Regional Manager - East Africa

WORK CONTEXT

CESVI has been operating in the Horn of Africa for over two decades, providing humanitarian and development assistance in response to recurring crises caused by conflict, climate change, food insecurity, and forced displacement.

In Somalia, it operates in several health centres providing care and nutrition for newborns and mothers, as well as continuous monitoring of patients’ conditions.

In Ethiopia, due to a severe drought, CESVI supports the population through cash assistance projects, rehabilitation of water collection basins, preparation of grazing land, and peacebuilding activities.

In Kenya, CESVI has activated projects focused on climate resilience and the strengthening of social cohesion.

In northern Uganda, it has launched sustainable agriculture programs, distributing seeds and agricultural tools and providing training on cultivation techniques.

Through the collaboration with institutional donors (as ECHO, AICS, UNICEF, WFP, and FAO), local and international NGOs, and public authorities, CESVI is present in the Region with multisectoral projects supporting the most vulnerable.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The collaboration will start in August 2025.

The Regional Manager will be based in Nairobi or any other CESVI Country Office within the region with availability to travel for at least 50% of the time to the projects’ areas.

The Regional Manager will work under the supervision of the Head of Grants & Programming Department and the Head of Field Operations according to the related functions.

In further detail the Regional Manager:

– Defines the project and program strategy in each Country under his/her responsibility in the short, medium, and long term, under the guidance of the Head of Grant & Programming Department and in collaboration with Field Operations Department and the respective Head of Mission (HoM), in accordance with the Organisational strategic guidelines;

– Defines the areas of intervention in each Country/Area under his/her responsibility in agreement with the Grant & Programming Department and in collaboration with the respective HoM and the Field Operations department;

– Proactively intensifies and maintains relationships with donors and analyses their funding strategies for the Area and Countries under his/her responsibility;

– Represents CESVI vis-a-vis institutional donors and partners both in Europe and in the areas of competence, in coordination and agreement with the Head of Grant & Programming Dept. for new projects and Field Operations Dept. for ongoing projects;

– With the support of the Grants & Programming department, identifies and, where necessary, contributes to the drafting of new project proposals in accordance with the deadlines set by the various institutions, subject to authorisation in accordance with the Organisation’s procedures (PRA).

– In the event of sudden onset emergencies and after activation of the ERC (Emergency Response Committee) at HQ, coordinates with the Head of Grants & Programming and the Emergency Response Humanitarian Aid (ERHA) Unit to help preparing a timely response;

– With the support of the Field Operations department, supervises the HoMs to ensure that the entire project cycle is monitored until the final evaluation: ensures compliance with timelines, mission sustainability, financial performance, and contracts signed with the donor;

– Supervises and evaluates the implementation of activities, the achievement of objectives, and compliance with deadlines for final and interim reports; is also responsible for monitoring the achievement of expected results within the scope of projects, programs, and strategies to be implemented in the Countries and Areas of competence;

– Together with the Regional/Area Administrative Coordinator and the respective HoMs, defines the financial plans for each Country based on the strategic priorities defined with the Grant & Programming Department; supervises the correct use of economic and financial resources allocated to the achievement of the strategic objectives of the Country program in close collaboration with the Regional/Area Administrative Coordinator and in consultation with the Field Operations department; undertakes to identify the resources necessary for the complete economic sustainability of the region under his/her responsibility, together with the HoMs.

– Following a proposal/approval by the Head of Field Operations, carries out monitoring missions in the Countries under his/her responsibility; any exploratory missions to analyze new areas of intervention will be coordinated with the Head of Grants & Programming;

– Manages the teams of expatriates assigned to his/her area of responsibility, either directly or indirectly through coordination with the relevant HoMs;

– The Regiona Manager defines the Organisational chart of their regional structure, in line with program guidelines and in consultation with the Heads of Field Operations, Grants & Programming, and HR. They plan and define the assignment of expatriate staff employed in various projects, optimizing the coverage of personnel costs;

– Provides the Field Operations and Grants & Programming department managers and the HR representative with a periodic and formalized evaluation of the assigned expatriate staff, according to the timetable dictated by HR;

– Is responsible for the application of security measures (developed by the local Security Manager and reviewed by the Security Advisor) in the Countries under his/her responsibility. Decides, in agreement with the Field Operations department manager, what measures to take to ensure the safety of operators (local and international) on site, consulting the Security Advisor when security issues arise in the Countries under his/her responsibility;

– Is responsible for providing the data necessary for the control process of the programs developed in the Countries under his/her responsibility, according to existing procedures and using the tools made available by the Organisation;

– Collaborates with the Communication and Fundraising HQ Offices for all communication, awareness-raising, and fundraising activities carried out in and for the Countries under his/her responsibility;

– In collaboration with the Advocacy Unit and the line manager, produces and reviews talking points/policy papers and advocacy material in general.

– Ensures the dissemination and compliance with all CESVI policies in force.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

• University degree in Project management, International Affairs, Development, International Political Economy or other relevant fields
• Minimum 8 years senior leadership experience in international development and humanitarian work, preferably in East Africa and with INGOs
• Proven ability to lead strategy development and execution in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
• Good knowledge of main donors’ regulations (DG INTPA, DG ECHO, UN system, AICS – Italian Agency for Development Cooperation)
• Proven success in mobilizing significant resources from institutional donors, private sector, and other non-traditional donors
• Experience cultivating partnerships with government agencies, partners, civil society organizations, and private sector stakeholders
• Good organizational and time management skills
• Flexible and with a positive attitude
• Proactive attitude in problem solving
• Strategic thinking and innovation
• Self-motivated, able to take initiative, resilient and able to work independently
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work cooperatively
• Highly result-oriented with the ability to manage workload and stress.
• Computer literacy, particularly in Microsoft Office Programs (Outlook, Excel, TEAMS, etc.) as well accounting packages & other database competencies
• Advanced knowledge of English (written and spoken)

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

• Prior working experience in East Africa
• Capacity building and training skills
• Knowledge of Italian (written and spoken)

SAFEGUARDING

CESVI has a zero-tolerance approach to any harm to, or exploitation of, a child or a vulnerable adult by any of our staff, related people or partners.

CESVI commitment to being a safe organization begins with the staff recruitment process which includes meticulous checks, such as criminal records check or check disclosure of previous convictions, to ensure children and vulnerable people are safeguarded and abuse is prevented. Safeguarding checks are part of the selection process performance.

HEALTH SAFEGUARDING

CESVI pays particular attention to safeguarding the health of all the human resources of the Organisation. Therefore, in order to protect its staff, an assessment of their suitability for the position in each mission is carried out before departure. Such assessment is done by the Occupational Doctor of the Organisation, who will also examine the vaccination coverage.