OSIEA’s Executive
Director leads a staff of 35 spread across offices in four countries in Eastern
Africa. She/He is responsible for the organization’s strategic direction
and priority-setting, relationships with partner organisations, oversight of a
range of grant-making to partner entities, convenings on key issues, advocacy,
research and other activities.
Deadline:
April 18, 2014
Location:
Eastern Africa
Organization:
OSIEA
Organization:
The Open Society
Initiative for Eastern Africa (OSIEA) is seeking to recruit an Executive
Director to lead its work across five Eastern Africa countries.
About OSIEA
OSIEA is part of a global network - the Open Society
Foundations - operating in more than 100 countries and committed to promoting
local knowledge and agency. OSIEA works with diverse voices to advance public
accountability, challenge corruption, strengthen free media, increase access to
justice and end stigma and abuse of marginalized groups. The foundation is
based in Nairobi, Kenya, with branch offices in Uganda, Tanzania and South
Sudan. OSIEA awards grants and conducts operational work in Kenya, Tanzania,
Uganda Sudan and South Sudan, as well as working with regional organizations
focused on Eastern Africa.
The Position
OSIEA’s Executive Director leads a staff of 35 spread across
offices in four countries in Eastern Africa. She/He is responsible for the
organization’s strategic direction and priority-setting, relationships with
partner organisations, oversight of a range of grant-making to partner
entities, convenings on key issues, advocacy, research and other
activities.
With the senior team, he or she provides program and
administrative management and ensures office operations are conducted
effectively and efficiently in support of OSIEA programs. The position works
with the entire OSIEA team to ensure performance standards are met.
OSIEA places great emphasis on promoting the wellbeing of
staff and establishing a workplace that encourages and supports professional
growth. Top quality work, initiative, creativity, strategic thinking and
innovation are core values for the organisation. At OSIEA, all staff are
expected to work at integrating the organizational values into the performance
of their duties and tasks on a daily basis and by participating in in-house
working groups designed to uphold the values and foster healthy inter-office
communication. The Executive Director must be committed to values-based
leadership and reports dually to the OSIEA regional advisory board and to
the Africa Regional Director of the Open Society Foundations.
The successful candidate will have a track record of
commitment to human rights, deep knowledge of Eastern Africa and a strong
vision of the region’s future as a site of justice, equitable development and
economic security and inclusion. She/he will be a passionate and vigilant
defender of open society values and principles and promote non-discriminatory,
respectful and fair dealings inside and outside the organization.
Integrity, professionalism and instinctive reliance on the
highest moral and fiduciary standards are indispensable in this role in both
personal relationships and institutional governance.
The successful candidate will
- Demonstrate
strong leadership skills: proven by experience as a successful leader in
other organisations and/or situations with diplomatic and problem-solving
skills;
- Earn
and keep the respect of staff through sound and fair judgment,
reliability, concern for their well-being, and high standards regarding
conduct of work and behaviour in the workplace;
- Show
strong organizational and management skills with a strong a grasp of
budgeting techniques and analysis, planning ability, personnel
management and supervisory skills, and excellent time management;
- Engage
in confident and inspiring public communication, whether through
media outreach or one-to-one encounters;
- Be
knowledgeable and experienced in implementing effective and instructive
monitoring and evaluation tools;
- Be
knowledgeable and experienced in the legal dimensions of non-profit
organisations and comfortable implementing complex, rule-based systems;
- Be
proficient in office software (email, spreadsheets and word processing)
and able to learn and grasp other management software used internally;
- Travel
extensively as part of the routine of the job managing their
responsibilities remotely when necessary; and
- Have
fluency in English. Competence in other regionally useful languages is an
added advantage.
An advanced degree and at least ten years work experience
are required, including at least five years of managerial and supervisory
experience at senior level in a complex institution.
The position carries a competitive salary and good benefits
package.
Please email your resume and cover letter to: jobs@osiea.org: include in subject
line ED-OSIEA and your name and surname.
No phone calls, please. Only successful candidates will be
contacted.
