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Inkomoko’s vision is an Africa with thriving communities where young people and refugees are engaged, communities have access to relevant innovations for self-determination, and where African solutions are unleashed to solve African problems.
Founded in 2012, Inkomoko has provided business advisory and access to finance for thousands of entrepreneurs ac...
ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY & RESPONSIBILITIES
- Inkomoko is strengthening its approach to climate resilience, circular economy, and sustainable enterprise development. We are seeking a senior consultant to lead an initial Circular Economy Pilot with local social sector organizations while helping build the institutional foundations for Inkomoko’s longer-term climate and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) capability.
- The immediate focus will be on 15 high-potential refugee-led organizations (RLOs) in Kenya and Ethiopia, supporting them to identify, design, finance, and implement income-generating, climate-smart circular economy interventions focused on food security, renewable energy, and waste management.
- However, the mandate extends beyond successful delivery of the pilot. The consultant will develop the content, tools, processes, workflows, partnerships, and learning required to enable Inkomoko to integrate climate and environmental considerations more systematically into its enterprise-development model and evolving impact architecture.
- This is therefore a strategic, hands-on institution-building assignment. The successful candidate will need to move between strategy and execution: working directly with RLOs, building the capability of Inkomoko teams, developing practical tools and systems, engaging technical and financing partners, and translating learning from the pilot into institutional capabilities that can be applied beyond the initial project. This will be a 12 month Consultancy.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the Circular Economy Pilot
- Own the end-to-end delivery of the Circular Economy Pilot with 15 selected RLOs.
- Design and facilitate an intervention-development process that enables RLOs to identify viable, climate-smart and income-generating opportunities.
- Support RLOs to develop high-quality intervention proposals, including business models, implementation plans, financing requirements, risks, timelines, and expected outcomes.
- Work closely with Investment and relevant Inkomoko teams to assess interventions and facilitate appropriate financing.
- Provide technical oversight and coaching during implementation.
- Ensure the 15 RLOs implement viable interventions and generate measurable economic, employment, environmental, and resilience outcomes.
Build Climate & Circular Economy Capability within Inkomoko
- Develop practical climate and circular economy content, tools, workflows, and guidance that can be embedded into Inkomoko’s existing RLO and enterprise-development programming.
- Develop and deliver a climate resilience module and train Inkomoko staff to deliver it effectively.
- Build staff capability through training-of-trainers, field observation, coaching, and quality assurance.
- Develop practical approaches for identifying climate-related opportunities and risks within enterprise and social-sector programming.
- Create reusable tools and processes that enable country teams to integrate climate considerations without requiring specialist support for every intervention.
Lay the Foundations for Inkomoko’s Climate & ESG Capability
- Work with BGS, MERL, Program Design & Innovation, Investment, and relevant leadership to identify how climate, environmental sustainability, and ESG considerations should progressively be integrated into Inkomoko’s impact model.
- Develop an initial institutional roadmap for climate and ESG integration, identifying priority capabilities, systems, standards, data requirements, partnerships, and ownership.
- Identify opportunities to integrate climate resilience, resource efficiency, circular business models, and environmental considerations into enterprise development.
- Develop recommendations for how climate and ESG considerations can inform programme design, enterprise support, investment, measurement, and organizational decision-making.
- Distil learning from the pilot into an enterprise-level Climate/ESG playbook or foundational framework that Inkomoko can further develop after the consultancy.
Build Partnerships and Technical Ecosystems
- Identify and develop relationships with technical experts, private-sector actors, financial institutions, governments, funders, research institutions, and other ecosystem partners relevant to climate and circular economy.
- Identify opportunities for technical assistance, financing, market linkages, innovation, and co-investment.
- Build partnerships that can help RLOs and entrepreneurs move from pilot interventions to commercially viable and scalable models.
- Bring external knowledge, market intelligence, and emerging climate practices into Inkomoko.
Evidence, Learning & Scale
- Work with MERL to develop appropriate baseline, monitoring, outcome, and learning approaches for the pilot.
- Track implementation, income generation, employment, resilience, and relevant environmental outcomes.
- Generate practical evidence on which circular economy interventions are viable, for whom, under what conditions, and with what level of support.
- Document lessons, case studies, tools, and recommendations to inform future programming and investment.
- Develop a clear scale recommendation for Inkomoko based on evidence from the pilot.
Cross-functional Leadership
- Build coalitions across BGS, Investment, MERL, Program Design & Innovation, Country Leadership, and other relevant teams to embed climate thinking into existing systems rather than create a standalone project.
