Policy Professional
Resume:
EWEET TOTO JOSEPHAT.
J. Toto.
*********@*****.***
PERSONAL BRAND STATEMENT.
Profession: Public policy analyst and Peace building Expert. I hold Master of Art in public policy and Administration and bachelor’s degree for Public Policy and administration both from Kenyatta university, holder of advanced project planning and management at Kenya institute of social work and project management for development professional and certified project management development professionals (PMDPro) for Mercy corps senior management course among other academic credentials
With over 7 years of experience in managing Peace and conflict related programming in Karamoja cluster with USAID funded programs with mercy corps, Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia, Drought and Cash Transfer programming and Health Related programming among other. Additionally Served as County technical lead with USAID Nawiri managing Program technical, Performance and quality aspect with Mercy corps as well as Peace Expert for Turkana and Samburu Counties. I bring strong interpersonal, communication, technical expertise and networking skills, and a demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional relationships. TECHNICAL SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:
• Strong Partnerships and networking skills-proven expertise facilitating collaborative work with diverse partners.
• Goal oriented, analytical thinker and focused on achieving program outcomes.
• Leadership and management skills -trained new staff, ensuring they understood the organization’s policies and program’s objectives and supervising staff.
• Interpersonal and communication skills-cultivated working relationships with staff and demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with partners and colleagues and build strong professional relationships and networks.
• Facilitation, training, networking, and advocacy skills - great facilitations skills; training on peace Building, resource Mobilization, lobbying & advocacy.
• Budget control-worked closely with project management teams to create cost estimates and optimize designs.
• Time management - delivered 90%+ of program plans within times, prioritizing the most sensitive tasks and communicated any delays clearly when unforeseen circumstances occurred.
• Community engagement
• Mentorship
• Case management
• Resource mobilization
• Report writing and analysis.
• Computer proficiency
• Monitoring and evaluation
Work Experience
USAID Nawiri Deputy Field Director.
October 2023-August 2024
Key Responsibilities:
Strategy, Leadership and Representation
● Communicated a sharp vision of the complex program to county team members and other stakeholders that translated into concrete program design and incorporates learning.
● Supported the Field Director on county level planning processes and provided strategic updates in collaboration with technical leads.
● Supported Field Director and Sub County /Zone coordinators to ensure that all program activities are tightly integrated at the county and sub county levels and are responsive to the overall vision for the program - in close collaboration with the Nairobi-based technical leads.
● Supported the Field Director in providing leadership, vision and strategy to the program’s overall technical direction and implementation.
● Recognized opportunities for innovative action and create an environment where alternative viewpoints are welcomed; promote and model a culture of learning and adaptive management.
● Ensured that cross-cutting aspects of the program such as gender equality, social inclusion, youth, climate adaptation, and resilience are included and well- integrated into the program implementation strategy in each county.
● Facilitated technical coordination meetings and review and reflections of Nawiri staff and partners to share best practices across all Nawiri areas and workstreams, while seeking opportunities to build Nawiri staff’s capabilities.
● Collaborated with different program components including research, implementation, M&E and learning to drive collaborative learning and adaptation.
● Monitored performance of consortium partners and sub-grantees against the CLA Pillars - program minimum quality standards, program effectiveness, program outcomes and oversee context monitoring.
● Continuously monitored Program performance and, in coordination with the Field Director, generates and evaluates alternative solutions and makes effective and timely decisions.
Team Management
● Supported the Field Director to promote a culture of learning, systems thinking, and critical analysis. Created a working environment in which sharing of successes and failures was encouraged and capitalized through learning to establish mechanisms that ensure informed adaptive actions.
● Supported the Field Director and Sub County/Zone Coordinators create a work environment of mutual respect that attracts motivated, skilled, and effective team members and enables them individually and collectively to strive to achieve excellence.
● Supervised, provided leadership, mentored and build the capacity of direct reports, including through individualized professional development plans.
● Assisted in connecting research results and best practices in M&E and CLA to ensure that information and knowledge is accessible to all staff and partners.
● Hired, onboarded and lead team members so that they are positioned for success.
● Supported the Field Director to coordinate county-level NAWIRI staff and oversee the timely development and submission of quality program reports, work plans and budgets.
Program Management
● Provided technical supervision of and support to county technical teams, ensuring that all staff and consortium members have strictly followed work plans, activities are on schedule, and project deliverables are completed as planned.
● Served as a resource for program staff and input into activity design, evidence- based programming, M&E plans, and impact assessments.
● Supported internal and external reviews and lead the analysis of findings, with a strong emphasis on learning.
● Worked daily with program staff and receive regular updates of program activities- ensure activities are on schedule.
