Program Officer - Disaster Management at World Vision Kenya

Role Overview

This role leads the design, delivery and oversight of disaster management and humanitarian grant programming across Kenya, turning donor commitments into work plans, budgets and field-level implementation that stand up to scrutiny. Day to day, it sits between project teams, national office technical specialists, finance colleagues and external stakeholders — spotting risks early, using monitoring data to steer decisions, and making sure every grant starts on time, stays on design and closes out with documented learning. It matters because communities facing drought, displacement and sudden-onset emergencies depend on programmes that launch promptly, adapt on evidence and deliver against their targets rather than drifting.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive the full grant lifecycle for disaster management programming — start-up, implementation, monitoring and close-out — keeping activities aligned with design documents, donor standards and agreed milestones.
• Review and strengthen logframes, M&E plans and indicator tracking tables, and standardise the monitoring tools project teams apply so data can be compared and acted on across grants.
• Prepare and submit narrative and periodic reports on schedule to the national office, government counterparts, support offices, donors and partners, while briefing management on significant changes or deviations.
• Monitor the country's humanitarian landscape, analyse emerging risks and recommend evidence-based adjustments to local planning and implementation.
• Track implementation and expenditure levels against work plans jointly with the finance team, and follow up promptly on the rollout of project audit recommendations.
• Coordinate baselines, evaluations, surveys and reviews with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring findings feed back into programme design and management decisions.
• Contribute to funding proposals, concept notes and donor budget negotiations alongside resource acquisition and sector colleagues, and respond to queries from government, donors and support offices.
• Represent the organisation in national disaster management forums, build relationships with the National Drought Management Authority, UN agencies, donors, INGOs and county structures, and coordinate donor and support office field visits.
• Support recruitment and orientation of project staff on donor requirements and programming processes, and design training on disaster management, food assistance, proposal development, do-no-harm and disaster risk reduction.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Minimum of five years' programme experience with an international NGO, spanning varied contexts and thematic areas.
• In-depth understanding of disaster management, anticipatory action and the humanitarian coordination architecture.
• Demonstrated grasp of grants programming and the reporting rules of multiple donors; experience in resource mobilisation and fundraising is a strong advantage.
• Direct project implementation experience in fragile or emergency settings is preferred.
• Ability to engage strategically with senior government officials, UN agencies and INGO leadership at national and county level.
• Solid budgetary and financial management skills, complemented by strong organisational, communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Comfortable using computer software to develop and maintain spreadsheets and databases.
• A mature, committed Christian able to work constructively across denominational diversity.
• Proven ability to collaborate within multisectoral, multicultural teams, applying patience, cultural sensitivity and contextual judgement in daily work; willingness to travel to the field as required.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Bachelor's degree in international relations, development, project planning and management, or another relevant field; a master's in international development is an added advantage.
• Familiarity with World Vision International's working systems, policies, standards, vision, mission and core values.