- Provide regular strategic updates to Inkomoko leadership, highlighting progress, risks, decisions required, and opportunities.
- Influence across functions without relying on formal authority and build internal ownership of the emerging climate agenda.
EXPECTED RESULTS;
The consultant will be accountable for delivering the following immediate results:
Circular Economy Pilot
- 15 RLOs complete a structured circular intervention-design process.
- 15 RLOs receive appropriate financing and implement climate-smart circular interventions.
- Interventions generate measurable income and employment opportunities, with an ambition of 3,000 jobs created.
- Participating RLOs demonstrate improved climate resilience and organizational capability.
Institutional Capability
In addition to the pilot results, the consultant will leave Inkomoko with:
- A practical climate resilience and circular economy curriculum and delivery package.
- Standardized intervention-design tools, processes, and workflows.
- A Climate & ESG integration roadmap for Inkomoko.
- Foundational guidance for integrating climate and environmental considerations into enterprise development and the evolving impact model.
- A network of strategic technical and ecosystem partners.
- Evidence and recommendations to inform future scale, investment, and institutionalization.
- Internal staff capability sufficient to continue and expand the work beyond the consultancy.
Requirements
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
We are looking for a climate and sustainability leader who can both build and do. This person should be comfortable designing strategy and systems at an institutional level while working directly with organizations and teams to turn ideas into viable interventions.
The ideal candidate will have:
- 8+ years of relevant professional experience in climate, circular economy, sustainability, environmental management, ESG, responsible business, climate finance, or related fields.
- Demonstrated experience designing and implementing climate or circular economy initiatives that generate economic and/or employment outcomes.
- Experience translating technical climate or sustainability concepts into practical tools, business models, training, and operating processes.
- Strong understanding of the intersection between climate, enterprise development, livelihoods, markets, and inclusive economic growth.
- Demonstrated experience building institutional capability, systems, or new functions, not only delivering projects.
- Strong facilitation and human-centered design skills, with the ability to work effectively with local organizations and entrepreneurs.
- Strong strategic partnership and stakeholder-management capabilities, including experience working across private sector, government, development, and community actors.
- Strong project management and execution skills, including managing multiple stakeholders, budgets, timelines, and risks.
- Experience working with refugees, local organizations, or in fragile/complex contexts is an advantage.
- Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management, Sustainability, Climate Science, Development Studies, Business, Governance, or a related field. A Master’s degree is preferred.
Benefits
WHAT YOU’LL GET
This role is inside a high-growth, mission-driven social enterprise. By joining, you’ll access:
- Meaningful work that directly contributes to sustainable livelihoods and job creation across East and Central Africa.
- Competitive consultancy fee commensurate with experience and expertise
- Incredible company culture, with opportunities for learning and growth
- Opportunity to shape and build an emerging climate, circular economy, and ESG capability within a rapidly growing organization
- Diverse colleagues across the region, and policies that demonstrate commitment to equity and inclusion
- A dynamic and entrepreneurial team environment committed to innovation and social impact
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ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- The Head of Local Social Sector is a senior regional leadership role responsible for building and institutionalizing Inkomoko’s approach to partnering with, strengthening, and ultimately enabling greater independence of local social sector organizations across our markets.
- Local organizations, including refugee-led, community-based, youth-led, women-led, faith-based, and other locally rooted organizations, often possess capabilities, relationships, trust, and contextual knowledge that are essential to sustainable development outcomes. Inkomoko sees an opportunity to build a more intentional institutional pathway through which these organizations can become stronger, more sustainable partners and, where appropriate, increasingly take ownership of functions that complement or extend Inkomoko’s work.
- The Head will therefore own the development and evolution of the Local Social Sector strategy, portfolio, operating model, partnerships, and organizational development approach. The role is not simply to manage a programme; it is to build a new organizational capability for Inkomoko.
- The successful candidate will work across Business Growth Services, Investment, MERL, Program Design & Innovation, Country Leadership, and other functions to embed local social sector engagement into Inkomoko’s broader pathway to enterprise development, employment, resilience, and sustainable impact. This role requires a leader who can move comfortably between strategy and execution: setting a regional direction, translating it into practical country models, building teams and systems, developing strategic partnerships, managing a portfolio, and using evidence to determine when and how Inkomoko’s role should evolve.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy & Institutionalization
- Develop, own, and continuously evolve Inkomoko’s regional Local Social Sector strategy and operating model.
