Kenya Business Operations Associate at One Acre Fund

Job Description

The Business Operation team oversees the strategy and implementation of back-end and Headquarters’ operations that directly impact our clients and staff by providing excellent support services in Customer Engagement, Case Investigations, Client Data Management, Loan Collections and Orders and Distributions.

The Business Operations Associate will oversee 2 to 3 sub-departments within Business Operations and will lead improvement projects to help us to improve and scale our back-end operations. You excel in the ambiguity of a startup environment and you are eager to drive the success of teams and projects.

Sample Work Streams Include

• Client Experience and Case Investigations
  
  • Oversee our call-center to inbound and resolve farmer questions and drive towards best in house customer service for our farmers.
  • Oversee our case investigations to make sure that farmers are protected from fraud and harassment.
  • Drive projects forward to improve the client experience in these functions and in overlapping areas across Business Operations.
• Analytics and Reporting
  
  • Oversee our analytics and reporting teams to produce quality insights and actionable reports for our Headquarters and field teams to drive the performance of our program.
  • Oversee our Print Operation team to quickly and reliably serve farmers and staff with access to the information that will drive their success.
  • Drive projects forward to improve our analytics, print and reporting functions.
• Core Operations and Processing
  
  • Oversee our loan collections functions to ensure that farmers can quickly and efficiently pay back their loans.
  • Oversee our orders and distribution functions to ensure that farmers receive the products they ordered within a timely manner.
  • Drive projects to improve our operations and processing time.

Responsibilities for this role would include, but are not limited to:

• Strategy & Vision
  
  • Measure progress against goals, regularly report on progress, and hold team accountable to delivering results in key strategic areas.
  • Drive Business Operations to scale our services to more clients efficiently, while maintaining a high level of service.
• Team Management
  
  • Manage and mentor sub-department managers (2-3 sub-teams) and ensure that all of these departments tasks are executed to world-class standards.
  • Ensure Business Operations sub-departments are collaborating effectively with individuals, teams and divisions outside of the Business Operations department. Set-up appropriate systems of communication to keep everyone moving together.
• Strategic Improvements and Collaboration
  
  • Identify and prioritize operations improvement projects to allow us to scale to more farmers, more efficiently, and offer a better service.
  • Participate in relevant Working Groups to collaborate with colleagues to move forward on key initiatives. These include Enrollment Working Group, Input Delivery Working Group, etc.
  • Collaborate with Product Managers, developers and country leadership to update and improve on the cross-country organizational data platform.
• People Management & Training
  
  • Manage 2-3 mid-level managers with weekly reporting meetings, performance reviews and development, strategic direction and support.
  • Ensure that all staff receive effective mentorship to promote career growth and capacity to handle the organization’s rapid growth.
• Team & Culture
  
  • Within your sub-department, ensure all staff members are connected to the mission and feel motivated to serve our farmers each day.
  • Serve as a leader and role model to the Kenya team at large. Embody One Acre Fund’s core values: Humble Service, Hard Work, Continual Growth, Family of Leaders, Dream Big, and Integrity.
  • Monitor team morale, plan and mitigate any changes that could create disharmony amongst staff.
• Spending and Budgeting
  
  • Participate in annual budgeting process for your sub-departments; anticipate spending for the year based on annual plans.
  • Each month, flag any expected over-expenditures and identify possible ways to offset costs.
  • Identify ways for the department to become more efficient.

Career Growth and Development

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You’ll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. We hold career reviews every six months, and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

Qualifications

We are seeking exceptional professionals with 2-3+ years of work experience, and ideally a demonstrated passion for our mission. Candidates who fit the following criteria are strongly encouraged to apply:

• Strong work experiences. Examples include a demanding professional work experience, or successful entrepreneurial experience (e.g. starting a field program in a developing country, leading a conference, starting a business, solid Volunteer Service Organization accomplishments e.g. VSO, Peace Corps, JICA, etc).
• Demonstrated leadership experience at work, or outside of work, enthusiasm for learning, and openness to feedback.
• Ability to build teams and collaborate with colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
• Humility. We are looking for passionate professionals who combine strong leadership skills with good humor, patience, and a humble approach to service to join our growing family of leaders.
• Strong educational background; a Bachelors’ Degree in relevant field.
• Language: English required in Kenya. Swahili-speakers strongly encouraged to apply.

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible.

Job Location

Kakamega, Kenya.

Compensation

Commensurate with experience.

Duration

Full-time job.

Benefits

Health insurance, housing, annual flights and other quality of life benefits.

Sponsor International Candidates

No; Must have existing rights to work in Kenya.

One Acre Fund never asks candidates to pay any money or pay for tests at any stage of the interview process. Official One Acre Fund emails will always arrive from an @oneacrefund.org address. Please report any suspicious communication here.