● Conducted regular meetings and receive routine reports from program functions, as per MC policies, and facilitate linkages to programming. INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING
● In coordination with the Field Directors and M&E team, led the technical team to set program targets, and monitored the implementation of activities against the CLA pillars of program quality, effectiveness, and contribution to outcomes as well as context monitoring of issues that are affecting implementation through regular field visits and assessments to ensure program quality and impact. This includes oversight and follow up of the county issues log and risk register.
● Provided technical input when requested in the development of the concept notes, deliverables, and overall quality of work of any internal or external partners.
● In coordination with the Communications Specialist, supported the scheduling and production of formal and informal reports on all aspects of the program in a timely and efficient manner.
● Ensured M&E CLA and technical teams are working together to analyze program data and using it for learning and decision making. USAID Nawiri County Strategic and Learning Coordinator. November 2020-to October 2023.
• Developed and nurtured a responsive learning culture across Nawiri consortium members, county government, communities, CBOs, private sector, and other Nawiri partners in Turkana.
• As a key member of the program’s research & learning team (M & E lead, strategic learning lead, & research & design lead), did established and actively supported processes, systems, and products at the county level to help institutionalize the effective use of emerging data, information, and knowledge.
• I was in a leading role in ensuring Nawiri delivers responsive, well-informed, and high-quality programming through effective, adaptive, and innovative approaches.
• Reporting to USAID Nawiri Field Director and worked in close collaboration with the county M &E Coordinator and the Field research Coordinator (RTI, I drove Learning and developed coherent learning products emerging from research, learning and M &E- including the use of learning from context monitoring to drive adaptive management.
• Worked the Turkana M &E coordinator and field research coordinator to establish and implement a system for learning and accountability at the county level.
• Played a leadership role in embedding and supporting a culture of collaboration, learning and adaptation (CLA) across Nawiri initiatives at county level, including identifying and actioning innovative, cost-effective ideas for generating excitement and commitment to learning.
• Facilitated and supported County government, partner organization and other key actors’ efforts to lead collective analysis and reflective review discussions on Nawiri developments and results, to contribute field-based insights and learning to project discussions, to facilitate timely programmatic adjustments and evidence-based decision-making, and to proactively contribute to learning at county and wider levels.
• Developed, overseed, and supported the implementation of systems and guidelines for the documentation and dissemination of field-based perspectives and emerging findings, to foster project learning and to strengthen Nawiri project learning and responsiveness.
• Mentored and coached Nawiri staff and partners to develop their competencies in collaboration, learning, and adaptation.
• Facilitated county government and partner organizations to establish, implement and support effective, user-friendly, sustainable feedback and response mechanisms that are accessible to all community members.
• Worked with the Nawiri Samburu county learning coordinator to develop and nurture systems for cross-county learning.
• Supported the communications team to identify and capture significant key learning that can be leveraged for publication and shared both internally and externally for learning purposes.
• Led implementation of the Nawiri learning strategy at county level and ensuring harmonization with learning strategy from M &E plan Youth and Reap Lead: Omo Delta Program, EUFT Funded (2019-2021) Program Reporting & Administration
• Responsible for technical oversight and management of the Omo delta project through a poverty graduation model aimed at supporting human capital development for resilient individuals who are then placed in a commercial engagement.
• Supported formulation of learning agenda for YES! and REAP groups and stakeholders at both community and local/sub county leaders.
• Defined implementation strategies in coordination with the Program Manager and leadership team, training staffs and partners, providing them with technical assistance and ensuring that common strategies and approaches are applied consistently in all communities.
• Coordinated closely with the monitoring and evaluation (M &E) and project teams to ensure that systems are in place to track, analyze and report results.
• Kept abreast of changing contexts and integrating innovative ideas and approaches as appropriate, seek additional technical assistance as needed and ensure effective working relationships with collaborating agencies.
• Coordinate learning agenda as well as stakeholder engagement with county, national government in adopting better and noble ideas for future programing and decision Making.
• Planned the project cycle for grants including defining timelines and deliverable endpoint for all project work package in conjunction with the relevant stakeholders.
Budget management:
• Worked with the program finance team and institutional Managers to oversee, Plan and Track the project budget.
• Ensure timely sharing of budgetary information with senior team both in Turkana and Nairobi for Proper Planning.
Communication
• Function as primary point of contract for all issues related to the REAP & YES! projects, this will be included being the contact person for the project ‘s primary stakeholders with whom along running positive relationship should be established.
• Met Regularly with project stakeholders to discuss progress.
