Kenya Country Lead-BSP

Role Overview

This role anchors Mercy Corps’ presence in Kenya for a cross-border programme tackling organised immigration crime and irregular migration. The Country Lead is the senior point of contact for Kenyan authorities, steering field teams and consortium partners to deliver integrated activities across evidence gathering, law enforcement support, community engagement, and victim protection. Day to day, this means balancing high-level policy dialogue with hands-on oversight of field operations, ensuring every activity aligns with national security priorities, donor requirements, and the programme’s broader goal of disrupting criminal networks while safeguarding vulnerable people.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct Mercy Corps’ programme delivery across Kenya, translating the annual work plan into concrete actions at multiple border locations and keeping implementation on time and within budget.
• Work with consortium technical leads to link activities across the four core outcomes — data and analysis, police and prosecution capacity, community-led counter-trafficking efforts, and victim referral pathways — so they reinforce one another rather than operating in silos.
• Represent the programme with senior Kenyan institutions, including the National Police Service, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the national anti-trafficking secretariat, while also engaging county governments and community leaders.
• Identify and pursue policy influencing opportunities with national and regional decision-makers, coordinating with the Team Lead and communications colleagues to shape discussions on organised immigration crime.
• Manage field-based project officers and oversee the performance of Kenyan sub-grantees, providing coaching, resources, and clear expectations so that teams and partners deliver quality results.
• Monitor the evolving security and political context in programme areas, working with the risk and security manager to adjust plans and ensure compliance with safety protocols and safeguarding standards.
• Support the development of strong monitoring, evaluation, and learning practices, ensuring that field data is routinely analysed and used to adapt strategies in real time.
• Contribute to timely reporting for donors and partners, including formal reports, work plans, and updates on Kenya-specific achievements and challenges.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Master’s degree in security sector reform, police reform, border or security management, international development, or a closely related discipline.
• At least 15 years of professional experience in security sector or police reform, community policing, crime prevention, or related programming, with substantial exposure to the Horn of Africa.
• Deep working knowledge of Kenya’s governance, border security, policing, and migration landscape, including the key actors in organised crime and irregular migration response.
• Proven ability to influence senior government and police stakeholders, with excellent representational and diplomatic skills.
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving orientation, able to adapt complex programmes to shifting political and operational realities.
• Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary teams, consortium partners, and local organisations toward shared results in a demanding environment.
• Experience facilitating discussions on sensitive topics — such as trafficking, irregular migration, and community-police trust — with diverse groups in a conflict-sensitive manner.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of producing high-quality reports and engaging effectively across cultural contexts.