Performance Improvement Advisor

Requisition ID: req41719

Job Title:  Performance Improvement Advisor

Sector:  Research & Development

Employment Category:  Regular

Employment Type:  Full-Time

Open to Expatriates:  No

Location:  Nairobi, IHUB, Kenya

Job Description

Humanitarian needs are growing while financial resources to meet those needs are limited. Project teams are faced with the complex decision of using limited budgets to bring the most impact to the greatest number of people in need, recognizing that there are uncomfortable trade-offs and opportunity costs with every decision. The IRC’s Best Use of Resources team provides technical assistance to country teams, project teams, technical units, and partner organizations on cost-efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and strategic resource allocation to maximize reach and impact per dollar spent.The Performance Improvement Advisor will provide analysis support to project teams across multiple countries and organizations to ensure that project funds are spent in a proportional way to the activities, outputs, and outcomes. This will include multi-partner and multi-country projects that have significant potential in achieving environmental, livelihoods, sexual and reproductive health, and primary health outcomes at large scale. 
In this role you will collaborate closely with multicultural and interdisciplinary teams to unpack programming options, adaptations, trade-offs, and opportunity costs for maximum reach and impact per dollar spent, produce and synthesize evidence into best practice guidance in program design, and share attractive case studies through multiple channels that contribute to sector-wide learning. Major Responsibilities:  Performance Management and Adaptive Improvement •Compare spending and results to identify areas for course correction or improvement in project interventions and structure.•Review project workplan, activities, budgets, and logframe targets every year to ensure that budgets are proportional to activities and targets.•Identify and flag interventions that incurred high cost and did not show promise of high effectiveness for removal from the workplan.•Review project staff LOE each year to ensure sufficient budget that is fit-for-purpose and matched to scope of work.•Monitor the scale-up progress of “intervention best bets”, if needed. Evidence and Learning •Analyze what (package of activities) and how (implementation approaches for those packages) best to improve environmental, livelihoods, and health outcomes, under what conditions (within the context, location, timeframe) and at what cost for whom. Establish best practice guidance in program design and budgeting for maximum Value for Money.•Conduct cost-efficiency analysis in collaboration with technical managers from partner organizations to inform program design and improvement, with clear framing of trade-offs and alternatives. Communicate how much it costs per output to achieve what kind of reach and impact.•Produce case studies in collaboration with technical managers from partner organizations on cost-effective solutions and evidence that contribute to sector-wide learning. Share case studies through multiple channels such as communities of practice and webinars. Job Requirements:  Minimum Requirements: •Bachelor’s degree and 3-5 years of experience in managing project budgets and technical program implementation in humanitarian or development contexts.•Excellent data analysis and interpretation skills, capable of translating data into actionable insights.•Experience collaborating with interdisciplinary teams across multiple countries or organizations.•Excellent written, visual, and verbal communication skills and cross-cultural sensitivity.•Strong understanding of the Somali context. •Fluency in English is required, proficiency in Somali strongly preferred. Preferred Requirements: •Knowledge of environmental, livelihoods, and health programming in humanitarian or development contexts.•Experience with adaptive, gender-sensitive, and conflict-sensitive programming approaches.•Knowledge of Value for Money and its relation to evidence and learning.•Knowledge of standard research processes in social science. Working Environment: Standard office work environment. Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.The IRC is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.