Program Director - Kenya

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY & RESPONSIBILITIES

As the lead organizer of business advisory and training in Kenya, the Program Director will oversee a department of a growing staff spread throughout urban, second-city, and refugee offices in Garissa and Turkana Counties. 

Specifically, the Business Growth Services Director (Kenya) will have the following responsibilities:

CLIENT DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT (70% TIME)

• Lead, manage, and coach department staff, including direct supervision of Program Managers, Business Development Managers, and Training Managers to deliver impactful services to Inkomoko's clients.
• Manage project deliverables, reporting, and partnership relations with internal and external partners.
• Stay up to date with the entrepreneurship industry across Kenya and East Africa. Connect entrepreneurs to new insights, developments, and other government initiatives.
• Develop and deliver on strategic objectives for the department, and cascade annual organizational goals.
• Work with operational directors in People & Culture, Finance, MEL, and IT to enhance the backbone support to the Department’s programming and operations.
• Work with the Communication department to promote Inkomoko’s programs, client case studies, and brand to achieve objectives of public recognition, alignment with donor/partner communication requirements, sales and marketing objectives, and brand positioning.
• Work with the Investment department to coordinate pre-and post-investment Business Development services to borrowers.
• Collaborate with program staff in the Inkomoko group of companies across East Africa to share lessons learned and harmonize program delivery.
• Serve a key role in the Inkomoko Leadership Team to ensure cohesion and collaboration across the highest levels of the organization.
• Serve as a thought partner to the Managing Director of Kenya to ensure collaboration, country fundraising, and partnership efforts are achieved.
• Maintain standards of the department quality and productivity - building the skills, leadership, and capacity of team members to grow professionally to meet and exceed expectations.
• Oversee personnel matters for senior staff in the department including staffing plans, role clarification, hiring, professional development, discipline, investigation, etc., including hiring in new locations.
• Contribute to Inkomoko’s efforts for inclusive policy approaches to benefit marginalized entrepreneurs, particularly IDPs and refugees in Kenya.
• Maintain and grow Inkomoko’s relationships with the local government, various program partners, and external stakeholders, in partnership with other company leaders.
• Benchmark Inkomoko against other partners, ensuring a strong market position relevant to client needs, and ecosystem offerings.
• Generate programmatic insights with the MEL team to ensure product impact and relevance, and be able to report insights to Executive leadership, Board, and external partners.
• Other duties to support organizational culture and leadership.

PRODUCT INNOVATION & EXPANSION (20% TIME)

• Innovate/iterate on existing products to achieve value for clients in alignment with Inkomoko’s impact strategies and Vision 2030 in close collaboration with the Inkomoko Regional Director of BGS.
• Develop and implement strategies to expand in new geographies, testing and iterating to meet the need.
• Open new offices in Kenya as needed
• Modify or develop new Business Development products to meet client needs and market opportunities.
• Work closely with the senior leadership on change management to roll out new products and train staff to implement them with fidelity and skill.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT & REVENUE GENERATION (10% TIME)

• Partner with fundraising colleagues, to identify, develop, and negotiate proposals/budgets with institutional clients and donors in alignment with Inkomoko’s priorities.
• Co-manage department expenses with the Regional Program Director, setting annual and multi-year budgets, and strategically allocating resources to achieve quality department outputs.
• Work with the Finance Department for timely billing and financial reporting to partners. 

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR;

Successful candidates will be passionate about the power of entrepreneurship to improve lives and communities. They will embody Inkomoko’s values of being aligned with our purposes, solutions-oriented, and willing to put in the time and effort to reach exceptional outcomes. We require individuals who have previously taken on leadership and management responsibilities. 

Qualifications include: 

• Experience with the development of micro and small enterprises is required.
• Experience with refugee and Internally Displaced Persons entrepreneurs and financing is strongly preferred.
• Proven track record of leadership, including significant experience in large program management, and team development in fast-growing companies 
• Experience with product development – through the lens of human-centered design – and a willingness to test, fail, iterate, and test again, incorporating data, not your own biases.
• Ability to care about your colleagues and challenge them simultaneously (i.e. “Radical Candor”)
• Strong experience in project management budgeting and managing outcomes.
• Unrelenting perseverance, personal integrity, and critical thinking skills
• A nuanced understanding of justice and fairness in the workplace
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage multiple deadlines – must be both strategic and operational.
• Ability to work with high-profile individuals with discretion, professionalism, and responsiveness.
• Fluent in English, additional proficiency in Kenya Arabic is strongly preferred.
• 8+ years of work experience in relevant or applicable field
• MBA or equivalent preferred

WHAT YOU’LL GET

This role is a tremendous opportunity to work in a high-growth, mission-driven organization. Our compensation includes both a great culture and a competitive market-based package, including:

• Incredible company culture, including deep investment in your learning and growth, and a commitment to inclusion and diversity.
• Opportunity to work with a talented, passionate, and committed team of professionals across the region.
• Ability to make a significant social impact and contribute to economic growth
• Competitive salary, and potential KPI-based bonus
• Favorable policies like health insurance, staff savings program, parental leave, sabbatical program, and more.