OXFORD HR | CANDIDATE PACK
Director of Programs NOVEMBER 2023
About APHRC The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is an international not-for-profit organization headquartered in Kenya with a regional office in Dakar, Senegal. The continent’s premier research and policy organization, generating evidence to drive policy action to improve the health and wellbeing of African people. As a progressive African-led global research center invested in creating legacy impact, our work is centered in three integrated programmatic divisions: research, research capacity strengthening and policy engagement & communications.
RESEARCH Our teams orient their research agendas to global and continental development priorities bringing independent evidence to the
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APHRC | Director of Programs
forefront of decisions supporting improved growth and development in the region.
About APHRC RESEARCH AND RELATED CAPACITY STRENGTHENING Through strategic partnerships, the Center strives to nurture African research leadership by building a critical mass of researchers to meaningfully engage with policy actors in developing, reviewing and implementing policies and programs relevant to the continent’s development.
POLICY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS The Center builds relationships with key decision-making bodies at the national, regional and global levels to encompass engagements with government and non-government entities, as well as academic, advocacy and research institutions: all in service to our agenda of ensuring contextual, relevant and localized knowledge as a driver of change. Our goal is to become a continental model for robust, policy-oriented, rigorous research that emphasizes synergy and collaboration.
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APHRC | Director of Programs
The Role ROLE
Director of Programs
REPORTS TO
Executive Director
DIVISION Programs
Job Summary This role is responsible for the provision of leadership and coordination of program activities related to the Center’s three programmatic areas. This entails providing strategic leadership through developing and articulating a clear vision, designing strategies to actualize that vision and inspiring program teams to be the best they can be. It also entails overseeing teams of highly experienced professionals in program design and implementation and ensuring synergy and collaboration across the programmatic areas.
APHRC | Director of Programs
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Responsibilities KEY RESPONSIBILITIES • • • •
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Guide the strategic direction of programs in alignment with the APHRC corporate strategy. Lead the development, implementation and monitoring of program strategies. Contribute to the overall institutional strategy ensuring alignment of program priorities. Oversee the research governance role / program synergy roles including developing a strong interdisciplinary culture, promoting synergies. Establish platforms to support ideation and innovation. Ensure that APHRC pursues funding opportunities that are strategic, with optimal funding, synergistic, prioritize APHRC leadership, provide opportunities for growth, aligned to institutional capacities and where APHRC has a comparative advantage. Actively engage in forums and platforms that promote the Center’s brand and visibility. Cultivate and nurture strategic partnerships and networks to drive program fundraising for stability and growth. Manage complex, sensitive, or contentious program
APHRC | Director of Programs
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or management issues with funders and/or partner institutions on behalf of APHRC. Oversee the performance of theme leads/program heads to ensure quality and impact. Coordinate the development of internal reports on the status, progress, and outcomes of the programs. Handles disputes related to contribution and attribution to scientific products (papers, proposals, etc.). Oversee program fiscal activity, including budgeting, reporting, and auditing. Develop and implement HR strategies for the programs including staff acquisition and on-boarding plans, specifically orienting new staff on the programs. Develop and implement succession plans for the programs. Contribute to the inculcation and upholding of institutional culture and values. Work collaboratively with other Directors to ensure that all the Center’s programmatic and operations objectives are met with efficiency and effectiveness. Contribute to the Center’s governance by supporting
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Board functions. Mainstream a risk management culture in the programs. Design policies that contribute to creation of an environment where partnerships can thrive and ensure APHRC has an effective framework for creating and maintaining relationships.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY •
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Coordinate the identification of priority needs for staffing, equipment, training to be incorporated in the Center’s annual budgets. Monitor with support from the finance unit, the financial performance of the programs, identifying and following up areas of improvement. Ensure appropriate financial sustainability targets are set and monitored at program level in line with the Center’s annual budget and fundraising strategy. Ensure judicious use of the Center’s unrestricted resources.
Candidate Profile EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS •
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PhD level degree in area of specialisation relevant to the Center’s programmatic priorities under research, Research & Related Capacity Strengthening and Policy, Engagement & Communication. At least 15 years of relevant post-PhD experience. Demonstrated experience in the population health research and development landscape. Deep understanding/experience with initiatives to strengthen the African R&D ecosystem. Experience in a senior leadership role for at least 8 years. Demonstrated success in developing, fundraising for and leading multi-year, multicountry, multi-million dollar initiatives in Africa.
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Extensive networks with funding, policy, academic, research entities across the globe. Demonstrated experience leading either a research or policy unit within a large organization or leading a large scale research or policy program and/or experience in designing and implementing large scale capacity strengthening programs Experience in strategic planning Deep understanding of research to impact frameworks and pathways A good understanding of Measuring, Evaluation and Learning in the context of research/policy/ capacity strengthening program design and implementation
COMPETENCIES • • •
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Strong research skills. Strong interpersonal skills to work collaboratively in a diverse environment. Analytical and problem-solving skills.
APHRC | Director of Programs
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Excellent written and oral communication skills. Stakeholder management skills. Ability to develop and implement long term integrated and cross functional operational plans.
How to Apply All correspondence, at this stage, should be via Oxford HR. To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button on the job advert page, complete our online application form, and submit your CV and cover letter as two different documents, which should be prepared before applying as they will be considered in the application process. The cover letter should be no more than two pages long and explain why you are interested in this post and how your skills and experience make you a good fit. The document should be saved in PDF in the following format: Your First Name-Your Last Name-Document NameDate (mmyy) e.g., Pat-Jones-CV-112023-APHRC or Pat-JonesCoverLetter-112023- APHRC.
TIMELINE Closing Date: First stage interviews: Final interviews:
12 November 2023 TBC TBC
SELECTION PROCESS All candidates will receive an update regarding their application after the closing date. We advise candidates to add the role email to their safe senders list and regularly check their spam folder.
EQUALITY STATEMENT Equality and diversity are at the core of APHRC’s values. Staff are expected to work collectively and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others from a variety of backgrounds, where the work of others is valued and respected.
QUERIES If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information, or would like to have an informal discussion, please email at aphrc-director-programs@ oxfordhr.com in the first instance.
APHRC | Director of Programs
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About Oxford HR Exceptional leaders can inspire change and propel purpose-led organisations towards reaching their world-changing goals. Finding such leaders can be a challenge; and yet their transition into leadership is vital to an organisations mission and success. Oxford HR is a global leadership consultancy dedicated to searching for and supporting remarkable leaders and teams in purpose-led organisations. We understand the nuances of purpose-led leadership because we’ve worked in organisations across the breadth of the sector ourselves. We’ve also worked with such organisations since 1995; so we appreciate just what benefits impactful people can bring.
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APHRC | Director of Programs
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