Project Director - Freedom 250 Tech and Innovation Exchange at IREX

Summary of Responsibilities
Program Leadership and Strategic Oversight

• Provide overall leadership for the design, implementation, and management of all components of the Freedom 250 Tech and Innovation Exchange, ensuring full alignment with U.S. government priorities and Embassy guidance.
• Serve as the primary day-to-day liaison with the U.S. Embassy Nairobi (Public Diplomacy Section) for implementation coordination, approvals, and adaptive management under the cooperative agreement.
• Develop, manage, and routinely track the integrated program work plan, timelines, and deliverables across the full 36‑month period of performance; flag risks and propose course corrections to IREX leadership as needed.

Academic, Private Sector, and Partner Engagement

• Identify, negotiate, and manage partnerships with U.S. universities and Kenyan institutions to deliver semester-long academic placements and advance priority U.S.–Kenya university linkages.
• Design and implement structured externships, mentorships, and professional engagement opportunities with U.S. companies and innovation ecosystem partners operating in Kenya.
• Engage U.S. Embassy counterparts, private-sector associations, and ecosystem partners to ensure the program delivers tangible pro‑American and pro‑commercial outcomes.

Recruitment, Selection, and Participant Experience

• Oversee recruitment, outreach, application management, and participant support processes for Kenyan undergraduate students, in close coordination with the U.S. Embassy, which retains strict oversight of participant selection.
• Ensure transparent, merit-based recruitment and selection processes aligned with Embassy priorities and Freedom 250 branding and messaging.
• Lead implementation of participant orientation, pre-departure preparation, re‑entry activities, and structured post‑program engagement in Kenya.

Operations, Compliance, and Risk Management

• Oversee day-to-day program operations, logistics, and coordination with U.S. and Kenyan partners.
• Manage day-to-day compliance implementation for the award, including U.S. Department of State requirements (e.g., J‑1/DS‑2019 processes where applicable), branding and communications guidance, 2 CFR 200 financial compliance, and all award-specific terms and conditions.
• Lead participant safeguarding, duty of care, and emergency response planning, in consultation with the U.S. Embassy.
• Manage program budgets, pipelines, and cost controls; prepare forecasts and justifications and ensure expenditures and procurements follow IREX systems and donor requirements.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

• Lead development and implementation of the program’s Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP), including theory of change, indicators, data collection methods, and learning loops.
• Draft and submit timely, high-quality narrative and financial reports to the U.S. Embassy and internal stakeholders, coordinating inputs from finance, operations, partners, and headquarters as required.

Team Leadership and Representation

• Supervise, mentor, and support a multidisciplinary program team based in Kenya and in coordination with U.S.-based staff.
• Represent the program in technical and coordination settings with academic and private-sector partners and other implementers; elevate sensitive or high-level engagement needs to the Regional/Country Director.
• Contribute technical and strategic inputs to proposal development, learning agendas, and future U.S.–Kenya exchange or innovation initiatives, as needed.