Summary
Date Posted: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Main purpose of the role
This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned professional – passionate about driving development to be more effective, equitable, and efficient through evidence and identifying best practice – to join CIFF and help shape and drive evidence, measurement and evaluation (EME) of its sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and girl-centred human capital portfolio.
As an expert is these sectors and EME, the EME Director (Africa) will ensure that CIFF’s investments are informed by a robust evidence base, are designed to achieve tangible impact consistent with CIFF’s vision, and have effective measurement and evaluation systems. The EME Director (Africa) will be a member of the EME team and SMT and will work closely with the Africa and SRHR sector teams, contributing to the development of cutting edge and evidence-based strategies and plans that ensure CIFF’s work across the SRHR and Girl Capital sectorsachieves transformational and lasting change.
The EME Director (Africa) will lead a team of talented colleagues to develop and deliver high quality, timely evaluations and programmes aligned to the Foundation and SRHR/Girl Capital strategies and EME priorities. Based in the CIFF offices in Nairobi (applicants based in Addis Ababa will be considered for appointment in CIFF offices there), this position involves travel, primarily to programmes in sub-Saharan Africa.

Role’s responsibilities
As a member of the Evidence, Measurement & Evaluation (EME) Senior Management Team (SMT)
• This role will be responsible for strategy, portfolio evaluation development and management of evaluations, ensuring they are aligned to the Foundation Strategy.
• Provide up-to-date, professional advice to the Executive Team and CIFF Board on related issues, to support the development of Foundation strategies, policies and initiatives.
• Take the lead on corporate, cross-cutting initiatives and projects, as required by the Executive Team.
• Provide compelling, consistent and united leadership which creates clarity for all staff in the team and builds a sense of shared accountability for its success and that of the organisation.
• Develop and maintain excellent external relationships within the sector specialism, acting at all times as a corporate ambassador for CIFF, to help build the organisation’s reputation and profile as a professional, visionary and collaborative philanthropy.
• Deputise for the Executive Director, as required.
• Lead the development and implementation of the team’s annual Executable Plan, to ensure the effective in-year prioritisation of resources and activities.
• Ensure all investment proposals and programmes are underpinned by appropriate evidence and monitoring and evaluation processes and procedures, and generating rigorous evidence that supports CIFF’s advocacy, scaling-up and mainstreaming agendas.
• Provide casework advice, specialist guidance and mentoring support to colleagues (within and beyond the team) to deepen the skills, capability and professionalism of the organisation.
• Ensure that appropriate procedures and frameworks are in place to support the effective leveraging and scaling-up of successful programmes and initiatives.
• Review the processes and procedures in place across the team, to identify and implement improved ways of working that increase operational effectiveness and efficiency.
• Lead the collection and analysis of team performance data and management information, in accordance with CIFF corporate frameworks and requirements, to enable timely and effective decision-making and planning.
• Proactively maintain extensive external networks with experts and opinion-formers within the EME, SRHR, Girl Capital, and international development sectors, particularly for sub-Saharan Africa, to ensure the EME and sector teams’ work is shaped by the most up-to-date insights and research.
• Undertake or commission sector-relevant research and analysis to inform the effective development, delivery and evaluation of programmes and initiatives.
• Keep abreast of developments within the SRHR, Girl Capital, and international development sectors, establishing appropriate information gathering networks and channels to deepen professional knowledge and skills.
• Contribute to the development and promotion of high-quality thought leadership, PR and marketing materials to raise awareness about CIFF’s work within the sector, ensuring alignment with the Foundation’s communications and advocacy strategies.
• In accordance with agreed account management principles and plans, identify, cultivate and proactively manage relationships with nominated key partners/stakeholders, to support the achievement of Foundation and sector team objectives in a coordinated manner.
• With a variety of external audiences, develop and maintain strong partnerships and act as a knowledgeable resource about CIFF’s programmes and priority areas.
• Advise and support more junior colleagues in identifying, negotiating with and managing appropriate programme partners (as required), to enable CIFF to maximise its philanthropic impact through effective collaboration.
• Offer inspiring and motivational leadership that role models CIFF’s values and leadership behaviours, and empowers and enables staff to deliver excellence.
• Adopt a coaching approach with colleagues which instills a culture of openness and trust, embraces diverse thinking, and encourages continuous improvement and learning.
• Be a role model to less experienced team members, demonstrating CIFF’s leadership behaviours and providing mentorship to aid their growth.
• Provide ongoing support to all direct reports[LD1] , ensuring high performance is enabled through objective setting, clear accountabilities and regular review.
Strategy & planning
• Prepare and present high-quality analysis and research, as required, to support the sector in determining future strategic priorities and setting operational plans.
• Contribute to the production of programme strategy and the associated evidence base, alongside other team members, prior to a proposal’s submission for approval.
• Lead on the development of strategies related to SRHR and Girl Capital
Evaluation development, delivery & performance
• Before making new investments, ensuring that CIFF conducts robust appraisals of the evidence base, cost-effectiveness and impact potential of any investment, and sets up a rigorous measurement and evaluation framework;
• Throughout the lifecycle of investments, ensuring timely and relevant monitoring and evaluation data is available and is proactively used by partners and CIFF to make adjustments and course-corrections, as necessary;
• Developing cutting edge approaches to monitor and evaluate the impact of CIFF’s SRHR and Girl Capital investments;
• Sourcing, hiring and managing external evaluation and operational research organisations to effectively monitor and evaluate the investments and strategies;
• Representing CIFF and managing relationships with our implementation and evaluation partners (organisations and consultants) in a supportive and pragmatic way;
• Driving effective dissemination of evidence and data, where findings from CIFF investments are used to influence regional and global policy and practice;
• Ensuring that CIFF stays current with best practice in EME modalities and developments within its portfolio areas;
• Grant administration and management, including approvals and processing of financial requests and progress reports..

