Project Overview and Role:
In Kenya, Palladium implements the USAID-funded PROPEL Health project to improve the enabling environment for equitable and sustainable health services, supplies, and delivery systems through policy development and implementation; adequate, predictable, and sustainable health financing; enhanced government stewardship, transparency, and accountability; and use of evidence-based advocacy approaches at global, national, and subnational levels to promote best practices. It focuses on family planning/reproductive health (FP/RH), and the integration of FP/RH with HIV and maternal and child health (MCH) with a lens to enable economic empowerment, and positive youth development. Our transformational technical strategy prioritizes localizing policy, advocacy, financing, and governance (PAFG) leadership, technical assistance, and capacity development to enhance resilience and sustainability. The project actively supports USAID’s localization strategy by drawing on local actors to co-create our country designs and lead implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
Under the supervision of the PROPEL Health Kenya Country Project Director (CPD), the Deputy Country Project Director (DCPD) leads technical aspects of the project in compliance with USAID and Palladium rules and regulations to achieve project objectives. S/he will also regularly engage with and maintain good relationships with relevant actors including the Government of Kenya, the donor and other non-government stakeholders. The DCPD will provide support to the CPD in liaising, programmatic, strategic development, and quality control duties.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
- Provide strategic leadership and oversight to support the PROPEL Health Kenya program implementation, ensuring effective management of the activity.
- Serve as a senior member of the program’s leadership team, assisting the CPD in overseeing project staff and activities.
- Co-lead and oversee programmatic functions, including the development of work plans, budgets, and reports, to ensure the successful implementation of the program strategy.
- Maintain effective and open communication with key stakeholders, including the Country Project Director, USAID, Technical Leads, and project operations teams.
- Collaborate with the Country Project Director and project staff to continuously refine implementation processes by integrating lessons learned and best practices.
- Assume the role of Acting Country Project Director in their absence, providing continuity and leadership to the project, including liaison with the USAID Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) in the absence of the Country Project Director.
- Support the Country Project Director in providing technical direction, oversight, and quality control for all program activities, ensuring integration and collaboration across all areas.
- Offer technical and programmatic guidance and support for project activities.
- Coordinate with USAID representatives, USG projects, and other development partners to ensure collaboration and integrated approaches.
- Provide functional guidance to project staff and partners, ensuring deliverables are met within timelines and budgets.
- Promote sustainability of project activities through networking, capacity building, and institutional strengthening.
- Manage technical leads to ensure efficient technical implementation.
- Utilize analytical techniques to identify and resolve issues or problems.
- Organize and support project trainings, conferences, workshops, and meetings as needed.
- Represent the project in external associations, conferences, and symposia, and prepare necessary project-related reports.
- Perform other duties as requested.
Required Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in economics, health economics, public health, health administration, or related field.
- Minimum 10 years of professional experience, and ideally experience in managing large donor projects involving multiple partners, with demonstrated skills in strategic planning, management, supervision, and budgeting.
- Comprehensive knowledge of USAID contract management, policies, regulations, and reporting requirements.
- Extensive experience in health systems strengthening and proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams effectively.
- Demonstrated expertise with USAID planning and reporting systems, operations, and programming, including previous leadership roles.
- Track record of building teams, fostering collaboration, and achieving high-quality deliverables.
- Success in partnership building with diverse stakeholders, including public and private sectors, government representatives, donors, and community organizations.
- Proficient in interpersonal communication, writing, presentation, organization, and computer skills (Outlook, Microsoft office).
- Detail-oriented with the ability to balance multiple tasks and priorities within designated timeframes.
- Responsive and adaptable to changing requirements and demands.
Reporting and Supervision:
The Deputy Country Project Director reports to the Country Project Director who leads the overall technical direction of the project.
Company Overview:
About Palladium – Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 3,000 employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of over 35,000 experts, we help improve economies, societies and, most importantly, people’s lives.
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion – Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.
Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.
Safeguarding – We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.
