Program & Business Development Manager at Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative (YEDI)

Role Summary

• This position has overall technical, financial, and compliance responsibility for program delivery and oversees project delivery teams. Monitors compliance with donor regulations, mitigates risk, and ensures projects meet high-quality standards.
• The position has important business development responsibilities to grow the organisation, attract new donors, lead project design and proposal development efforts and drive external relations and communication initiatives.
• The Program Manager reports to the Executive Director and will work closely with other units of the organization for prompt and excellent deliverables.

Task Responsibilities
Leadership:

• Lead new partner outreach, project design and business development efforts.
• Cultivate existing relationships with stakeholders with the goal of ensuring that YEDI achieves its mission and vision.
• Develop and implement strategies that will maximize the synergies among programs. Provide strategic support and assistance in integrating the technical elements of the programs with other project partners.
• Lead YEDI’s programmatic reporting, including quarterly and annual programmatic reports to partner audiences.

Team Management and Development:

• Work with staff to develop objective performance measurements across all sites, to ensure consistent, high-quality evaluation and goal setting for all employees.
• Instill a sense of accountability among team members by modeling tight oversight of individual and organizational performance standards.
• Lead capacity-building and institutional strengthening efforts.
• Maintain collaborative working relationship with senior-level stakeholders within and outside YEDI to ensure timely and successful achievement of project goals and objectives.
• Oversee the team to complete the project’s work plan and participate in project monitoring and evaluation.

Program Operational Management:

• Optimally use existing balanced scorecard and program dashboard salesforce; establish consistent, objective program performance standards of accountability.
• Direct, lead, and manage the development of grants applications and reports.
• Monitor scopes of work to ensure timeliness, quality, and accuracy of activities vis- à-vis contractual and grant commitments.
• Ensure compliance for all program contracts to ensure timely, accurate reports and communications to funders.
• Seek and develop new funding relationships.
• Monitor scopes of work to ensure timeliness, quality, and accuracy of activities vis- à-vis contractual and grant commitments.
• Ensure program success through the development and implementation of innovative performance and outcomes measures.
• Oversee varied activities and processes to support effective project implementation, reporting, and compliance.
• Identify risk factors with the potential to disrupt the achievement of program/project goals.
• Participate in the development and implementation of strategies to track and mitigate risk and its potential impact.
• Ensure and direct the development of regular and timely program updates across all programs to ensure cross-pollination of ideas, knowledge-building, and resource sharing.

Business Development:

• Create business development strategies and forecast growth projections
• Proactively identify and pursue donor and partner funding opportunities.
• Maintain and grow existing donor and partner relations.
• Provide leadership to new project design, proposal writing and new project presentations.
• Represent the organisation in meetings, at events, conferences, exhibitions etc.
• Engage colleagues in new project design and proposal development efforts and build business development capacity in the organisation

Job Requirements

• The ideal candidate has a Master’s Degree or a BA with numerous years of relevant experience.
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in the successful implementation of community development initiatives. Strong leadership, problem-solving, coordination, and consensus-building skills is a must.
• Strong project management experience managing complex, multifaceted projects resulting in measurable successes and program growth.
• Experience relevant to accomplishment of cross-cutting objectives including health, family planning, gender, youth, and marginalized populations.
• Prior experience working with International NGOs and International Donors/Partners. Experience with diverse donors, including USAID, will be an added advantage.
• Demonstrated proposal writing experience notably for international aid agencies and donors.
• Strong organizational skills, time management, and creativity, performed in dynamic work environments.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with exceptional attention to details
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and work in an extremely fast-paced environment, independently or in a team environment.
• Strong technology literacy. Must be a savvy user of technology as a management reporting tool and experience working with information technology staff to develop and implement program evaluation systems. Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office products a requirement