Senior Innovation Officer at Kenya National Innovation Agency

Key Responsibilities / Duties / Tasks

• Creating and continuously updating a national database to support effective development and management of the national innovation system;
• Profiling potential partners for resource mobilization for the development of technological innovations.
• identifying initiatives for commercialization of innovations;
• Creating awareness on IP rights;
• advising and training innovators on exploitation of IPR’s and on commercialization processes;
• Engaging in initiation and negotiation for linkages and partnerships among stakeholders in the national innovation systems;
• Conducting stakeholder assessment and validating opportunities and potential for development of the national innovation system;
• Implementing the agency’s strategic objectives, projects and programmes; working with the management team to ensure that projects and programmes are well integrated into the overall organization plan;
• monitoring and reporting to the management on  project and programme performance over time; and
• participating in and contributing to the development and monitoring of annual work plans and budgets.

Academic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in any of the following disciplines: Business Management, Technology, Marketing, Law, Economics or any other relevant qualifications from a recognized Institution;

Professional Qualifications / Membership to professional bodies

• Membership to a professional body and in good standing where applicable.
• Supervisory course lasting not less than two (2) weeks from a recognized institution
• Previous relevant work experience required.
• Served for a cumulative period of six (6) years’ relevant work experience as Innovation Officer I or in a comparable position the Public or Private Sector.

Functional Skills:

• Communication skill
• Team management skills
• Critical thinking and Decision making
• Problem solving skills.
• Report and minute writing skills.
• IT Proficiency skills
• Organizational skills
• Analytical skills

Behavioral Competencies/ Attributes:

• Interpersonal skills
• Adaptability and decisiveness
• Proactive, networking and negotiating skills.
• Detail oriented.
• Commitment to work
• Integrity
• Emotional intelligence
• Ability to work in a multi-racial environment and appreciate other cultures