• Supported Communication by coordinating communication with program partners including government officials, collaborators, and local administrators. Implementation and Reporting
• Coordinated assessments, evaluations, and monitoring surveys in area of operation. This will entail development of scope of works, development of survey tools, trainings and management of data collectors, report write and facilitating results discussion.
• Coordinated with technical and vocational education training (TVET) institutions and other service providers under Omo Delta project to promote youth friendly trainings and assess opportunities for linkages.
• Facilitated disbursement of cash grants for youth and women to enable them to buy stock and equipment for their business.
• Contributed to teamwork plans and guide successful implementation of reap activities, ensuring teams follow work plans so activities are on time, target and within the approved budget, and program deliverables achieve desired impact.
• Develop and facilitate training on internship programs, skills development programs for informal sector productivity, and other ways of skills building for poor and vulnerable youth working closely with country offices.
• in coordination with the MEL team, monitored the implementation of activities through regular field visits and assessments to ensure program quality and impact. document approaches, successes and lessons learned. Reginal Peace Program officer – PEACE III Program, USAID funded 2015-2018 Program Reporting & Administration
• Supported Peace III Partners in documenting success stories, preparation of annual program activities, budgets, and activity event forms and during field visits for quality implementation and reporting.
• Assisted communities using participatory methodologies to identify and implement peace iii related projects.
• Implemented activities and monitor project progress.
• Maintained and strengthened relationships with implementing partners and other stakeholders.
• in coordination with the program manager, conducted regular field visits to ensure that all stakeholders fully understand and utilize peace iii approaches and methodologies.
Conducted himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to positively acknowledge mercy corps and to support its humanitarian mission. Disaster Risk Reduction Officer 2011-2015
Responsibilities
• Responsible for community mobilization, Field activities, Planning and communication vast Germany guidelines and procedures to the community members.
• Participated in development of work plans and delivery of the project activities as per timelines
• in collaboration with Management, Responsible for updating program database.
• Participated in program baseline studies assessments such as market assessment, food assessment, cash-based programming assessment to inform overall VSF Germany programming.
• Supported coordination and follows-ups on project activities under components implemented by project partners.
• Participated in coordinating of program baseline studies and end of projects evaluation.
• Conducted capacity building community groups targeted for various projects activities.
• Monitored and review all required and relevant records at the community level, to ensure that they are accurately prepared and submitted in a timely manner.
• Assisted the community members by providing continuous and relevant guidance and technical support on activities including record keeping, expenditure patterns and commodity management.
• Provided project specific oversight and ensure compliance from the community relations perspective.
• Represented organization in meetings, forums and workshops called upon by county government, county steering group (CSG) and other relevant authority such as natural drought management authority (NDMA and even at regional level. EDUCATION BACKGROUND:
Kenyatta university
2019 -2021: Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration 2014 -2018: Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Administration 2010-2012- Kenya Institute of Social works and community Development PUBLICATION:
Key personal accomplishment:
Author of the article: Journal of Public Policy.
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t4094
''Effects of Water Policy Implementation and Management of Common Pool Resources in Turkana County, Kenya''
PROFFESSIONAL COURSES & TRAININGS.
§ PMDpro1at Mercy orps, Kenya
§ Peace III outcome harvest workshop – Peace III USAID funded program conducted program outcome harvest workshop for mercy corps, pact –Kenya and six partners of Karamoja cluster and 8 partners of Somali cluster on 20th -23rd February 2018
§ conflict prevention, mitigation, and response (CPMR) training in Kapenguria (west Pokot) under peace iii program funded by USAID and implemented by pact and Mercy corps, the training covered the following components: overview of conflicts, conflict mapping and analysis, conflict resolution mechanism and strategies for peace building, this took place on 23rd -26 May 2016.
§ community resource mobilization and sustainable development at Kenya institute of social work and community development Nairobi 2nd June to 6th June 2014 community managed disaster risk reduction (CMDRR) training by IIRR funded by echo lanina iii consortium. 21st October 2012-2nd November 2012
§ certificate in project planning and management in the university of Nairobi- Lokichogio base3rd December 2013-10th December 2013
§ System
§ Training on SASA (Start Awareness Support Action)
§ Training on Resilience Pathway using the Market System Development Approach
§ Participatory Impact Assessment Learning Approaches
§ Training in report writing based on donor need
REFEREES:
1.Mr. Gabriel Ekuwam
USAID Nawiri Field Director
Email: *******@**********.***
Mobile: +254*********
2. Christine Forster
Strategic Learning lead, USAID Nawiri.
Email: ********@**********.***
Mobile: +254*********
3.Sylvester Abara
Peace III Program Director, Karamoja Cluster region. Email:******@**********.***
Mobile: +254*********
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