Senior Specialist/Manager, East and Southern Africa Operations

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

We are looking for an experienced Senior Specialist or Manager/Senior Manager to join our East and Southern Africa Operations team based in Nairobi. Candidates will be evaluated based on their qualifications, previous experiences, and performance in the hiring process for a Senior Specialist or Manager/Senior manager role.

About IDinsight

We amplify social impact by partnering with leaders to develop tailored solutions. Our mission is to use data and evidence to help leaders combat poverty worldwide.

IDinsight is a mission-driven global advisory, data analytics, and research organization that helps global development leaders maximize their social impact. We tailor a wide range of data and evidence tools, including randomized evaluations and machine learning, to help decision-makers design effective programs and rigorously test what works to support communities. We work with governments, multilateral agencies, foundations, and innovative non-profit organizations in Asia and Africa. Our work spans a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, education, health, governance, sanitation, financial inclusion, and other areas.

We have expertise in various rigorous approaches and methodologies, which we tailor to each client depending on their needs and constraints. To achieve a positive social impact we:

• Support clients’ use of data and evidence for routine and major decision-making.
• Inform funding decisions – toward high-impact initiatives and away from less effective programs or approaches.
• Create and share tools, knowledge, and ideas that expand the use of data and evidence for social good.

Our diverse, growing team of roughly 280 outstanding colleagues operates in nearly two dozen countries worldwide. Learn more about our mission and values at www.IDinsight.org. 

About the Senior Specialist/Manager, East and Southern Africa Operations

Our East and Southern Africa Operations team is the jet fuel creating and maintaining a uniquely dynamic and high-achieving multi-cultural team at the cutting edge of how evidence is used to improve global development programs. This team’s mandate is to attract top talent, play a critical role in managing IDinsight's growth and end-to-end hiring for all positions, create the best place to thrive at work and build and improve the systems to allow IDinsight teams to maximize their impact potential.

A Senior Specialist in East and Southern Africa Operations will have the opportunity to contribute to the running and growth of an ambitious organization in the social sector.  The Senior Specialist, East and Southern Africa Operations, will report to the Manager, East and Southern Africa Operations, and work closely with the Operations team and will execute the following:

• Organizational Development Systems: Critically examine and optimize systems that govern how we work, from internal organizational development to our operational processes and systems. These systems include staffing, recruiting, immigration, onboarding and offboarding, people operations, regional policy, safety and security, compliance, and operations strategy.
• Office Admin: Oversee the Nairobi office administration. This includes office management, logistics, immigration support, vendor management, office budget and expenses, team benefits (such as health insurance), and other support that improves team effectiveness.
• Policies & Systems: Make IDinsight the best place to work in international development. Specific work streams and systems include recruiting, onboarding, offboarding, performance management, HR systems, alumni engagement, and policies.
• Executive Support: Provide executive support to the team with multiple tasks such as scheduling meetings, drafting communication, editing documentation, conducting research, etc.
• Culture: Maintain a culture of mastery, autonomy, and purpose. This includes driving our global culture and values, reviewing and maintaining benefits, team-building activities and budgets, and executing employee surveys and improvements to the way we work.

The Manager /Senior Manager will report directly to the Regional Director, East and Southern Africa, and will: 

• Oversee and manage multiple work streams, including recruiting, onboarding, policies & benefits, team engagement, administration, and office operations. This includes managing the team.
• Collaborate with project leads to meet staffing needs. Flag and address sensitive staffing issues (conflict resolutions, performance, etc.). Update staffing projections and any changes to active projects.
• Oversee the Nairobi office administration. This includes office management, logistics, immigration support, vendor management, the office's budget and expenses, team benefits (such as health insurance), and other support that improves team effectiveness.
• Lead improvement initiatives to identify inefficiencies, streamline processes, and develop and implement cost-effective, innovative solutions.
• Be a steward of employee experience, and develop, deploy, and champion best-in-class processes, frameworks, and programs that make IDinsight ESA a great place to work.
• Collaborate with the Regional Director to develop and implement annual strategic plans, including OKRs and budgets. 
• Collaborate with Global, Functional and Regional Operations across various initiatives.
• Provide guidance to teammates on matters including onboarding, project staffing, policies, benefits, performance management, office administration, offboarding, and safety & security.
• Review and maintain team engagement. This includes organizing regular team-building activities, conducting employee surveys, and identifying ways to continuously build and improve our culture. 
• Oversee creation of new organizational policies and guidelines where necessary; ensure organizational employee handbooks are up to date and compliant in each of the jurisdictions in which we operate; contribute to refining safety & security processes and resources for teammates; organize trainings for relevant team members around compliance issues; coordinate closely with the General Counsel and Finance teams to ensure a coherent approach to risk-mitigation and compliance.
• Set annual budget related to operational and administrative activities, monitor spending, and office expenses.