- Translate strategy into clear priorities, country approaches, portfolio decisions, resource requirements, and measurable outcomes.
- Establish systems and standards for partner selection, organizational development, progression, quality assurance, risk management, and partnership management.
- Institutionalize Local Social Sector engagement as part of Inkomoko’s broader impact and enterprise-development model..
Organizational Development & Graduation
- Lead the design and implementation of the Local Social Sector strengthening approach.
- Build pathways through which local organizations strengthen their institutional capabilities, assume greater ownership, and become sustainable partners or independent institutions.
- Ensure that Inkomoko’s support evolves as organizational capability and market conditions change, avoiding dependency and creating pathways toward greater local ownership.
- Use evidence and learning to continuously improve the model..
Build a high-performing regional team and country capability
- Build, structure, and lead a high-performing regional team and appropriate country-level capability.
- Recruit, coach, develop, and retain strong talent while building leadership depth within the function.
- Establish effective ways of working across regional, country, and cross-functional teams.
Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Building
- Develop and steward strategic partnerships with local organizations, governments, funders, private-sector actors, networks, and other ecosystem stakeholders.
- Identify opportunities for co-investment, collaboration, referrals, resource mobilization, and complementary capabilities that extend Inkomoko’s reach and impact.
- Represent Inkomoko externally in relevant forums and bring external learning and opportunities into the organization.
- Build coalitions across Inkomoko and beyond the department to advance shared outcomes..
Enterprise & Impact Integration
- Work with BGS, Investment, MERL, Program Design & Innovation, and Country Leadership to identify where stronger local institutions can unlock pathways to entrepreneurship, employment, resilience, and economic participation.
- Ensure local social sector partnerships complement rather than duplicate Inkomoko’s core capabilities.
- Establish evidence and learning on what types of organizations, partnerships, and institutional-development approaches generate the greatest value..
Performance & Resource Stewardship
- Establish portfolio-level performance measures and manage impact, institutional development, risk, cost, and sustainability.
- Manage the function’s budget and resources.
- Make disciplined decisions about where to invest, deepen, redesign, transition, or exit partnerships.
Requirements
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR;
We are looking for a strategic institution-builder who combines organizational-development expertise with exceptional partnership, people, and systems leadership.
The ideal candidate will have:
- 10+ years of relevant experience, including significant leadership responsibility in organizational development, institutional strengthening, localization, partnerships, ecosystem development, or related fields.
- A proven track record of building or scaling a function, programme, partnership portfolio, or organizational capability from an early stage.
- Strong experience developing strategy and translating it into operating models, teams, systems, and results.
- Demonstrated ability to build and lead high-performing, multi-country or cross-functional teams.
- Exceptional partnership-building and stakeholder-management skills, including the ability to influence without relying on formal authority.
- Strong strategic and commercial judgment, including portfolio, resource allocation, sustainability, and risk decisions.
- Experience working with local organizations, community-based organizations, refugee-led organizations, or other locally rooted institutions is strongly preferred.
- Experience in fragile, displacement-affected, or complex operating environments is an advantage.
- Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies, Business, Organizational Development, Public Policy, Education, Social Sciences, or related field; Master’s preferred.
KEY COMPETENCIES.
We are looking for someone who;
- Synthesizes Data - Leverages key information, data, and insights to enhance both client and team member experiences.
- Adapts Approach to Situations - Adjusts the team's approach to meet the shifting demands of impact; able to quickly adapt to suit the context and drive to positive outcomes for their department.
- Enhances Competitive Advantage - Creates new and better ways to drive organizational success, with a future-focused mindset (at least 2 years ahead), through innovation and leveraging external relationships and opportunities.
- Uses his/her Technical expertise to coach and guide staff to meet and exceed expectations.
Benefits
WHAT YOU’LL GET
This role is inside a high-growth, mission-driven social enterprise. By joining, you’ll access:
- Meaningful work that directly contributes to sustainable livelihoods and job creation across East and Central Africa.
- Competitive salary, and potential Performance-based bonus
- Incredible company culture, with opportunities for learning and growth
- Diverse colleagues across the region, and policies that demonstrate commitment to equity and inclusion
- A dynamic and entrepreneurial team environment committed to innovation and social impact
- Health insurance for self and family
- Staff savings and provident fund, negotiated bank rates for long-term employees
- Generous annual leave, parental leave, and sabbatical options.