Assistant Program Manager Kenya NGO Jobs.

Assistant Program Manager Kenya NGO Jobs.
Bio-Innovate is a new multidisciplinary competitive funding mechanism for biosciences and product orientated innovation activities in Eastern Africa, supported by a grant of SEK 80m (USD 10.7m) from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The Program builds on previous investments, achievements and experiences from the Sida-supported BIO-EARN Program and other regional initiatives. Bio-Innovate will work closely with the African Union New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AU/NEPAD) Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA) in strengthening regional collaboration in science and technology to enable the continent to adapt the rapid advances and promises of modern biosciences.

Bio-Innovate will focus on delivering new products through bioscience innovation systems involving a broad range of actors, including scientists, private sector, policy makers, NGOs and other practitioners. It will use modern biosciences to improve agriculture and conserve the environment through improving crop productivity and resilience to climate change in small-scale farming systems; improving the efficiency of the agro-processing industry to add value to local bio-resources. The program will also develop sound policies for commercializing products from biosciences research; and investigate innovative delivery systems.

Bio-Innovate is managed by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). It is co-located on ILRI’s Nairobi campus with the BecA -ILRI Hub, a biosciences research platform that is part of AU/NEPAD’s Africa Biosciences Initiative.

Bio-Innovate -ILRI Hub seeks to recruit an Assistant Program Manager who will be involved in ensuring that adequate program projects, financial and administrative systems are established and maintained. He/she will be responsible for providing technical backstopping to the overall Program management. The job holder will report to the BioInnovate Program Manager. This position will be based at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Headquarters in Nairobi but it may require frequent travel throughout the Eastern Africa region.

Duties and responsibilities
* Provide technical backstopping to the overall Program management;
* Contribute in setting up the Bio-Innovate competitive grants scheme;
* Develop implementation guidelines to ensure efficient execution of Bio-Innovate projects and consortia;
* Contribute to the preparation of competitive Calls for Concept notes and managing of the review process, full proposal development, approval and contractual arrangements;
* Develop project monitoring and evaluation guidelines and participate in the monitoring and evaluation of BioInnovate Projects, including monitoring of milestones and in the preparation of regular technical reports;
* Contribute in Program networking with relevant partners and stakeholders and ensure that BioInnovate program activities are harmonized with other activities in the region. This includes actively exploring synergies of activities with other relevant partners in the region.
* Maintain valid and accurate records pertaining to funded projects by projects in the Bio-Innovate program thematic areas;
* Organize BioInnovate events, such as technical workshops, meetings of the Technical Advisory Committee, and annual technical meetings with research for development partners;
* Work with Principal Investigators of the BioInnovate Projects in six countries of eastern Africa in sourcing stories about their work for the BioInnovate website and e-newsletter, ensuring the accuracy of the science as well as the liveliness of the news and pictorial interest;
* Provide training and advice to BioInnovate Project Principal Investigators and their research and development teams on generating appropriate communications materials to reflect the work of the BioInnovate Program and its partners;
* Manage public awareness events with the media, linked with events such as the launch of the BioInnovate program and the annual technical meeting, amongst others;
* Develop and maintain a filing system and data base for managing BioInnovate Program documentation, including concept notes, project proposals, project agreements, etc;
* Manage the data archive for the Bio-Innovate program;
* Establish and maintain a key contacts data base and email list server, including all Principal Investigators, Project team members, and other stakeholders;
* Establish and keep up to date a Resource mobilization list of key contacts;

Required skills and experience
* MSc. in the field of biosciences and/or bio-policy areas; post graduate training in communications is an asset;
* Minimum 3 years post Masters relevant work experience
* Demonstrated skills in program and or project management at regional and/or international levels; skills for project monitoring and program management;
* Computer skills, including familiarity with Microsoft Office and communications tools, such as Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop;
* Excellent networking and coordination skills; ability to work in a multicultural environment and team building capability;
* Multi-tasking skills, with ability to coordinate, prioritize and organize workload, meet deadlines and work under pressure;
* Excellent interpersonal skills, Capacity to take initiative, demonstrate good judgment and work under minimal supervision;
* Excellent communication skills, in written and verbal communications in English, including web based communications; knowledge of other languages is an advantage.

Terms of appointment
This is a Nationally Recruited Staff (NRS) position based at ILRI’s Nairobi campus and is open to Kenyan nationals only. The position is on a 2-year contract renewable subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funding.

Job level and salary
This position is job level 2D/Research Level 4 and starting salary is KES 140,000 per month. This is exclusive of other benefits provided within ILRI’s National Recruited Staff Scheme.

Applications
Applications addressed to the Human Resources Director, a cover letter, curriculum vitae and the names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience should be emailed to: bioinnovate.recruit@cgiar.org by 14 December 2010.

The position title and reference number “ASSISTANT PROGRAM MANAGER: APM/BIO/11/10” should be clearly marked on the subject line of the email applications. Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI): The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works at the crossroads of livestock and poverty, bringing high-quality livestock science, communications and capacity building to bear on poverty reduction and sustainable development. ILRI is one of 15 centres supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). ILRI has campuses in Kenya (headquarters) and Ethiopia, with other offices located in other regions of Africa (Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria) as well as in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka), Southeast Asia (Laos, Thailand, Vietnam) and East Asia (China). To find out more about ILRI, visit our website at www.ilri.org.

Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA) is an initiative developed within the framework of the African Union’s New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Africa Biosciences Initiative. Located at and managed by ILRI in Nairobi, Kenya, the BecA-ILRI Hub provides a common biosciences research platform, research-related services and capacity building opportunities to the region and beyond. The BecA-ILRI Hub aims to increase access to affordable, world-class research facilities and to create and strengthen human resources in biosciences and related disciplines in Africa. These activities focus on addressing key constraints in African agriculture. To find out more about the BecA Hub, visit our website at http://hub.africabiosciences.org

ILRI is an equal opportunity employer