About Us
Grassroots nest for Innovations and Change (GRiC) is a not-for-profit organization that aims to support and strengthen the capacities of grassroots organizations that work within their communities, to build innovative, sustainable, and scalable solutions that increase opportunities for quality social services including education for all children and youth in marginalized populations in East Africa.
We aspire to be a regional hub for incubating community-led innovations for sustainable change and transformation of education and social services for children and youth in left-out communities. We achieve our aspiration through capacity strengthening of grassroots organizations.
We are currently partnering with 22 grassroots organizations across East Africa.
Position Overview:
GRiC seeks a Program Manager to join a vibrant team which is based in Nairobi. The Program Manager role provides an opportunity to apply skills in program design and implementation, fundraising, capacity strengthening of grassroots organizations, and overall community development with a special focus on education for marginalized children, youth leadership, and women empowerment and girls’ education. We are looking for an individual who is self-driven and interested in being part of a small team that is committed to supporting lasting change in the communities we serve.
Key Responsibilities
Program Management and Development
- Take a lead role in program design, development, and management.
- Ensure delivery of high-quality programs by supporting robust implementation plans and learning communities.
- Take a lead role in writing donor and organizational reports for submission to funders and partner organizations.
- Ensure that program annual plans are in line with program designs, goals, and outcomes.
- Support capacity-strengthening plans and processes for subgrantee partners.
Fund Raising
- Support designing and developing concept papers and proposals which are aligned with the organization’s strategic plan and the needs of the beneficiaries for submission to funding agencies.
- Develop and maintain effective relations with donors, development agencies in the Global North and in the Global South and government institutions.
Development of Organizational Systems and Staff Management
- Participate in staff recruitment, staff appraisals, renewal of contracts and identification of staff capacity needs and designing of staff development plans. Supervise program staff and support them to develop and implement quality annual work plans.
- Participate in identifying and supervising consultants for various assignments as may be needed by the organization.
Financial Management and Communication
- Ensure that program and organizational activities are managed in accordance with the approved budget and monitor expenditures against the budgets of all the programs.
- Ensure close management of all grants and contracts with the responsibility for their execution.
- Take a lead role in building relationships with the government departments at the national and county levels, and development agencies and partner organizations.
Resource Mobilization and Fundraising
- Participate in designing new projects, concept papers, grant writing and fund-raising.
- Identify and initiate viable funding proposals for resource acquisition to support GRIC’s mandate.
Candidate Profile
- Master’s degree in education, or related field.
- Minimum 3 years work experience in a similar role/position.
- Experience in project design and grant writing.
- Experience and interest in strengthening grassroots organizations, participatory approaches, and community-driven change.
- Good training, coaching and mentorship skills.
- Excellent, planning, analytical, networking, writing and verbal communication skills.
- Excellent computer skills.
Core Competencies and Mind-set
- Believe that all students irrespective of their social backgrounds and status can achieve to the highest level if they are well supported.
- Conviction that grassroots organizations, communities, and parents have a key role in furthering education and supporting children to learn and succeed in school.
- Commitment to improving the status of the less privileged in society.
- Self-awareness, integrity, and empathy.
GRiC’s Work Environment Requires
- An individual who is self-driven, proactive, reflective, analytical, a team player, problem solver, can multitask and grow and thrive in a start-up.
- Willingness to learn, ability to give and receive feedback.
- Dedication to data-driven evidence and results-oriented.
The salary for this position is commensurate with experience.
How to apply
If qualified and interested in this position, please send an email with your detailed CV and an application letter as one PDF attachment to info@gricafrica.org with the title ‘Program Manager’ as the email subject. The CV should contain the contact details of three referees.
Deadline for applications: 10th May 2023
Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
GRiC is an equal employer and does not discriminate or engage in activities that discriminate against any person employed or seeking employment based on race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, age, marital status, disability, or any other status or characteristic protected under applicable law.