safeguarding incidents in program operations for appropriate action and follow up.

Living Our Values:

• Ubuntu: We serve people living in extreme poverty with respect, empathy, and dignity regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion, or education level, and value our common humanity.
• Passion: We believe passionately in our mission and the ability of people living in extreme poverty to improve their lives.
• Integrity: We operate with the highest levels of integrity and trustworthiness.
• Innovation: We value innovation as a means to reduce poverty and treat new ideas, new technologies, and new partners as opportunities to grow our impact.
• Sustainability: We are committed to ensuring that our businesses and our organization are sustainable in the long-term.