Job Opportunities at Global Development Incubator

Job Description

The Associate will be a core member of Aceli Africa’s dynamic team, working across four key functions: Partnerships, Innovation, Impact & Learning, and Technical Assistance, and perform other duties as assigned. Aceli staff are expected to exercise a high degree of autonomy and take on significant responsibility.

Reporting to the Head of Partnerships, the Associate will also have significant interactions with, and is expected to support the Impact & Learning Manager and the Technical Assistance Manager, as well as other key members of the Aceli Africa team.  S/he will be employed by GDI Kenya.

Specific responsibilities include:

Partnerships

• Assist in managing the broad network of Aceli’s partners, including managing logistics and communications with regional funders and local implementation/technical partners.
• Work across multiple program areas (Partnerships, Impact & Learning, Technical Assistance) to ensure successful implementation of partnerships.

Innovation

• Play a support role in designing and implementing Aceli’s Innovation Facility.
• Manage Innovation Challenges (and other such related activities hosted within the Innovation Facility), starting with drafting calls for proposals, overseeing the proposal review and selection process, and managing Aceli’s relationship with the grantees throughout the lifecycle of the Innovation Challenges.
• In collaboration with the Impact & Learning Manager, develop and oversee the evaluation of activities under the Innovation program.

Impact & Learning 

• Assist in mapping and coordinating verification exercises related to Aceli’s ESG policies.
• Provide support in organizing monitoring and evaluation plans for activities implemented through partnerships and those under direct implementation of the Impact & Learning Manager.

Technical Assistance

•  Assist the TA Program Manager with recruiting SMEs and managing logistics.
• Support with vendor management as needed, including facilitating billing, reporting, and evaluation.
• Support the Impact Manager to oversee evaluation of activities such as generating baseline profiles and tracking indicators.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree/equivalent in International Studies, Social Studies, Business Administration, or other relevant field;
• Minimum of five years of full-time project management and/or administrative experience;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Keen attention to detail;
• Curious and entrepreneurial mindset;
• Excellent time management with demonstrated ability to meet deadlines;
• Problem-solving skills with ability to learn quickly;
• Adaptable to fast-paced environment and able to prioritise work effectively and balance conflicting demands without close supervision;
• Knowledge of the international development sector and its institutions; familiarity with agri- finance and innovation in the Ag sector will be an added advantage;
• Personal commitment to having a positive impact on farmer livelihoods and economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Additional Information

Global Development Incubator is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. East African nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.

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Job Description

 The role holder will be a core member of Aceli Africa’s dynamic and growing team and will be responsible for supporting Aceli product development and adjustments of financial incentives to unlock financing for agri-SMEs. The incumbent must have experience in business and product performance analytics, possess a mastery of financial analytics and modelling tools, and be adept at engaging a range of stakeholders from commercial banks and other lenders serving agricultural SMEs to data and learning partners, and donors. The role will report to the Head of Product and Operations and is a fulltime position with GDI Kenya, a non-profit entity registered under Kenyan law and affiliated with GDI, Inc., a non profit registered in the United States of America.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform data analysis and market intelligence to guide in the calibration of Aceli Financial Incentives with the aim of catalyzing investment in agri-SMEs;
• Lead the annual budget preparations and make the necessary updates in the five-year projections for the Aceli financial incentives program;
• Be the focal point for the annual financial benchmarking study and work with Aceli data partners in collecting, analyzing and reporting data on agricultural lending trends in East Africa;
• Work closely with Aceli country representatives to ensure partner lending institutions have a good understanding of Aceli financial incentives and their feedback is regularly collected to inform future product iterations;
• Ensure incentives earned by partner lending institutions are accurately calculated and paid in a timely manner;
• Provide partner lending institutions with periodic reports on their earned financial incentives and address any related queries in coordination with Aceli country representatives;
• Create or adapt internal documentation (including policies and guidelines) and tools to support the process of product development and enhancement of the financial incentives as well as training of partner lending institutions;
• Practice the highest degree of professionalism and integrity to build Aceli Africa’s excellent reputation;
• Collaborate with the Aceli team at the regional and global levels to ensure that all of the above responsibilities are well-coordinated with Aceli’s strategic priorities and operating processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Finance, Economics, Statistics or other quantitative fields;
• Minimum of 8 years professional experience in East Africa;
• Demonstrated financial modeling skills and knowledge of business intelligence tools;
• Ability to perform client and industry analysis to identify gaps/opportunities and structure appropriate solutions;
• Strategic thinker who is adept at connecting big picture objectives with an action orientation;
• Go-getter who takes initiative and is able to work independently and collaborate with a multi- country team in a rapidly evolving environment;
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and relationship management skills;
• Professional with a demonstrated record of the highest integrity and ethical conduct;
• Keen interest and understanding of the agricultural finance market in East Africa, and;
• Passion for applying financial and business acumen to have a positive impact on farmer livelihoods, food security, and economic development in East Africa.

Additional Information

Global Development Incubator is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. East African nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.