Job Openings at IREX

We are doers. Our decades of on-the-ground experience help us create greater impact, practical recommendations, and lasting partnerships.

Are you the next member of our team?

Your Background & Skills - Required

•  Graduate of Education with TSC Teacher/Trainer certification or registration in Kenya. 
•  1+ years of work experiences  
•  Experience with supporting development of training material for adult facilitation.  
•  Knowledge of curriculum development process in coordination with Ministry of Education in Kenya. 
•  Experience working with teams in organizational and/or school setting. 
•  Excellent organizational skills. 
•  Demonstrate mastery of fluency in English including spelling and grammar skills  
•  Administrative writing and reporting skills 
•  Demonstrate proficiency in Microsoft office. 
•  Excellent written and oral communications skills. 
•  Attention to detail and ability to remain flexible in a fast-paced environment 
•  Professionalism and teamwork 
•  You must have unrestricted authorization to work in Kenya.

Your Background & Skills – Preferred

•  Previous experience with training and facilitation. 
•  Good working knowledge of education system and processes. 
•  Good knowledge of computer - Windows and Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel) 
•  Previous work in capacity building and teacher professional development would be an added advantage  

Your Daily Tasks

•  Collaborates with program staff to plan events and trainings.  
•  Attends all program sessions and works as a team to effectively facilitate program delivery as needed, helping to drive coherence and meaning across the curriculum.  
•  Assists with the preparation of all instructional materials including presentations, handouts, etc. for each learning session and/or event. 
•  Establishes and maintains key relationships with teachers, headteachers and CSOs attached to our beneficiary schools. 
•  Draws on personal experience and academic concepts to deliver highly engaging and thought-provoking program sessions. 
•  Provides leadership coaching to principals, CSOs and Play Ambassadors participating in the KPLAY Program  
•  Supports the Training Associate with monitoring the implementation of annual training plan on monthly basis. 
•  Supports the Training Associate to ensure the implementation of training feedback for further improvement of content and training mechanism. 
•  Conducts school visits according to the training plan and provides qualitative input to support the MEL Officer. 
•  Conducts regular team meetings to review training progress and outcomes, and addresses gaps if any. 
•  Assists in the preparation of KPLAY training activity budgets. 
•  Understands the KPLAY program principals and outcomes and seeking to align daily work to our goals and objectives. 
•  Supports the team by offering regular training progress checks. 
•  Continuously works to improve the coaching skills of self and the team and supports processes for assuring all coaching delivered is of the highest quality. 
•  Participates in team virtual calls and other activities while maintaining a positive attitude. 

IREX will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008.

We conduct background checks on all successful candidates.

This position is eligible for Telework.

You must have unrestricted authorization to work in Kenya.

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Summary of Position:

IREX seeks qualified Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) candidates for the anticipated USAID-funded Connectivity for Learning Activity. The activity will aim to improve reading and social and emotional skills while strengthening local capacity to support and manage distance learning. The activity will have a unique focus on embedding caregivers and teachers with the knowledge, skills, and training to support learners in their homes, and ensuring that the intervention is sustainable beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The DCOP will be responsible for managing all field operations under the overall direction of the Chief of Party. This individual will oversee the project’s operations.

Only citizens of Kenya or permanent residents with Kenyan work authorization will be considered. This position is contingent on funding.

Summary of Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership to and general oversight of the program’s operations and administrative staff
• Monitor budget and provide required reporting in close coordination with IREX HQ
• Provide leadership in financial reporting, audit reviews, and assessment processes
• Ensure that all operations are in compliance with IREX, USAID, and Kenyan regulations
• In coordination with IREX HQ and the Chief of Party, establish and ensure implementation operational policies and procedures for the program
• Manage the technical components of the program—ensuring that they are properly executed, responsive to changing program requirements, and results-oriented
• Provide review and input for program documents (workplans, monthly and quarterly reporting, and other USAID reports and internal progress reports)
• Manage effective communication and coordination with IREX’s HQ team
• Review and approve grant agreements and/or subcontracts if any are planned

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Kenyan citizenship or residency with work authorization is required
• At least seven (7) years of experience managing operations on development/technical assistance programs in Kenya
• Technical expertise in education programming, including capacity building of local institutions or bolstering distance learning options for reading instruction and social and emotional skills highly preferred
• Successful track record of supervising, designing, managing, and implementing development/technical assistance programs
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
• Fluent English language skills required

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Summary of Position:

IREX seeks qualified Chief of Party (COP) candidates for the anticipated USAID-funded Connectivity for Learning Activity. The activity will aim to improve reading and social and emotional skills while strengthening local capacity to support and manage distance learning. The activity will have a unique focus on embedding caregivers and teachers with the knowledge, skills, and training to support learners in their homes, and ensuring that the intervention is sustainable beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The COP will serve as the program’s principal contact point for USAID, and will oversee all aspects of program performance, both technical and managerial, ensuring that IREX procedures are adhered to for activity development, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, procurement, budgeting, and financial accounting.

Only citizens of Kenya or permanent residents with Kenyan work authorization will be considered. This position is contingent on funding.

