BACKGROUND:

The IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) operates in twenty-four countries in the Horn of Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa and the Western Indian Ocean. The ESARO region hosts a variety of forest types, diverse agricultural and land use management systems and a large footprint of drylands ecosystems (65% of the land area). Small scale rural agriculture supports more than 70% of the communities for livelihood and sustenance. The vast majority of the people in drylands depend on transforming multiple ecosystem services into economic and socio-cultural goods and services that support their livelihoods and food security. Biodiversity (35% hotspots) in dry lands habitats/ forests underpin ecosystem services that are vital for livelihoods of millions of people.

The ESARO Land Systems Programme focuses on both closed and open system forests, agricultural and dryland areas that provide significant ecosystem services and goods to communities and economies in the region.
The Interim Regional Head, Land Systems / Country Representative, Kenya has a dual direct reporting line into the IUCN ESARO Regional Programme Coordinator on all Regional Head, Land Systems responsibilities and to the Regional Director, ESARO on all responsibilities related to the Country Representative, Kenya role.

S/He will serve as both a senior member of the Regional Leadership Team and the IUCN Global Nature Based Solutions (NbS), Global Centre for Societal Transformation (GCST)(GGP) and Global Climate Change Centre (GCCP) teams that help set strategic directions and define priorities for IUCN’s broader engagement on land system issues. The Interim Regional Head, Land Systems / Country Representative, Kenya is also a senior member of the ESARO Regional Leadership Team (RLT) and, accordingly, works with the other members of the Group in strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation

The Country Representative, Kenya / Regional Head, Land Systems will develop, resource, and manage IUCN ESARO’s Lands Systems programme activities in the country and region in close collaboration with other relevant IUCN programmes, Members, Commissions and partners S/He will take a lead in maintaining successful relationships with the Governments and the IUCN membership in Kenya and respective countries with his oversights.

S/He will be responsible for the overall management of lands programme activities, ensuring that they are coherent and consistent with IUCN’s “one programme” approach, build on and align with IUCN’s biodiversity, integrated water resources management, Marine and coastal and ocean resilience programmes and add value to regionally and nationally defined priorities.

The Country Representative, Kenya / Regional Head, Land Systems will be based in Nairobi, Kenya

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Country Representative, Kenya / Regional Head, Land Systems will be responsible for overseeing the effectiveness of IUCN’s Programme of Work at a national and county level, provides strategic oversight and representation role through supporting and building IUCN’s Constituency in the country.

More specifically, the roles and responsibilities of the Country Representative, Kenya / Regional Head, Land Systems are as follows:

Strategic leadership and External Relations/Country Oversight;
Lead the strategic development of the Land Systems Thematic Programme, including periodically conducting situation and scoping analysis to develop/refine the Thematic Area’s strategic framework, ensuring that priorities identified are relevant to IUCN’s members and partners and aligned with IUCN’s value proposition.
Act as a focal point for facilitating and supporting the involvement of IUCN Commissions, Members and other members of the Secretariat in the development and implementation of programmatic activities
Ensure that IUCN is adequately represented in relevant regional, international fora and negotiations on Lands systems (forest, drylands and working lands/agriculture) in ESARO
Lead transformative policy influencing initiatives so as to position IUCN as strategic partner in the region
Provide evidence-based support and facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogues on emerging issues and policy debates, as requested by and under the Delegation of Authority by the Regional Director
Develop and maintain strong strategic partnerships with global programme units, members, commissions, policy bodies and donors.
Lead the design and implementation of a coherent Programme organizational structure
Develop, coordinate and build capacity of thematic and cross thematic teams including at country level for coherence across IUCN global and regional programmes, field programmes, projects, members and partners.
Strategic and policy oversight for the Kenya Programme.

Programme Development and Resource Mobilization;
Providing leadership in programme development aligned with the ‘One Programme’ approach and taking responsibility for ensuring that funding for the programme is secured and ensures that associated programme and project documentation is produced for fund-raising purposes.
Develop highly strategic initiatives that will unlock IUCN’s capacity to establish multi-million initiatives in the region.
Lead in the identification of strategic fundraising needs and in developing concepts and identify and nurture funding opportunities for the LS regional programme.
Develop project concepts and proposals, working closely with thematic programme teams and other relevant IUCN ESARO thematic programme, IUCN global programmes, IUCN members and Commissions and other partners.
Work with IUCN ESARO Senior management to identify donors and key strategic partners aligned to thematic and cross thematic priorities in the ESARO region.
Help maintain and strengthen relationships with key thematic donors.

Technical Programmatic management;
Accountable for overseeing quality technical implementation within ESARO of LS contracted (“C”) projects, and the planning of the implementation of new projects during negotiation phases with donors.
Provide technical advice, guidance and support to projects, country offices as well as other Technical Thematic Coordinators, delegating appropriately.
Ensure that project/programme strategies and workplans are developed and implemented according to plan and commitments to partners and donors.
Work closely with the Finance and Administration as well as Human Resource Departments to ensure that projects/programmes are financially viable and have the necessary human resources and other resources necessary for effective implementation.
Ensure contractual obligations and IUCN’s policies and procedures are efficiently adhered to.
Ensure that the different projects are coordinated, synergetic and integrated and support each other to optimize programs and projects outcomes.
Unlock additional synergies and collaboration with other programmes and projects
Ensures the integration of cross cutting issues into design and implementation including gender.

Monitoring and Evaluation;
Contribute to the development of the ESARO Intersessional Programme Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.
Ensure that all projects develop and effectively implement M&E frameworks and systems, in line with the overall Component M&E framework; and contributing to developing capacity for M&E within the country office and projects within the country portfolio.
Populating and updating the project portal with relevant project status and performance information
Ensure IUCN work is accountable to our donors and other stakeholders through the establishment and management of effective accountability mechanisms and processes.
Provide leadership to use data for programme decision making, of commitment to management action on the findings of monitoring, and of listening to feedback from stakeholders to inform programme development.
Lead regional reporting processes and requirements

Learning and Communication;
Establish mechanisms and guidelines to enable lessons learning and sharing within the thematic area,
Ensure coherent and consistent communication of lessons learnt to key decision-makers and other stakeholders within the region and globally as appropriate, including via the web, print and media.
Establish and utilize mechanisms to encourage innovation both within the Programme and the Organization.
Coordinate the production of high-quality policy briefing papers, statements, external communications products and case studies to influence target audiences.

Staff Management and Development;
Develop, coordinate and supervise the Kenya Country team (including programme and project officers) to ensure that individuals work together as an integrated team
Develop a culture and focus on quality in Programme Development and implementation, ensure appropriate staffing and mentorship as appropriate.
Manage the team through effective use of the Performance Management System; regular review and evaluation of direct reports; provision of coaching, mentoring and other developmental opportunities.
Ensure that all technical thematic staff proactively build and maintain technical skills and competencies required for leading and/or delivering quality programmes.

Other responsibilities;
Perform other duties as they may be assigned from time to time.