Program Manager

Scope: SWITCH Kenya Green

Reports to: Regional Director

Level: Program Manager

Grade: 11,12

Countries: Kenya

Hours: 40

About Hivos

Hivos is an international development organization guided by humanist values. Together with citizens and their organizations, we aim to contribute towards a just, inclusive and life-sustaining society where people have equal access to opportunities, rights and resources. We work in partnership with others in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America on three impact areas: civic rights in a digital age; Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI), and Climate Justice. Our approach is solution-driven, and we build wider movements for change by amplifying and connecting voices.

About Switch Kenya Green:

Tujenge Pamoja: Advancing Kenya’s Circular Economy through MSMEs

The SWITCH Kenya Green Program builds on the strong foundation laid by SWITCH Africa Green (2020 – 2023), part of the SWITCH Global frameworks. The previous phase demonstrated that Kenya’s shift toward an inclusive green economy, rooted in sustainable consumption and production is not only possible but powerful.

Now, SWITCH Kenya Green is taking that momentum to the next level. Backed by a €5 million investment from the European Commission, the program adopts a bold, forward-looking approach to accelerate the country’s transition into a circular, inclusive and future-fit green economy.

The program will blend high level policy cooperation with direct support to businesses while placing emphasis to sustainability, access to finance, circular value chains and creation of meaningful green jobs.

This ambitious, sustainability-driven program will be delivered through a strategic consortium of five organizations: Hivos, KCB Foundation, the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), SOMO, and United States International University–Africa (USIU-A). Together, the consortium brings a unique blend of expertise, networks, and on-the-ground capacity to drive systemic change.

The program will be implemented across 8 counties in Kenya, covering 2 regions;

• Nairobi Metropolitan: Nairobi, Kiambu, Nakuru, Machakos, Makueni
• Pwani Economic Bloc: Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale

Guided by a clear Theory of Change (ToC) the program aims to equip and elevate MSMEs, expand their access to financing, unlock opportunities within circular economy value chains, and ultimately contribute to reduced waste, increased green job opportunities and sustainable, inclusive economic growth for Kenya.

Job Context

Reporting to the Portfolio Manager, the Program Manager will lead Hivos’ contribution to the SWITCH Kenya Green Program and its Theory of Change. The role serves as the primary national liaison with consortium members, ensuring strong coordination and collective delivery across the program. The Manager will position Hivos at the national level and act as the organization’s focal point on all program related matters.

A core component of this role is shaping and driving the national advocacy dimensions of the SWITCH Kenya Green Program. The Manager will participate in the national advocacy strategy team alongside consortium partners, engage and influence priority stakeholders identified in the advocacy strategy, and ensure evidence-based policy engagement. This includes commissioning and overseeing research, organizing convenings and events, and coordinating other strategic activities required to advance the advocacy agenda.

Additionally, the Manager will provide oversight of the Hivos SWITCH Kenya Green national budget and ensure alignment with program goals, donor requirements, and internal processes.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Delivery of Program Results: As the consortium program manager, they will be in charge of the overall coordination and compliance; track deliverables indicators; delivery of high-quality results as per contractual obligations; communications between donor, partner and stakeholders; steering committee and the FTSP Committee and oversee the budget.
   
2. External positioning; Is the Hivos ambassador of the program; promotes Hivos’ agenda in professional forums by sharing and profiling practice-based results, experiences and proposes and delivers sustainable solutions.
   
3. Agenda setting; Within the thematic area, formulates key issues; designs advocacy strategies for change and proactively creates entry points and interventions in order to generate space and support for Hivos’ strategies, ideas and activities with key decision makers and at key national positioning events.
   
4. Mobilizing forces; Joins forces with people, organizations and donors; creates or co-creates the necessary preconditions for successful advocacy and lobby activities and innovation; co-creates effective campaigns and projects aimed at reaching our contractual obligations.
   
5. Innovation & Capacity Building; Ensure the program is constantly innovating, e.g. through building unusual partnership and cooperation between urban youth and local communities. Include innovative ways of working with a GESI lens plan that ensures the strength of diversity is included in the outcomes.
   
6. Stakeholder intelligence; Directs the “listening” of key stakeholders in the Hivos environment and provides internal stakeholders access to this intelligence in terms of challenges, opportunities and risks.
   
7. Leadership; Leads, motivates, trains, appraises, guides and/or inspires staff and enables effective teamwork, achieves objectives and works according to Hivos’ guiding principles.

REQUIREMENTS

This is a Kenyan based program and priority will be extended to Kenyan candidates.

Academic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environment, Development, Policy, Economics or related field.
• Master’s degree is an added advantage.
• Training in project management or sustainability is desirable.

Core Skills

• Minimum of five (5) to seven (7) years of experience in program management, project coordination or a related role, preferably within an NGO or development context.
• Experience and working knowledge of green/circular economy and MSME ecosystems.
• Program coordination and delivery within multi-stakeholder settings particularly EU funded projects.
• Policy engagement, advocacy planning, and stakeholder mapping.
• Ability to commission and translate research into actionable insights.
• Budget oversight and financial monitoring.
• Experience and working knowledge of green/circular economy and MSME ecosystems.
• Experience with financial support to 3rd parties oversight.
• Strong communication, writing, and presentation skills.
• Experience organizing policy dialogues, events, or convenings.

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinker with strong systems awareness.
• Excellent partnership and relationship-building skills.
• High emotional intelligence, diplomacy, and political sensitivity.
• Strong facilitation and representation ability.
• Results-oriented, adaptable, and able to navigate complexity.
• Upholds integrity, inclusion, and Hivos values.

Hivos is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity, integrity, and inclusion. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals, especially those who bring perspectives from underrepresented groups.