Summary of Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic and technical leadership to the program and the team, deploying innovative and adaptive program implementation that engages a wide range of stakeholders while effectively meeting donor deliverables  
• Provide strategic and technical leadership for the design and implementation of program activities
• Serve as the program’s principal liaison with USAID, as well as with key partners and stakeholders
• Develop workplans through participatory and collaborative processes, oversee workplan implementation, responsively adapting to changes and lessons learned throughout implementation 
• Develop and maintain effective partnerships for successful program implementation
• Ensure activities are implemented on schedule and within budget
• Identify issues and risks to program implementation in a timely manner and suggest appropriate program adjustments
• Supervise, manage, and mentor the program’s staff, in close coordination with IREX HQ
• Oversee program budgeting, financial management, and compliance
• Oversee monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of program activities; promote a culture of learning and adaptation across the program and partners
• Oversee program communications and represent the program publicly

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Kenyan citizenship or residency with work authorization is required
• Minimum ten (10) years of experience in development at a senior program management level, including direct supervision of professional and support staff
• Successful track record of supervising, designing, managing, or implementing USAID-funded programs
• Demonstrated ability to develop and foster relationships with local partners and counterparts, preferably in Kenya
• Demonstrated experience in education programming, including capacity building of local institutions or bolstering distance learning options for reading instruction and social and emotional skills, preferably in Kenya
• Demonstrated ability to track and manage budgets and plan both strategically and creatively to meet program objectives
• Proven leadership qualities and excellent management skills, strong interpersonal and organizational skills
• Bachelor’s degree (master’s or higher preferred

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IREX seeks a strategic, innovative, entrepreneurial, and collaborative Country Representative to spearhead – out of Kenya – IREX’s efforts to empower youth, cultivate leaders, produce quality information and education, and strengthen communities in East Africa.  

A self-starter, the Country Representative will continually assess the competitive environment to identify new opportunities for IREX to advance its mission and strengthen is brand in East Africa. They will spearhead efforts to capture these opportunities in partnership with IREX’s New Business Development Unit and Strategic Partnerships Unit. The successful candidate will have a solid understanding of the development sector in areas that align with IREX’s impact goals, especially youth and education. They will also have proven experience leading strategic thinking processes and approaches and business development activities that lead to partnerships with governmental donors, the private sector and the philanthropic community. 

The Country Representative, within IREX’s Strategy and Development Group, is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the IREX strategy for Eastern Africa, with initial emphasis on Kenya and Tanzania. In close coordination with the New Business Development Unit, the Country Representative ensures the development and execution of specific plans for each element of the IREX’s regional strategy, including identifying and shaping opportunities, engaging key audiences, building institutional relationships, developing partnership strategies, promoting the brand of IREX, and designing new programs. The Country Representative also may oversee aspects of the administration of the presence of IREX in Kenya.

We are doers. Our decades of on-the-ground experience help us create greater impact, practical recommendations, and lasting partnerships.  

Are you the next member of our team? 

Your Background & Skills 

• 3 or more years of progressive experience with strategy development and strategic stakeholder mapping and engagement in country or region of responsibility. 
• 5 or more years of experience with planning, designing, resourcing and implementing business development initiatives. This includes the ability to write proposals, bids, and statements of interest. 
• 7 or more years of progressive experience in international development. 
• Direct professional experience in youth programming, including pathways to employment, skills development, employability and entrepreneurship, and leadership development. 
• Advanced experience with programs funded by bilateral donors including but not limited to USAID, the US Department of State, Department for International Development (DFID), the United Nations Development Program, Swedish International Development Agency, Global Affairs Canada. 
• Experience building relationships with private sector companies and foundations, and other major donors in the region. 
• Strong writing and verbal communications skills 
• Experience with managing teams and operations strongly preferred. 
• A master’s degree in a relevant field strongly preferred. 
• Fluency in Swahili strongly preferred. 

Your Daily Tasks 

Strategy and development: 

• Assess the competitive environment to ensure IREX reflects important trends in its planning, strategy development, and programs 
• Continually assess national and regional markets for partnership and business opportunities and help prepare plans to capture them 
• Identify markets, donors, and program areas that are responsive to the objectives of the country strategy, map out a strategy for engaging with or accessing them, and execute that strategy. 
• Develop local partnership strategies for specific opportunities or initiatives. 
• Elaborate the tracks of the regional strategy and executing them at the country level and, as assigned, at the regional level. 
• Maintain aggressive business development pipeline targets and drive the competitiveness of each bid. 
• Develop a system for tracking, monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the country/regional strategy. 
• Lead, or support with technical writing, strategic advice, teaming ideas, and cost solutions proposals prepared by the NBDU. 
• Identify local experts for initiatives and proposals and develop databases of expertise. 
• Ensure effective coordination with the NBDU, the Center for Applied Learning and Impact and the Strategic Partnerships Unit. 
• Support the creation of a team culture that encourages risk-taking, innovation an ethos of excellence, and a commitment to results. 

Representation and Outreach: 

• Identify high level external audiences or stakeholders (media, public officials, donors, and key influencers), map out a strategy for reaching out to them, and effectively engage with them to disseminate key messages and facilitate direct relationships between them and IREX. Cultivate intentionally and methodically relationships with key influencers. 
• Design, oversee, or execute as needed, the organization of special events in country or region of responsibility in coordination with the Strategic Communications Unit. 
• Proactively develop and curate strategic content and increase audience engagement on IREX’s social media channels in country or region of responsibility. 
• Draft “thought leadership” products such as op-eds, articles, or essays for placement in external publications. 
• Represent IREX in meetings with external stakeholders. 

Administration: 

• Provide strategic support to the Executive Director of the Kenya Office around HR, operations as need. 
• Liaise with local legal counsel on topics such as registration, tax, and labor law issues 
• Other duties as assigned. 

IREX will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008. 

Successful candidates are subject to background screenings. 

This position is eligible for Telework. 

Must demonstrate valid proof of unrestricted authorization to work in the country and region. 

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE 

EOE – Equal Opportunity Employer 

We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity. 

All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply. AA/EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled