The primary aim of the British Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) is reducing poverty, and achievement of the other Millennium Development Goals. DFID Kenya and Somalia is responsible for the delivery of DFID’s development and humanitarian assistance and policy work in Kenya and Somalia.
Closing date: 09 Aug 2010
Location: Kenya – Nairobi
Location: Kenya – Nairobi
DFID K&S is part of the British High Commission in Nairobi, working closely with colleagues from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other government departments on both policy and management services. We have approximately 50 staff, organised into three teams (Kenya, Somalia, and Corporate Services), of whom about three-quarters are appointed locally (majority Kenyan, a few British) and about a quarter are UK diplomats. Several staff work on both Kenya and Somalia. Terms and conditions are competitive, and there are good opportunities for learning and development. The working environment is modern and pleasant.
In 2010/11 DFID expects to spend about £90m on Kenya (where our priority sectors are health, education, governance and conflict prevention, social protection, private sector development and climate change, and we regularly contribute to humanitarian needs), and about £30m on Somalia (where our priority sectors are humanitarian, governance and peacebuilding, employment creation, health and education).
DFID K&S is undertaking a Fundamental Staffing Review in the 4th quarter of 2010, to ensure its staffing is aligned with its objectives and workload under new business plans to be prepared as part of the new Government’s review of the bilateral aid programme, and with the Government’s ambition for more joined-up working overseas.
A vacancy has arisen for a post as temporary Deputy Head of Corporate Services based in our Nairobi office. The appointment will be under local terms and conditions and is subject to security clearance. This is a temporary post for 6-8 months duration, pending decisions on the longer-term structure of the team.
The ideal start date would be in September.
The objective of the post is to work with the Head of Corporate Services and Change Management to maintain and improve the quality of corporate services provided to the DFID Kenya and Somalia office, during a transitional period when the structure of the Corporate Services team is being reviewed as part of a Fundamental Staffing Review, and a move towards greater shared services with the rest of the British High Commission.
The jobholder will report to the Head of the Corporate Services team, and will manage several staff in the team (exact details to be confirmed). She/he will work with staff across the DFID office, as well as with other British High Commission corporate services staff, DFID colleagues in the UK and other African offices, and a range of external stakeholders.
The current head of the Corporate Services team is leaving in September. He is being replaced on 1 September by a new more senior Head of Corporate Services and Change Management, who will lead on the Fundamental Staffing Review, and oversee the work of the Corporate Services team, and by this post, which will be responsible for the day to day running of the team pending decisions on the longer-term structure of the team.
The team is responsible for a range of corporate services functions: finance, human resources, estates and office management, IT, transport, procurement, procedural compliance. Coaching staff to build capacity, and quality control, are key parts of the job.
The exact division of labour and reporting arrangements within the team of 12 will be decided by the new Head of the team during September.
Duties of this post may include:
- Supervising the office’s accounts; checking the work of the accountants to ensure full procedural compliance and clear and timely monthly accounts.
- With the Head of Corporate Services, coordinating the management of the office’s administration cost budget, ensuring a rigorous needs-based annual budgeting process, transparency and clarity on the availability of resources, value for money on all expenditure, in-year monitoring and reallocation where necessary.
- Ensuring overall compliance with DFID administrative procedures for non-programme spending, including oversight of implementation of audits, enforcing policy on fraud and ensuring that systems to reduce incidence of fraud are robust and well managed, and ensuring that policies on travel and subsistence, entertainment etc are complied with.
- Supporting the joint IT team to maintain and continuously update DFID’s IT systems to deliver the most productive working environment possible.
- Overseeing management of the DFID K&S estate (office and staff houses) to ensure appropriate standards, value for money, health and safety compliance and customer satisfaction, giving strategic direction to relevant staff and intervening when significant problems arise.
- Coordinating management of the shared transport pool with the FCO to ensure that office and project transport needs are efficiently met with the minimum possible number of vehicles and admin cost budget.
- Ensuring DFID’s local practices are consistent with Kenyan law.
- Supporting the Head of Corporate Services to promote ever-closer cooperation with the FCO management team, and increased efficiency and value for money through shared management services where appropriate.
- Assisting the Head of Corporate Services with various corporate returns as needed.
- Deputising for the Head of Corporate Services in her absence.
The jobholder must be able to demonstrate experience of at least two of finance, HR, estates management, and procurement in a previous office management role involving management of staff. Excellent written and spoken English and IT skills, including knowledge of Windows Word and Excel applications and an ability to learn DFID systems, are a pre-requisite.
Candidates will also be expected to demonstrate the following competencies:
- Planning and Delivery of Work – Plans and organises work to meet individual, team and departmental objectives whilst achieving quality and value for money.
- Analysis and Use of Information – Able to assess and interpret information in order to identify opportunities and potential risk areas.
- Organisational Awareness – Understands DFID core values, its vision and the Millennium Development Goals.
- Managing Change – Supports opportunities for positive change and actively looks for ways to improve what they do.
- Continual improvement – Continually looks to improve their skills, knowledge and the way they work
How to apply
If you are interested in applying for this position please send an email to jobskenya@dfid.gov.uk to receive an application form. Complete the form and resend it to jobskenya@dfid.gov.uk
You can also send a hard copy to the Human Resources Manager, DFID Kenya & Somalia, British High Commission, Upper Hill Road, Nairobi.
The closing date for applications is 12pm, Monday 9 August. Under no circumstances will applications be accepted after this date.
Your application will not be acknowledged. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Selection may not always include interview.
DFID is an Equal Opportunities employer. Applications are welcomed from all parts of the community, and we actively encourage interest from women, ethnic minority groups and those with disabilities. Selection is on merit.
