Team Leader In a Small Nonprofit Based around Sabatia, Butere

Job Description: Team Leader

Pursue is seeking a passionate and driven individual to lead our team of staff in an exciting community transformation programme in rural Kenya. Pursue is a CBO based around Butere in Kakamega county, working to empower communities by addressing a number of causes of poverty through Education and Community programmes. These include:

• Home based care for vulnerable individuals and families

• Jiggers and bedbug treatment

• Widows’ savings groups and livelihood projects

• Vulnerable teenage girls groups

• Adult Literacy classes

• Schools Development Programme

• Model school partnerships

• Youth Entrepreneurship Training

Pursue is seeking a competent, visionary leader skilled in driving organisational success and empowering high performing staff in the nonprofit sector.

Reporting to the Chair of Trustees, the Team Leader will combine inspirational leadership and skilled expertise to advance Pursue’s systems, processes, culture and impact. The Team Leader will work closely with the leadership team (Chief Operating Officer and Departmental Managers) to ensure that we continually advance our mission to equip communities and schools with the skills, knowledge and resources required for a better tomorrow. 

The Team Leader is ultimately responsible for justifying the impact and performance of Pursue to the board. They will take responsibility for driving the direction and strategy of the organisation. The Team Leaderl will supervise the Chief Operations Officer (COO), Education Projects Manager (EPM) and Community Projects Manager (CPM). 

The initial job is a 12 month contract.  

Please note that this role is based around Sabatia/Butere and therefore the successful candidate would be expected to live within close proximity to this area. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Executive Leadership and Organisational Management 

• Lead the organisation in a manner that supports the organisation’s mission and upholds our values of Integrity, Dedication and Compassion.

• Provide suggestions to the board on how to improve impact and effectiveness.

• Work with the COO to ensure day to day operations are carried out effectively and in a timely manner.

• Motivate, mentor and empower the leadership team (consisting of the COO, Education Manager and Community Manager) to strategically grow Pursue’s impact.

• Foster a culture of excellence and professionalism in the workplace, whilst also modelling kindness and continually seeking to empower managers to fulfil their potential so their teams thrive and have the greatest impact in their work.

• Contribute to the strategic plan and drive its implementation, working to mitigate risk factors and maximise opportunities for most effective impact.

• Establish goals, objectives and operational plans in collaboration with the Board and leadership team.

• Ensure effective systems to track progress, and regularly evaluate programme components, so as to measure successes that can be effectively communicated to the board, funders, staff and other constituents.

• Be open to accountability and constructive feedback from stakeholders, the board, or staff, and model how to humbly accept feedback and continually strive to improve.

• Ensure all departments are running effectively.

Governance

• Attend board meetings to represent the views of the staff and make suggestions for decisions to the board.

• Supply the board with regular updates on finances, programmes, operations and organisational progress and achievements.  

• Work closely with the Chair of the Board and ensure they are updated weekly on the progress of the organisation.

• Help to build, sustain and strengthen all board functions, and build alignment between staff and the board. 

• Secretary to the board and custodian of all board minutes and materials.

Financial

• Accounting officer (to the Board and members) for the finances of the organisation.

• Have a clear understanding of the financial picture at all times, including budgets, cash flow, income statements, balance statements, and statements of functional expenses.

• Ensure the COO monitors income and expenditure accurately.

• Meet regularly with the COO to review income and expenditure against budgets and adjust accordingly.

• Ensure optimum utilisation of resources to ensure all financial decisions made make the best use of the money available. 

• Work closely with the board and leadership team to develop, get approval for and administer the annual budget.

• Ensure that all expenditure of the organisation has been properly authorised.

• Ensure that quarterly financial management information reports are produced and shared with managers and the board.

• Together with the COO, monitor performance against budget and to take necessary corrective action.

• Carry out weekly and monthly checks on financial records to identity any errors or queries.

• Work closely with the COO to ensure all financial procedures are correctly adhered to.

