Programme Manager

World Vision Kenya is a humanitarian and social development organization founded in 1974, dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable communities across Kenya.

The Programme Manager will lead the implementation of the Nature+ Program within the Mau and Mt. Elgon ecosystems, specifically covering Narok, Nakuru, Bungoma, and Trans Nzoia Counties. This involves spearheading initiatives in landscape restoration, developing carbon programs, utilizing GIS and spatial planning, engaging with various stakeholders, and managing partnerships. The primary goal is to achieve excellent environmental, social, and carbon outcomes across the designated ecosystems. The role also includes direct supervision of the Nature+ Program staff.

1. Provide technical, strategic, and managerial leadership for the Nature+ Program, ensuring objectives are met effectively and on time, aligning with donor expectations and standards.
2. Coordinate restoration activities in collaboration with Kenya Forest Service, County Governments, Community Forest Associations, Water Resource User Associations, and other local institutions.
3. Oversee the assessment and documentation of land tenure, carbon rights, and program eligibility within target landscapes.
4. Ensure compliance with carbon standards, land-use regulations, environmental laws, and safeguard requirements.
5. Lead stakeholder engagement on carbon ownership, benefit-sharing, and participation agreements, maintaining accurate records for program registration, verification, and audits.
6. Align restoration approaches with county and national forest restoration strategies.
7. Develop implementation strategies and activity work plans based on approved program design documents and budgets.
8. Monitor and evaluate program interventions to ensure quality and focus.
9. Collaborate with the accountant to ensure timely and appropriate utilization of budgeted resources.
10. Integrate social inclusion (gender and youth mainstreaming) and conflict-sensitive programming.
11. Manage staff professional development, including performance appraisals, agreements, training, and mentoring.
12. Integrate the grant with Area Development Programme and Integrated Programme Framework objectives, aligning with WVK Strategic priorities.
13. Lead and manage a high-performing project team, clarifying roles, objectives, and accountability.
14. Oversee performance management, including goal setting, coaching, appraisals, and development plans.
15. Mentor and build staff capacity in program delivery, compliance, and stakeholder engagement.
16. Drive recruitment, onboarding, retention, and succession planning for critical project roles.
17. Provide leadership in a matrixed environment across technical, MEAL, and finance functions.
18. Promote staff well-being, safeguarding, inclusion, and a culture of learning and continuous improvement.
19. Develop a detailed plan for program objective delivery throughout the program period.
20. Ensure accurate and quality Program Design Documents are on file and used for implementation.
21. Ensure timely and effective implementation of interventions and achievement of proposed outcomes and impacts.
22. Ensure timely and appropriate utilization of budgeted resources in full adherence to donor standards.
23. Organize annual review meetings for planning and monitoring program activities.
24. Track program implementation expenditure levels and manage work plans and budgets to maintain acceptable expenditure.
25. Ensure the program achieves acceptable financial and operational audit results and proactively address findings.
26. Ensure timely baseline surveys and dissemination of findings to partners, streamlining implementation accordingly.
27. Support program officers in establishing and maintaining effective complaints and feedback mechanisms.
28. Submit timely and quality periodic reports to relevant managers and technical teams.
29. Work with the communications department to document best practices, success stories, innovations, and lessons learned.
30. Produce and disseminate communication resources for the program to key stakeholders.
31. Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with government institutions, regulatory agencies, research organizations, and development partners.
32. Lead stakeholder coordination and engagement with community institutions, producer groups, cooperatives, and local governance structures.
33. Facilitate participatory planning and decision-making processes to promote community ownership.
34. Ensure implementation of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) principles and compliance with social and environmental safeguards.
35. Oversee the design and implementation of equitable, transparent, and inclusive benefit-sharing mechanisms.
36. Promote meaningful participation of women, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and vulnerable groups in restoration and carbon benefit distribution.
37. Coordinate advocacy and policy influence initiatives at county and national levels.
38. Increase WVK and donor visibility through active engagement and advocacy on NRM matters.

1. Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in natural resource management, forestry, climate change, landscape restoration, or environmental conservation.
2. Demonstrated experience in leading and managing restoration programs involving both protected/gazetted forests and community-managed lands.
3. Proven knowledge of the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) and familiarity with carbon project development lifecycles, including accounting and monitoring protocols.
4. Experience working with forest governance structures and community natural resource management systems.
5. Strong understanding of land tenure systems and community engagement processes.
6. Understanding of gender and diversity issues and commitment to addressing inequalities.
7. Ability to work effectively under pressure and strict deadlines.
8. Understanding of development/relief issues with a commitment to humanitarian principles.
9. Good financial and budget management skills.
10. Strong people management, training, and coaching skills, coupled with robust conceptual and analytical abilities.
11. Ability to work independently, think innovatively and strategically, and collaborate effectively within a team.
12. Minimum Bachelor’s degree in Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, Agro-forestry, Rangeland Management, or a related discipline.
13. A postgraduate degree in any of the above fields is desirable.
14. GHG accounting/carbon certification or training in standards like VCS, Gold Standard, or CDM is an added advantage.
15. Proficiency in GIS tools such as QGIS, ArcGIS Pro, or Google Earth Engine for satellite data monitoring is desirable.
16. Demonstrated experience in implementing and managing nature-based carbon projects.
17. Familiarity with national carbon market policies and schemes, including evolving government regulations in forest and biodiversity sectors.
18. Technical knowledge of the carbon project lifecycle, including carbon accounting, monitoring, validation, and verification, is an added advantage.
19. Familiarity with voluntary carbon certification standards like Verra Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance (CCBA), and Plan Vivo.