Senior Manager, Adaptation & Resilience Programmes

Job Summary

The Senior Manager will work closely with the Chief, Adaptation & Resilience and Strategy Integration, and colleagues across the A&R pillar to provide programme management discipline and strategy integration support across the A&R portfolio. The Senior Manager owns the operational backbone of the A&R portfolio. This means ensuring that pipeline and project tracking systems are current (Monday.com), that reporting rhythms are maintained (FCDO, DIMS, donor reports), budgets are monitored against actuals and that operational coordination across pillar teams, Centres of Expertise (COEs), and implementing partners runs to a consistent standard. The Senior Manager ensures that the technical specialists and strategic leads within A&R are freed from operational administration so they can focus on programme design and delivery. The Senior Manager also provides the analytical and coordination foundation for FSD Africa’s strategy integration work. This includes preparing analysis for quarterly portfolio reviews, maintaining the intervention taxonomy and shared pipeline visibility across all finance pillars and COEs, developing and updating Portfolio Impact Cases, and coordinating cross-pillar working sessions. The Senior Manager, supported by the Assistant Manager, ensures that the portfolio governance agenda has the operational capacity it needs to function. The Senior Manager will line manage a pool of nine Programme Assistants and Analysts (JG2A/JG2B) who provide project administration, logistics, and operational support across the A&R pillar. While these Assistants receive their day-to-day work assignments from the various project leads within A&R, the Senior Manager is responsible for coordinating and balancing their workload across the portfolio, ensuring equitable distribution, managing capacity constraints, and maintaining consistent quality standards. The Senior Manager will also manage independent consultants (as required) who will assist with specific programme management and strategy integration tasks.

Job Details

Reports directly to - Chief, Adaptation & Resilience and Strategy Integration

Direct reports - Senior Project Manager, AFIYA; Assistant Manager, A&R Programmes; A&R Programme Assistants and Analysts; Consultants engaged on projects

Contract Type - Full-time

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLE REQUIREMENTS

1.  Programme Operations & Reporting Discipline

Own the operational management infrastructure across the A&R portfolio, ensuring consistent reporting, tracking, and coordination standards that enable the pillar to deliver on its commitments:

• Establish and maintain the reporting calendar for all A&R obligations, including FCDO quarterly and annual reports, DIMS reports, donor-specific reporting requirements, and internal management reports; ensure all deadlines are met.
• Own and maintain Monday.com (or equivalent project management platform) as the single source of truth for project status, milestones, deliverables, and risk flags across the A&R portfolio.
• Track budget versus actuals (BVA) across all A&R projects on a monthly basis, flagging variances early and working with the Finance team to ensure accurate forecasting and timely spend.
• Coordinate operational inputs from pillar team members, COE leads, and implementing partners to ensure that project updates, risk registers, and milestone reports are compiled on schedule.
• Develop and maintain standardised templates and processes for project reporting, risk escalation, and operational coordination, driving consistency across the portfolio.
• Serve as the primary liaison with the Finance & Operations, Development Impact, and Corporate Services teams on operational and administrative matters for the A&R portfolio.
• Ensure that all implementing partners and consultants are fully briefed on reporting expectations, data collection requirements, quality standards, and compliance with risk management and accountability requirements.

2.  Strategy Integration & Portfolio Governance Support

Provide the analytical foundation and coordination capacity for FSD Africa’s portfolio governance and strategy integration agenda, supporting the Chief, Adaptation & Resilience and Strategy Integration in driving cross-pillar coherence:

• Prepare analysis, data, and briefing materials for the EXCO quarterly portfolio review.
• Develop and maintain the common intervention taxonomy and shared pipeline visibility across all finance pillars and COEs, enabling portfolio-level comparison and trade-off analysis.
• Develop and maintain the portfolio impact case framework, providing a consistent basis for assessing interventions across key dimensions: market development contribution, capital mobilisation potential, thematic alignment, cross-pillar value, and strategic fit.
• Coordinate cross-pillar working sessions on specific strategic opportunities or questions, ensuring that sessions are well-prepared with relevant data, analysis, and framing.
• Provide portfolio-level context to the SMT Committee when it reviews proposals before IC, ensuring individual intervention decisions are assessed against the portfolio priorities established at the quarterly review.
• Compile and maintain portfolio-level performance data, thematic commitment tracking, and cross-pillar value capture metrics to support reporting to the CEO and Board.
• Support a portfolio approach to new fundraising proposals by maintaining an overview of existing commitments and pipeline across pillars, identifying potential duplications and synergies.

3.  Pipeline & Project Tracking

Ensure comprehensive visibility of the A&R intervention pipeline and project portfolio, enabling informed decision-making at pillar and organisational level:

• Maintain a current and accurate pipeline tracker covering all A&R projects and COE-originated interventions, from concept stage through to completion.
• Work with pillar heads and COE leads to collect and verify pipeline data on a regular cycle, ensuring the pipeline tracker reflects the latest project status, expected commitments, and delivery timelines.
• Prepare pipeline analysis for the Chief, highlighting concentration risks, gaps, delivery bottlenecks, and opportunities for cross-pillar collaboration.
• Track project milestones and deliverables, escalating delays or risks in a timely manner and proposing corrective actions.
• Support the preparation of Investment Committee (IC) documentation by ensuring proposals include accurate portfolio context and alignment with strategic priorities.

4.  Resource Planning & Budget Management

Support effective management of resources and budget across the A&R portfolio, ensuring compliance with FSD Africa and donor policies and optimising the impact achieved with available resources:

• Liaise with the Finance & Operations team to maintain oversight of budget and spend for all A&R projects and COE budgets.
• Work with the Finance & Operations team to develop resourcing plans, procurement plans and budgets for respective projects.
• Contribute towards resource mobilisation by developing detailed plans and budgets for funding proposals.
• Prepare budget analysis and variance reports for the Chief, supporting informed allocation decisions.
• Ensure compliance with donor financial reporting requirements, working closely with the Finance team to reconcile project expenditure.

