The Chief of Party (CoP) is the leader of the team and is responsible for the overall planning, implementation, results and management of the performance of the Award. Reporting to the Vice Chancellor or other Senior Management officers as need arises, he/she is the team’s primary point of contact with USAID and is responsible for establishing and maintaining constructive working relationships with counterparts at the other Open Universities and with other stakeholders. The proposed CoP must have outstanding past performance references and a record of successfully leading projects that are similar in size and complexity. Complementarity of technical understanding with the other personnel is essential. In addition, the CoP must have the following qualifications:

1. At least a Masters degree in a relevant field such as international development, education, public policy, youth development, or other related social/behavioral sciences;
2. Eight years of relevant and progressively increasing responsibility leading programs focused on youth development, youth leadership, higher education, livelihoods, private sector engagement, civil society, or other fields related to the program. Significant relevant experience as CoP, Deputy CoP or Senior Program Manager is required;
3. Demonstrated success working with senior government officials, donor partners, international organization partners, and private sector partners in assessing challenges, co-creating and implementing solutions, and achieving measurable results in development projects preferably at a regional level;
4. Demonstrated capacity to effectively lead, mentor, and motivate teams in dynamic environments; foster effective partnerships in horizontal multicultural relationships; and navigate bureaucratic structures to achieve timely results. Specific examples of the CoP’s experience in fostering, leading, or managing these kinds of partnerships and relationships must be well documented; and
5. The CoP must have a demonstrated leadership ability in providing oversight of local capacity development efforts, including working with local partners and/or youth organizations to ensure adherence to all sub-award requirements.
   

The position offers a competitive compensation package including a basic salary, medical insurance cover and additional allowances as per the approved terms.

He/ She will also double up as the Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) and will report to the Chief of Party. He/she will cultivate and manage relationships with the private sector, public sector, civil society and other stakeholders resulting in cash and in-kind contributions that are aligned with and contribute to achieving the objectives of the activity. The minimum qualification requirements for the Partnerships Manager and DCOP are as follows:

1. A Masters degree in a relevant field such as business administration, sales and marketing, international development, or similar fields;
2. Demonstrated experience fostering effective private, public and civil society partnerships based on the principle of shared value and mutual benefit. S/he must also demonstrate ability to translate these partnerships into cash and in-kind contributions that resulted in greater impact to the target beneficiaries;
3. Eight years of relevant and progressively increasing responsibility developing and maintaining strategic relationships between public and private sector partners and growing those partnerships, including regionally;
4. Demonstrated success working with senior private sector partners, government, donor partners, and international organization partners; and
5. Demonstrated track record of working in teams and fostering collegial relationships.
   
   

The position offers a competitive compensation package including a basic salary, medical insurance cover and additional allowances as per the approved terms.

He/ She is responsible for carrying out the Activity MEL functions. S/he will lead the development and implementation of the activity monitoring and evaluation plan and system including appropriate indicators, baseline data, targets, and a plan to evaluate performance and produce timely, accurate, and complete reporting. S/he will also ensure that the MEL system is used as an adaptive management tool to document and incorporate lessons learned to improve activity performance and sharing progress and best practices with stakeholders. S/he supports all the technical staff in MEL functions and manages any MEL related staff in the program. The minimum qualification requirements for the MEL Manager are as follows:

1. A Masters degree in monitoring and evaluation, statistics, demography, or other related area;
2. Five years of relevant experience in designing and implementing MEL systems, preferably within education, livelihoods, or development programs in the region or similar contexts;
3. Experience in relevant technical areas, such as survey and research tool design, data collection, statistical analysis, qualitative research, and dissemination of results;
4. Experience on the use of M&E systems to support a learning agenda and evolve a theory of change to maximize impact;
5. Experience building local capacity to develop and implement M&E systems, especially among small and mid-sized local organizations;
6. Experience training others in data collection and reporting, including both quantitative and qualitative information. Must also have experience working effectively in horizontal collaborative relations that involve collecting information and analyzing and identifying lessons learned to inform decision making; and
7. Strong knowledge and experience supporting Collaborative, Learning, and Adaptation (CLA) processes.

The position offers a competitive compensation package including a basic salary, medical insurance cover and additional allowances as per the approved terms.

He/ She will be responsible for overseeing the financial management of the award including one sub-award and small alumni grants and ensure the transparent and appropriate use of all USG funds. The minimum qualification requirements for the Finance and Administration Manager are as follows:

1. A Masters degree in business administration, Accounting, Finance or a relevant field;
2. Possession of relevant professional certifications, specifically, CPA-K or ACCA;
3. Eight years of relevant and progressively increasing responsibility in finance, accounting and administration, including four years in a supervisory role managing finance and administration of a donor funded activity;
4. Demonstrated experience administering and managing complex grant funding;
5. Experience developing and/or maintaining budget tracking tools;
6. Demonstrated experience managing a team and supervising office and field staff;
7. Ability to implement effective workflow processes and procedures to monitor, evaluate, and report on grant implementation and expenditures;
8. Ability to work with community stakeholders and build capacity of nascent youth organizations and networks.

The position offers a competitive compensation package including a basic salary, medical insurance cover and additional allowances as per the approved terms.

He/ She will be responsible for creating and implementing a comprehensive content strategy that prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEIA) across all platforms and channels. This individual will also serve as a subject matter expert, ensuring that all content is accurate, culturally sensitive, and representative of diverse perspectives. The minimum qualification requirements for the Curriculum Development & Inclusivity Manager are as follows:

1. A Masters degree in Learning design, instructional design, Interactive Media Design, digital Media design or a related field.
2. At least five years of demonstrated experience in content development, editing, and publishing, preferably with a focus on social justice, DEIA, or related fields.
3. A proven track record of developing and implementing successful DEIA-focused content strategies that have resulted in measurable impact.
4. Deep understanding of DEIA principles and best practices, as well as current trends and conversations within the field.
5. Excellent knowledge of content development processes, including ideation, creation, editing, and publishing across various platforms (web, social media, print, etc.).
6. Familiarity with various content formats, including articles, blog posts, social media content, videos, and podcasts.
7. Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to identify and address potential biases in content.
   
   

The position offers a competitive compensation package including a basic salary, medical insurance cover and additional allowances as per the approved terms.

All applicants should:

1. Submit their application online through the links provided at the University website and as per the instructions therein.
2. Attach: Application Letter, a detailed Curriculum Vitae indicating (academic qualifications, professional experience, academic leadership, list of publications, awards, scholarships, funding, membership to professional associations or bodies and linkages, valid email addresses, telephone contacts), copies of certificates, National ID, and other testimonials;
3. Provide names, telephone numbers and contact addresses of three referees and ensure that the referees submit confidential reports on the applicant’s suitability for the post to the undersigned before the closure date.
   
   

Note that the Terms of Service will be for a period of five (5) years with an initial performance period of three (3) years renewable yearly upon satisfactory performance.

Open University of Kenya (OUK) is an equal opportunity employer and, therefore, applicants of either gender, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and those from marginalized areas are encouraged to apply. Interested applicants should submit their applications so as to be received on or before Tuesday, 28th January, 2025. Any form of canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 

Successful candidates will be required to demonstrate compliance with the provisions of Chapter Six of the Constitution.

DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR (PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE)