Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada

Kenya - Organizational Development Advisor (ODA) - Leadership and Governance

3-6 months (In-country support)

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Overseas Volunteer Opportunity: Kenya

Leadership and Governance Advisor

Contribute. Discover. Grow. Volunteer with CDF Canada.

Eligibility criteria: Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada

Location: Makueni, Kajiado, Narok, Homabay Counties

Start Date: Exact timing will be negotiated with the successful candidate.

Duration: 3 months

Language Requirement: English (Mandatory)

Reporting to: Country Program Officer

The Program – VOICE for Women and Girls

The VOICE for Women and Girls project is an eight-year initiative (2020 – 2028) aimed at strengthening the performance of developing country partner (DCP) organizations to advance gender equality and economic empowerment of 50,000 women and men from marginalized communities, in particular young women (target: 60% women and girls), in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal and Malawi with a focus on action areas of the Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP), namely:

· Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls, and

· Growth that Works for Everyone.

The Project responds to the needs identified by women and men of cooperatives and all members in the countries of operation, and it is designed to increase the capacities of individual producers and primary co-operatives to support more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient growth. Supporting institutions, including apex co-operatives, co-operative colleges, and government/regulatory institutions, are also engaged to increase capacity and prioritize vulnerable groups.

The Partners you will work with

Cooperative University of Kenya (CUK)

Cooperative University of Kenya (CUK) is a public institution that provides education and training with an emphasis on Cooperative development. The mission of the college was defined and stated as, a national training institute involved in the training of personnel of co-operative societies and unions, as well as middle cadre government officers who help in the supervision of activities of the movement on behalf of the Ministry in charge of Co-operative Development (COCK Annual Report, 1983). CUK also works with small and medium entrepreneurs, Co-operative Enterprises in Kenya, to build their capacities and enhance their sustainability.

The African Confederation of Co-operative Savings and Credit Associations (ACCOSCA)

The African Confederation of Cooperative Savings and Credit Associations (ACCOSCA) is a Pan-African membership organization that brings together national associations of Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) across the African continent. Established in 1968, ACCOSCA serves as the continental voice and representative body for the SACCO movement in Africa.

ACCOSCA works to strengthen cooperative financial institutions by providing capacity building, technical assistance, policy advocacy, and knowledge-sharing platforms for its member organizations. The Confederation promotes the adoption of best practices in governance, risk management, and financial sustainability within the SACCO sector. Through strategic partnerships, training programs, research initiatives, and continental forums, ACCOSCA supports the growth and resilience of SACCOs and advances financial inclusion across Africa.

What you will do – Activities and deliverables

The Leadership and Governance Advisor will be reporting directly to the Country Program Officer, who coordinates all project activities at the country level. He/she is also expected to work hand in hand with the local partner CUK, the BOD, and management of the cooperatives regularly. The volunteer is expected to work in different locations (indicated above), where the cooperatives are based, to train, mentor, and coach them, and monitor their progress.

Objectives

This role aims to support interventions that will lead to improved capacity of BOD and cooperative managers in leadership and management skills to enable them drive positive change as leaders. The Leadership and Governance Advisor will gear interventions that will lead to improved transparency and accountability to enable them to provide better services to their members. You will conduct an assessment of target cooperatives and provide advice to enable them to develop appropriate governance policies and strategic plans. VOICE project will benefit from the Advisor’s expertise to develop tailor-made trainings, targeting specific needs of the cooperatives and their members.

Deliverables

The desired Leadership and Governance Advisor is expected to carry out the following key duties and responsibilities:

Competently assess cooperatives’ needs for capacity development in leadership and governance through review of their records and policies, and provide advice.
Advise cooperatives management and BOD on corporate governance principles and the implementation of governance programs and risk management frameworks.
Support in development, implementation, and maintenance of governance, risk, and compliance policies, processes, and procedures.
Coordinate the development and implementation of leadership and governance capacity building interventions for cooperatives.
Develop workshop materials or tailor existing materials to meet the needs of the coop members in Leadership and Governance.
Keep the cooperatives management and BOD abreast of leadership, management, and accountability developments and related key performance indicators of cooperatives.
Respond to co-ops’ Management queries regarding leadership and governance to enhance their knowledge and skills.
Prepare and submit weekly deliverables to the program officer and discuss what you require to complete those tasks.
Complete monthly reports and time sheets and submit to the CPO and volunteer coordinator.
Develop and share case studies, success stories with the communications advisor for social media content that communicates the project’s activities, outputs, and/or outcomes.

Your qualifications

Education:

Degree with a focus on Public Policy and Administration, International Relations, Strategic Management, Governance and Development Studies, Finance, Economics, and/or any other related courses from a recognized institution.
Understand governance evidence, policy, and practice in a range of settings.

Experience:

Experience in developing and implementing leadership and governance education for different levels of organizations or corporates.
Proven interpersonal skills and ability to interact professionally with diverse people, clients, and Managers.
Well-developed presentation, proposal, and report writing, communication, and interpersonal skills.
Ability to carry out training and capacity building sessions at the community level.
Experience working with cooperatives is an asset.
Commitment to upholding the organization’s values and principles of CDF Canada and CUK.

Support Package

This is a voluntary assignment. CDF Canada supports volunteers through the provision of a comprehensive package designed to cover a modest and healthy lifestyle, while allowing for effectiveness in the placement:

Return-trip international and/or domestic airfare.
Visa-related costs (if needed).
International health insurance.
Vaccination and health-related costs (if needed).
Interpreter and/or translator (if needed and depending on the position and duration of the assignment).
Pre-departure support and orientation.
Support and orientation during the assignment.
Debriefing upon completion of the assignment.

E-volunteering

Depending on the nature of the placement, volunteers are encouraged to provide e-volunteering support to our local partners before or after their placement.

Engaging Canadians

CDF Canada provides technical and logistical support to young and experienced professionals through volunteer assignments to apply and acquire new skills and knowledge in international co-operative development. We ask each volunteer, regardless of the duration of their mandate, to share their experience during and/or at the end of their assignment either in the country of assignment or in Canada. The experience can be shared by providing stories of human interest and photographs that can be used for social media outreach; Participate in events/conferences or other public engagement activities to share their experience to motivate others.

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