SERVIR East Africa Regional Coordinator

Initiated in 2005 by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), SERVIR focuses on integrating satellite observations and predictive models with other geographic information (sensor and field-based) to monitor and forecast ecological changes and respond to natural disasters.

SERVIR seeks to recruit a highly motivated and skilled individual for the position of East African Regional Coordinator, to be based at the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development, Nairobi, Kenya. The East Africa Regional Coordinator is a key member of the SERVIR Coordination Office and has the responsibility for on-site operational oversight, ensuring that procedures are in place for the efficient administration of all SERVIR components conducted in East Africa, covering needs assessment, regional system implementation, science applications, training and capacity building, governance, and outreach. The Coordinator will report to the International Programs Director in Huntsville, Alabama, USA and will be responsible for the timely monitoring and completion of project activities.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Manage the development, review, and implementation of quarterly team work plans for the SERVIR-Africa node; monitor closely project execution and provide regular feedback to the SERVIR Coordination Office on the status of activities;
  • Ensure that each East Africa node staff member has detailed (individual) work plans and that the plans are effectively aligned with the quarterly (team) work plans;
  • Direct day-to-day project activities, in accordance with the procedures and requirements of the SERVIR Coordination Office;
  • Network with regional stakeholders and partners and explore new partnership possibilities in the region; Develop and nurture relationships with the USAID Regional Mission and appropriate decision makers in national government ministries; Establish beneficial linkages with other initiatives at RCMRD;
  • Maximize performance through leadership, coaching, and mentoring of team;
  • Oversee the development and implementation of a communications plan; ensuring there is a clear communication and feedback structure for activities and an updated calendar of events relevant to SERVIR-Africa;
  • Attend to any other duties related to needs assessment, training, product development, and communications, as may be determined by the International Programs Director.
  • Satisfy Coordination Office reporting procedures; compile and submit bi-weekly progress reports, quarterly reports, and ensure timely communication with Coordination Office as needed;

Qualifications and experience required

  • At least 10 years of international development experience, demonstrating management abilities, including: management of teams, ability to prioritize activities and implement numerous assignments concurrently, respond quickly, effectively and flexibly to wide-ranging requests. The ideal candidate should have at least 5 (of the 10 years) specifically focusing on managing earth observation and geospatial infrastructure projects in Africa (preferably East Africa).
  • An MBA or Master’s degree in a field related to the duties described above; this could include computer science, knowledge management, natural resources management, environmental economics, etc.
  • Very good knowledge of remote sensing, GIS, and database applications, web-based applications; excellent skills and experience in management and manipulation of spatial and tabular data sets (GIS, relational databases, etc).
  • Proven expertise in ensuring institutional capacity development and skills transfer. Experience using, and training others to use, GIS technology, as a tool for planning and resource management.
  • Strong verbal and communication skills in English are essential. Speaks confidently and exercises diplomacy in dealing with the Government, UN system and national partners.
  • Displays cultural sensitivity and adaptability.

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