Associate Director of Programs at Youth Development Labs: (Deadline 16 October 2023)

Associate Director of Programs at Youth Development Labs: (Deadline 16 October 2023)

Associate Director of Programs

Kigali, Rwanda

ABOUT YLABS

YLabs is a leading global design and research organization working to improve health and economic opportunity for young people 10–24 years old. Founded in 2014 at the Harvard Innovation Lab, YLabs partners with young people in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and North and Central America to design, test, and advocate for youth-driven solutions that address key challenges to young people’s health and economic opportunity worldwide. YLabs’ desired global impact for youth is  improved health and wellness, climate resilience, and increased economic opportunity. Our global teams have worked in 18 countries to date on projects spanning topics including mental health, sexual and reproductive health, HIV, youth entrepreneurship, and climate action. Find out more about our projects here: https://www.ylabsglobal.org/work

Our team of physicians, designers, economists, public health professionals, and educators bring a unique mix of human-centered design, adolescent health, evaluation, economic and health outcome evaluation, behavioral science, and implementation know-how to the global problems facing youth.

YLabs is committed to building teams and policies that promote equity, justice, and belonging at work.  We strongly encourage people from all cultures, races, educational backgrounds, socio-economic classes, sexual orientations, age, gender, and physical abilities to apply. We do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, familial status, marital status, caregiver status, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

JOB SUMMARY

The Associate Director of Program is responsible for the management, delivery and oversight of YLabs projects and programs. As a key leader on the Programs team, you will ensure seamless management and oversight of all activities related to your assigned projects and teams, leading to high-quality work. In consultation with the Director of Programs, you will play a critical role in leading the Programs team, coaching a team of project managers, leading internal initiatives, and effectively standardizing and scaling our processes and systems across our globally distributed team. We envision that you will spend 45% of your time on managing a large-scale digital project, 35% on supervision and quality assurance of a team of project managers, and 20% on strategic initiatives.

JOB TYPE

This is a full-time position, fully benefited position, based in Kigali, Rwanda. 

LOCATION

This role is based out of YLabs’ office in Kigali, Rwanda and requires the ability to legally work in Rwanda. Our Rwanda office has a hybrid working environment, due to the global nature of our organization. The initial term of this position is a 24-month fixed term contract. This role is expected to travel in the reg

ABOUT YLABS’ COMPENSATION

YLabs adheres to Project Fair’s principles and standards to establish equity in pay with the overriding principle of “equal pay for work of equal value” outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals. All salary ranges are based on the level within the organization and are competitive to regional and national salary benchmarks, based on the respective office location.

PAY RATE

The pay range for this position is RWF42,500,000 – RWF48,500,000  per year, commensurate with experience. This range is regionally benchmarked for a Lead-level position in the Kigali area.

YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR:

Project Management Leadership & Oversight (35%)

• In collaboration with the Director of Programs and senior leadership, oversee quality assurance and project strategy for assigned projects, ensuring all projects follow approved policies and procedures
• Supervise and mentor project managers, ensuring compliance with approved procedures, budgets, and scopes.
• Lead the analysis and utilization of data for effective project tracking and decision-making through reports and data visualization.
• Analyze portfolio financial health for revenue projections, budgeting, and cash flow management.
• Develop and expand upon policies, procedures, and systems for identifying, evaluating, and tracking new projects.
• Lead the sourcing, hiring, and training of key talent for the Programs team 

Project Management (45%)

• Coordinate with project team members from various departments to monitor project progress and budget.
• Lead the management and delivery of the project’s scope of work, ensuring project milestones and deliverables are met according to the approved work plans
• Lead the coordination and management of all team meetings and ensure effective communication across the project team
• Lead the management of the project budget, proactively addressing variances and escalating issues as needed.
• Cultivate and maintain effective partnerships with government stakeholders, donors, and implementation partners

Organizational Strategy (20%)

• Take initiative to identify gaps in YLabs project management processes, and proactively bring forward ideas and solutions to strengthen team collaboration and project execution
• Develop, test, and implement new processes, procedures, and tools for project management and budgeting using change management principles.
• Support the management and oversight of the Programs Department and critical strategic initiatives (OKRs) for organizational goals. 

YOU ARE:

• A self-starter – able to operate autonomously in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, while also having the judgment to seek guidance as appropriate and gracefully accept and apply constructive feedback
• A strong communicator; able to communicate clearly and sensitively with internal and external stakeholders and funders
• An organization and prioritization pro, who is proactive and flexible. Excited to help implement innovative programs for young people.
• Comfortable with data and metrics; able to analyze and compile data, interpret findings and present data to senior leadership
• Digitally savvy: comfortable with a range of digital project management tools to support effective collaboration
• Passionate about YLabs’ mission to design solutions with youth that measurably and meaningfully improve their lives
• A natural collaborator who understands how to build strong relationships across the organization;
• Willing to work flexible hours to accommodate evening calls with staff in other timezones

YOU HAVE:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; with a preferred 8-10 years of project management experience with at least 3+ years managing a team of project managers
• Advanced knowledge and experience managing large budgets for complex projects
• Strong quantitative skills with proven experience in project data management, analysis, interpretation and reporting
• Proficiency in Google Suite (preferred), advanced knowledge in Google Sheets/Excel
• Experience supervising, coaching and managing a team of project managers, with the ability to oversee quality assurance across a group of projects
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a rapidly moving environment
• Previous experience with basic project management tools (ie. Trello, Kantata)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; fluency in English
• Experience working with donors, government stakeholders, and partners in a highly collaborative environment
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to track and record projects through to completion
• Ability to work efficiently with minimal supervision with strong attention to detail
• Experience working effectively with a multidisciplinary team across different time zones.

DESIRABLE:

• Digital health / digital project management experience
• Experience working in public health or international development fields
• Working proficiency in another language: French, Swahili, KinyaRwanda, Portuguese
• Experience with resource management and allocation (preferred)

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply, send a resume, cover letter and link to your portfolio to [email protected] with the subject line: Associate Director of Programs Rwanda. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

This posting will be open from October 2nd to October 16th. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; all applications submitted within the posting period will be reviewed by our Hiring Committee. YLabs recognizes the effort that goes into submitting an application; all candidates will be notified of their application status once the hiring process begins. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. All YLabs offers of employment are conditional on satisfactory background check and criminal record clearances.

Negotiating limit: 52,000,000