Industry Partnerships and Business Development Specialist at Strathmore University

Basic Job Summary:

• To lead engagement with industry and the entrepreneurial ecosystem across the project: brokering partnerships between training institutions and the private sector, developing business-development and entrepreneurship linkages along the GH2 value chain (with attention to SMEs, women and youth), leading policy-brief drafting and sector recommendations, and delivering the knowledge-sharing and awareness-raising work packages.

Duties & Responsibilities:
Industry Partnerships, Knowledge Sharing and Awareness
The key tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Build and maintain a database of GH2 private-sector stakeholders; engage industry in skills mapping and skills-gap validation.
• Establish private-sector partnerships and MoUs for training and Centre-of-Excellence involvement
• Support job placement, internships and company onboarding and entrepreneur selection for the Exchange Programme.
• Lead inter-project liaison with other TEI OP-VET project partners and compile the 
• GH2 VET Best Practice Guide / knowledge products documenting learnings.
• Set up and implement the GH2 awareness campaign, including stakeholder mapping, materials, and dissemination activities.

Project Coordination and Reporting 
The key tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Lead the drafting of policy briefs with recommendations for the VET sector and its 
• Green Hydrogen linkage and further sector/advocacy inputs
• Identify and promote business-development and entrepreneurship opportunities for 
• SMEs and women- and youth-led enterprises.
• Foster inclusive public–private partnerships and identify opportunities for publicprivate collaboration.
• Coordinate closely with other consortium members on project delivery
• Report on progress and deliverables to the SERC Project Manager

Minimum Academic Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Economics, Development Studies, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Public Policy or a related field.
• A Bachelor’s degree with substantial additional relevant experience may be considered.
• Professional Qualifications / Membership to professional bodies/ Publication:
• Experience drafting policy briefs and best-practice guides.
• Membership of a relevant professional body is an asset

Work Experience:

• At least seven (7) years in private-sector development, business development, partnership brokering or public–private partnerships, ideally in energy, industrial or skills sectors.
• Demonstrated experience drafting policy briefs and engaging with policy-making and regulatory bodies.
• Proven experience designing and delivering awareness campaigns, workshops and conferences.
• Experience facilitating regional or inter-project knowledge sharing is a strong asset.
• Sound knowledge of Kenya’s private-sector and SME ecosystem; commitment to gender- and youth-inclusive approaches.

Competency Level:

• Excellent stakeholder-engagement, networking and partnership-brokering skills.
• Strong analytical and policy-writing ability; clear, persuasive communication.
• Strong event and campaign management and coordination skills.
• Excellent written and spoken English