5.  Team Coordination & Management

Lead, manage, and develop the programmes team within A&R, including the Assistant Manager and a pool of nine Programme Assistants and Analysts, ensuring effective delivery of operational and strategy integration responsibilities:

• Line manage the Assistant Manager, A&R Programmes, providing clear objectives, regular feedback, and professional development support.
• Line manage the Programme Assistants and Analysts, taking responsibility for their performance management, professional development, and wellbeing. While day-to-day work assignments are made by the project leads within A&R to whom each Assistant is allocated, the Senior Manager retains overall line management accountability.
• Coordinate and balance the workload of the Programme Assistants and Analysts across the A&R portfolio, ensuring equitable distribution of tasks, managing capacity constraints during peak periods, and reallocating resources as priorities shift. Work proactively with project leads to anticipate demand and prevent bottlenecks.
• Maintain consistent quality standards across the Programme Assistants and Analysts’ work, including adherence to FSD Africa’s templates, reporting formats, procurement procedures, and record-keeping requirements.
• Provide induction, training, and ongoing coaching to the Programme Assistants and Analysts, building their capabilities in project administration, stakeholder coordination, financial processes, and the use of project management tools.
• Manage consultants and temporary staff engaged on programme management and strategy integration tasks.
• Foster a culture of operational discipline, attention to detail, and proactive coordination within the programmes team.
• Work collaboratively with pillar team members, COE leads, and cross-functional teams to ensure smooth information flows and effective coordination.

Carry out any other duties or special assignments as assigned by the Management.

COMPETENCIES
Competencies describe the key behaviours that drive success in all of FSD Africa’s roles, regardless of technical specialism. They have been derived from systematic research correlating performance with personal attributes. 

Competency Levels 

• Level 1: Basic
• Level 2: Foundation   
• Level 3: Specialist
• Level 4: Senior Specialist      
• Level 5: Leading Expert          
• Level 6: Executive

This position requires competency at Senior Specialist Level for all the competencies listed below:

ESSENTIAL FOUNDATIONS
Commitment & Alignment
Demonstrates commitment to serving our partners and alignment with the values and vision of FSD Africa
Change & Challenge
Has a strong sense of ownership that leads to learning, self-starting, taking initiative, driving change and leading development
 

ACHIEVEMENT COMPETENCIES
Situational Awareness & Thinking
Thinks clearly and intentionally, analysing information objectively, understanding issues, solving problems, and making decisions
Drive for results
Is keenly motivated to achieve goals & act with accountability to deliver quality results
 

PEOPLE COMPETENCIES
Relationships & Collaboration
Discerns and appreciates the values, viewpoints, or abilities of others; effectively reconciles different interests and displays emotional intelligence
Communication & Influencing
Deliberately adjusts behaviour to accommodate others; communicates clearly, confidently, and appropriately to influence others
 

Requirements

PERSON SPECIFICATIONS

Qualifications and Education

• Relevant Master’s degree and 9 years of experience OR good quality Bachelor’s Degree from a recognised university and 11 years of experience progressing to a senior level, working in programme management, development finance, financial sector development, or a related field.
• Excellent skills in written and spoken English.

Essential Experience, Knowledge, and Skills

• Proven track record of programme management in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment, including managing reporting obligations, budgets, and operational coordination across a portfolio of projects.
• Strong operational and analytical skills, with demonstrated ability to build and maintain project tracking systems, pipeline databases, and portfolio-level reporting frameworks.
• Experience managing donor reporting cycles (FCDO experience highly desirable), including familiarity with DIMS or equivalent results reporting systems.
• Excellent skills in data analysis, financial tracking (BVA), and budget management, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights for senior leadership.
• Strong coordination and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work effectively across teams, manage multiple deadlines simultaneously, and drive consistent standards across diverse workstreams.
• Experience developing and maintaining taxonomies, frameworks, or classification systems for portfolio-level analysis.
• Proficiency with project management tools (Monday.com, MS Project, or equivalent) and strong skills in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
• Ability to manage a project portfolio using digital platforms and tools; ability to manage data and documentation electronically.
• Excellent communication skills; ability to work with and build a team.
• Demonstrated experience managing or coordinating a team of junior or administrative staff, including workload allocation, performance management, and capacity planning across a shared services or matrix arrangement.

Desirable

• Experience working in climate finance, adaptation finance, insurance, or financial sector development in Africa.
• Experience of working in a multi-cultural environment.
• Experience working with donors, including knowledge of donor policies and procedures.
• Previous experience of working in FCDO-funded projects.
• Experience supporting portfolio governance, strategy reviews, or cross-organisational coordination processes.
• Languages: French or local African languages would be an asset.

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity: 

FSDAi is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of equity and inclusivity.  We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Equal Opportunity Employer: 

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status. We will ensure that all applicants are provided a fair chance to compete for available job opportunities.

About Company

FSD Africa

https://fsdafrica.org/

FSD Africa is a specialist development agency working to help make finance work for Africa’s future. Based in Nairobi, FSD Africa’s team of financial sector experts work alongside governments, business leaders, regulators, and policymakers to design and build ambitious programmes that make financial markets work better for everyone. FSD Africa Investments, provides early-stage, risk-bearing, catalytic and patient capital to inventive commercial organisations in order to stimulate capital flows in support of green economic growth benefiting people and planet. Established in 2012, FSD Africa is incorporated as a non-profit company limited by guarantee in Kenya. It is funded by UK aid from the UK government.