Qualifications

Must-Have Qualifications

• Relevant people operations, human resources, or international development roles. Previous experience in the development/policy sector or consulting firm is an advantage, but not limiting if not available. 2-4 years experience for the Senior Specialist or 5-8 years for the Manager/Senior Manager role.
• Detail and execution-oriented, able to take a complex task from a high-level strategic idea to rapid execution with a large amount of autonomy and conscientiousness;
• Demonstrated track record as a self-starter and leader, including comfort with ambiguity and dynamic environments and work streams;
• Strong communicator in multiple aspects (written communications, public speaking, teamwork and upward management);
• People-focused and people-facing, with high levels of empathy and desire to listen to and share in teammates’ victories, concerns, and needs;
• Strong ability to maintain integrity and confidentiality in complex situations; demonstrated ability to handle sensitive information, data, and issues with mature and discreet professionalism;
• Enthusiasm and track record working effectively with cross-cultural and diverse teams;
• Strong desire for professional growth and development, with a track record of openness to give and receive feedback;
• Strong values aligned with IDinsight’s stated values

Nice to have Qualifications

• Passionate about global development and social impact.
• Ability to work with international, cross-cultural, and diverse teams.
• Some work experience building and driving full life cycle hiring initiatives and knowledge of Applicant Tracking System for sourcing, tracking, and managing candidates (experience with iCIMS preferred, but all ATS experience welcome). experience with BambooHR, iCIMS, Unit4, Asana, Slack or similar productivity tools.

Candidates will be evaluated for a Senior Specialist vs Manager/Senior Manager role based on their qualifications, previous experiences, and performance in the hiring processes.

Professional development

Skill and career development are core to IDinsight's values and long-term impact strategy and have been noted as highlights of teammates’ experiences. IDinsighters receive significant mentorship from IDinsight leadership and support from talented peers and are given considerable autonomy when ready. They maintain professional development plans and are given "stretch" opportunities to strengthen various skills. Real-time feedback is embedded in our culture, and a formal structure enables maximum professional growth. Additionally, teammates have access to an annual professional development stipend that they are encouraged to utilize to explore their career interests and develop their skills.

Nuts & bolts

Location

This position is based in IDinsight’s Nairobi, Kenya. 

Start date

This position's start date is Q4, with a preference for candidates who can start immediately. We expect a two-year minimum commitment, regular professional development conversations, and the potential for a long-term career at IDinsight.

Work authorization

IDinsight is not able to sponsor work authorization for this role. Successful candidates will not require IDinsight to sponsor their work authorization in the office where they'll be based.

Compensation

Compensation and benefits are commensurate with the qualifications and experiences IDinsight is hiring for and competitive within the global development sector. We are especially proud of the people-focused benefits we offer, including comprehensive international health insurance, including mental health coverage; paid vacation, sick, and parental leave; relocation benefits; a travel stipend; technology and work-from-home stipends; a professional development budget; and more.

Please note that, as a non-profit, we are unable to provide compensation comparable to that of leading private-sector organizations. 

How to apply

Please click the "Apply for this job online" button at the top right. Applications are due on 15th September 2024. The application asks various questions in order for us to get to know you and requires a CV and cover letter. 

Please ensure that your CV includes relevant professional and personal experience and details on academic qualifications. CVs can range from one to two pages. Please note that headshot photographs, parental details, birth dates, marital status and other personal information not relevant to the application do not need to be included in your CV. Additionally, we strongly encourage you to use your cover letter to highlight why you want to work for IDinsight specifically and what has prepared you to succeed in the role you’re applying for. A customized cover letter is an important part of IDinsight’s recruiting process as it allows us to understand your motivations for the position, relevant skills, and clarity of writing.

More information, including details on IDinsight’s hiring process and frequently asked questions, can be found online at IDinsight Careers. Any questions should be directed to esa.careers@idinsight.org. 

IDinsight’s commitment to reducing power asymmetries

IDinsight is committed to reducing power asymmetries in the social sector. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion reflects our understanding of the need for the sector to abandon unhealthy practices of the past. We wish to be part of a new generation of international NGOs who are honest about this history and transparent about our role in the present. Our commitment is also aligned with the impact of our work. 

We seek a workforce that includes a variety of perspectives that will help us refine and improve our methods and relationships, and strengthen the services we provide our clients and their communities or constituencies. The following commitments represent our vision for the IDinsight team:

1. IDinsight will have greater representation from the populations with whom we work and clients we serve.
2. IDinsight will have greater representation from the countries in which we work.
3. Across all countries in which we recruit, we will seek greater representation from historically excluded communities.
4. IDinsight will foster an inclusive work culture that empowers a diverse team to do their best work.

IDinsight is committed to non-discrimination in our recruitment, employment practices, and organizational culture, regardless of people’s age, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable law.