• Together with the COO, ensure that the organisation is subjected to an annual audit of its books.

Leadership and Management:

• Ensure the working environment and culture is a place of acceptance, kindness and fun, where every staff member feels valued and supported.

• Uphold the Christian values of Pursue and model servant leadership in all aspects of leadership and management.

• Lead, coach, and develop Pursue’s leadership team through regular meetings for supervision, support and development; and quarterly appraisals.

• Manage Pursue’s managers effectively in a manner which encourages each staff member to learn and develop to the best of their ability, achieve their potential and make good decision in their area of work.

• Ensure the COO devises and implements a robust system for staff training and development where need arises. 

• Chair the monthly leadership team meetings.

• Model servant leadership including hard work, accountability and empathy.

HR

• Ensure that onboarding, recruitment, retention, management, development, and compliance are carried out with excellence by the COO. 

• Guide the COO to implement  policies, procedures and ensure legal compliance.

• Support the COO to ensure compliance with employment and equality legislation and accepted best practices.

Fundraising and Income Streams

• The Team Leader will be responsible for creating the conditions for fundraising success, and will work closely with the COO to guide them in fundraising efforts.

• Where required, the Team Leader will need to attend donor relations meetings and pitch to potential donors.

• Have a deep understanding of how to effectively persuade donors to contribute, and be able to clearly articulate the vision, mission and values of Pursue to potential donors and stakeholders.

• Work closely with the COO and guide them to develop and implement successful income generating programmes for Pursue.

• Be aware of the barriers and challenges of fundraising and come up with ideas and solutions to overcome them.

Communication/Ambassadorial 

• To be the principal spokesperson for the Charity in all media including face to face opportunities with all stakeholders, events, conferences and partnership meetings, in order to promote the Charity’s mission and programmes.

• To ensure that the Charity communicates its messages clearly and persuasively through its written work, website and social media platforms.

• Regularly network with other organisations and share best practice. 

• Develop the Charity’s public profile, influence key stakeholders and develop or maintain good relationships with other charities, government and private sector agencies, as well as with guests, volunteers and the general public.

• Ensure high visibility to the public in order to build interest and awareness.

• Manage all aspects of the organisation's marketing and public relations.

Strategy

• Support the board and directors in developing and implementing the organisations’ strategic plan.

• Take responsibility for liaison between the board and staff to ensure implementation of the strategic plan.

• Ensure staff are deployed most effectively in order to achieve the strategic plan, making best use of their technical and subject matter expertise.

• Keep up to date with new developments in the field of nonprofit, community and education development.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Guide the COO in their role of devising and implementing a robust Monitoring & Evaluation System.

• Ensure the COO sets key metrics and success indicators alongside colleagues to ensure each project has tangible markers of success.

• Along with the COO, regularly monitor the progress of each project and feedback to the board.

• Work with the COO to analyse and review all data collected, using this to inform future strategic decisions relating to all Pursue projects.

Any other duties as deemed suitable by the Chair of the Board. 

Essential skills/qualifications:

• A bachelor's degree or above in a related discipline to the role.

• At least 5 years of proven experience working within the NGO or development sector.

• Previous experience of working in the capacity of Team Leader or a related role.

• In-depth knowledge of the development and not for profit sector. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in both English and Kiswahili.

• Proven experience of successfully managing organisational budgets. 

• Experience of strategic planning, project implementation and project management in the NGO sector, including monitoring and evaluation. 

• ICT proficiency. 

• Ability to work under pressure and effectively problem solve.

• Ability to work both alone and in a team situation with minimum supervision.

• Proven experience of initiating successful fundraising campaigns.

• Experience or knowledge of working in the education and community sector.

• A person of good character who is able to model humble leadership and puts the needs of others before their own. 

• A committed Christian with a personal faith which drives all decisions.

 Desirable skills/qualifications:

• Familiarity with the Butere area.

• Understanding of the local dialect.

We are seeking an individual who is driven by Pursue’s key values of integrity, dedication & compassion.