FH Culture

All we do, and how we do it, seeks to promote God’s beauty, goodness, and truth in a broken world. As such, we are defined by our ability to make people’s lives measurably better; our ability to deliver impact is the measure of our collective success. For we know that we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has already prepared in advance for us to do. At Food for the Hungry, we operate under a set of values called Heartbeat Values.

Job Summary

As Business Design Strategist you will play a crucial role in driving innovation and human-centered design across FH Kenya programs. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop creative solutions that address complex challenges in poverty alleviation, community development, and humanitarian aid and innovative concepts that elicit the use of technology, the potential execution of new business models built on new funding streams and ultimately grow revenue for the organization. You will lead the design and execution of high-impact, technology-driven solutions that directly shape FH’s strategic growth, revenue models, and operational scalability, ensuring that innovation leads to sustainable impact and long-term organizational success. Your work will directly impact the lives of vulnerable communities in Kenya, as you apply design thinking methodologies to create sustainable and scalable interventions

Core Competencies

Design & Strategic Thinking

• Master systems thinking and human-centered design to map complex systems, identify leverage points, and translate user insights into viable solutions
• Build financial models, revenue strategies, and business cases for social ventures; navigate impact investing and blended finance
• Apply rapid prototyping (Lean Startup, Agile) and manage innovation portfolios addressing root causes

Research & Communication

• Conduct ethnographic research and systems mapping; synthesize market analysis and ecosystem insights across multiple scales
• Visualize complex ideas (causal loops, journey maps) and pitch holistic solutions persuasively to diverse stakeholders

Leadership & Execution

• Lead cross-functional teams, facilitate multi-stakeholder collaboration, and mentor others in systems thinking and HCD
• Manage projects from concept to implementation with adaptive, metrics-driven approach while achieving results with limited resources

Principal Responsibilities

Innovation & Business Development (50%)

• Design, prototype, and scale products, services, and business models using systems thinking and HCD; lead workshops and innovation sprints
• Develop financial models, organizational structures, and KPIs aligned with system dynamics; conduct scenario planning
• Identify strategic partners, co-lead investor pitches, build financing pipeline, and negotiate ecosystem partnerships

Research & Market Intelligence (20%)

• Conduct field ethnography and systems analysis mapping actors, relationships, and power dynamics
• Synthesize user feedback and market insights across individual, community, and market levels
• Travel to field sites (30-40% time) for research, prototyping, and multi-stakeholder dialogues

Capacity Building & Knowledge Management (30%)

• Mentor program staff in systems thinking frameworks (iceberg model, causal loops, leverage points) and HCD methodologies
• Facilitate learning sessions on complexity thinking, adaptive management, and strategic problem-solving
• Document innovation processes, systems insights, and best practices; build organizational capacity for systems intervention
• Contribute to proposal development incorporating systems thinking and HCD approaches
• Represent FH Kenya at conferences and networks focused on systems innovation

Job Level Specifications

Required:

• Portfolio demonstrating HCD and systems-thinking expertise with proven results in social ventures
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and leadership skills; professional English proficiency
• Strong leadership, facilitation, and systems-thinking skills
• Conceptual and research skills, with ability to think strategically.

Desirable

• Experience in impact investing and innovative finance

Experience

• 6+ years of experience in design strategy, solution design, or related roles, preferably in the international development sector
• Prior experience in designing for and mobilizing resources for social ventures

Education/Certifications

• Bachelor's degree in international development, business, or a related field

Safeguarding Policy

FH strives to provide an environment free from sexual exploitation and abuse and harassment in all places where relief and development programs are implemented. FH holds a zero-tolerance policy against sexual exploitation and abuse and harassment. FH expects its employees to maintain high ethical standards, protect organizational integrity and reputation, and ensure that FH work is carried out in honest and fair methods, in alignment with the Heartbeat Values and safeguarding and associated policies. Violations to stated policies will be subject to corrective action up to and including termination of employment.

• Design, prototype, and scale products, services, and business models using systems thinking and HCD; lead workshops and innovation sprints
• Develop financial models, organizational structures, and KPIs aligned with system dynamics; conduct scenario planning
• Identify strategic partners, co-lead investor pitches, build financing pipeline, and negotiate ecosystem partnerships
• Conduct field ethnography and systems analysis mapping actors, relationships, and power dynamics
• Synthesize user feedback and market insights across individual, community, and market levels
• Travel to field sites (30-40% time) for research, prototyping, and multi-stakeholder dialogues
• Mentor program staff in systems thinking frameworks (iceberg model, causal loops, leverage points) and HCD methodologies
• Facilitate learning sessions on complexity thinking, adaptive management, and strategic problem-solving
• Document innovation processes, systems insights, and best practices; build organizational capacity for systems intervention
• Contribute to proposal development incorporating systems thinking and HCD approaches
• Represent FH Kenya at conferences and networks focused on systems innovation

• Systems thinking
• Human-centered design
• Financial modeling
• Revenue strategy
• Business case development
• Impact investing
• Blended finance
• Rapid prototyping (Lean Startup, Agile)
• Ethnographic research
• Systems mapping
• Market analysis
• Ecosystem insights
• Visualization of complex ideas
• Persuasive pitching
• Cross-functional team leadership
• Multi-stakeholder collaboration facilitation
• Mentoring
• Project management
• Adaptive management
• Metrics-driven approach
• Communication skills
• Facilitation skills
• Leadership skills
• Professional English proficiency
• Conceptual skills
• Research skills
• Strategic thinking

• Portfolio demonstrating HCD and systems-thinking expertise with proven results in social ventures
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and leadership skills; professional English proficiency
• Strong leadership, facilitation, and systems-thinking skills
• Conceptual and research skills, with ability to think strategically.