Requirements
Skills & Experience
• Established track record in the measurement and evaluation of international development programmes in sub-Saharan Africa essential
• A strong quantitative background, with a master’s degree in epidemiology, statistics, demography, economics or a field related to CIFF’s sectors (e.g. sexual health) essential
• Demonstrable expertise in managing evaluations and commissioning research – from finding and engaging monitoring & evaluation providers to managing activities and relationships with them essential
• In-depth understanding of data systems and analytics, study design and implementation, including quantitative and qualitative approaches, sampling, and statistical analysis essential
• Strong background in using a statistical package such as R, Stata, or similar software essential. Experience with GIS and/or BI packages desirable.
• Detailed understanding of using cost-effectiveness and ROI methodologies and metrics to inform strategy and business planning
• Excellent people leadership skills and proven ability to motivate, develop and hold to account a small- to medium-sized teams of professionals
• Effectively champions and promotes causes – credible and professional, they always present the foundation’s programmes in a compelling way to engage the audience
• Proven success in building and maintaining strategic relationships and working in partnership; has highly developed influencing and negotiation skills, and effectively collaborates to deliver maximum impact; able to influence others and work collaboratively, uniting groups with a shared purpose
• Capacity to work in a range of cultural and socio-economic contexts, adapting style and approach appropriately and in a culturally sensitive manner to maximise effectiveness
• Able to think critically and analytically to draw sound conclusions on the basis of complex data
• Experience of identifying and delivering business process improvements
• Demonstrable experience of working and influencing at senior levels, especially in the use of evidence to impact policy level decisions
• Experience in supporting capacity building for evidence collection and use, system development, and communication, including of programmatic staff and/or national stakeholders and government ministries desirable
• Understanding of CIFF’s priority areas for its SRHR and Girl Capital portfolios, such as SRHR, adolescent health, education, livelihoods, demography, or economics
• Strong knowledge of impact measurement and programme monitoring and evaluation
• An innovative thinker with a pragmatic and solution-oriented mindset
• High-level of financial literacy
• Experience working within government systems and/or experience influencing the policies of government agencies, private sector organizations or donor organisations
• English is CIFF’s business language – we expect all of our people to display outstanding verbal and written communication skills across all aspects of their role
• Proficiency in French highly desirable
• IT proficiency (most specifically in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint)
• A proven self-starter, who works with pace and resilience
• CIFF Board members
• Other CIFF teams – particularly EME and functional teams (e.g. legal, HR, finance)
• Global institutional partners/stakeholders – e.g. DFID, World Bank, USAID et al.
• International charities and NGOs – e.g. Gates Foundation, Save the Children, Oxfam et al.
• National governments and local NGO partners in priority geographies
Key working relationships
• Research and academic institutions active within sector specialism


Education Requirement: No Requirements

Job Experience: No Requirements

Work Hours: 8

Job application procedure
Interested and qualified? Go to Childrens Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) on apply.workable.com to apply

All Jobs

QUICK ALERT SUBSCRIPTION