Strathmore University is a Chartered University located in Nairobi, Kenya. It was the first multiracial and multi religious educational institution in English speaking Eastern Africa and more recently the first institute of higher learning to be ISO certified in East and Central Africa in 2004. Our mission is to provide all-round quality education in an atmo...

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Project Director

Job Type

Full Time

Qualification

MBA/MSc/MA

Experience

15 years

Location

Mombasa , Nyeri , Uasin Gishu

Job Field

Project and Program Management

JOB PURPOSE:

Lead the strategic delivery and growth of the Financial Inclusion Fund - SBDC Pilot Programme, driving impactful support for high-potential entrepreneurs across Uasin Gishu, Nyeri, and Mombasa counties while building a scalable model for national expansion across Kenya.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the successful implementation and scale-up of the SBDC Pilot Programme across Uasin Gishu, Nyeri, and Mombasa counties.
• Manage high-level relationships with the Financial Inclusion Fund, Livelihood Impact Fund (LIF), government stakeholders, development partners, and other key institutional partners.
• Oversee programme execution, ensuring timely delivery of milestones, quality outputs, budget accountability, and compliance with donor and institutional requirements.
• Supervise and support the Project Manager and wider programme team, fostering a high performance and impact-driven culture.
• Lead programme monitoring, evaluation, learning, and adaptive decision-making to strengthen evidence generation and inform national scale-up.
• Ensure the quality and integrity of programme deliverables, reports, communications, and stakeholder engagement activities.
• Represent the programme in high-level forums, policy engagements, and strategic partnerships, positioning the SBDC model as a leading MSME development approach in Kenya.
• Drive resource mobilisation and strategic growth opportunities to sustain and expand the programme beyond the pilot phase.
• Identify and manage strategic, operational, and financial risks to ensure effective programme delivery and long-term impact.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

The post holder will be required to have and to demonstrate evidence of the following qualifications, attributes, and skills:

• 15+ years of senior leadership experience managing large, complex development or donor funded programmes.
• Master’s degree in a relevant field such as International Development, Public Administration, or Economic Development.
• Strong experience (7+ years) in building and managing multi-stakeholder partnerships across government, donors, private sector, and civil society.
• Proven expertise in programme leadership, including financial management, contract oversight, and team management.
• Experience in donor-funded programme compliance, reporting, and results-based management.
• Willingness to travel as required for programme delivery and stakeholder engagement.

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the successful implementation and scale-up of the SBDC Pilot Programme across Uasin Gishu, Nyeri, and Mombasa counties.
• Manage high-level relationships with the Financial Inclusion Fund, Livelihood Impact Fund (LIF), government stakeholders, development partners, and other key institutional partners.
• Oversee programme execution, ensuring timely delivery of milestones, quality outputs, budget accountability, and compliance with donor and institutional requirements.
• Supervise and support the Project Manager and wider programme team, fostering a high performance and impact-driven culture.
• Lead programme monitoring, evaluation, learning, and adaptive decision-making to strengthen evidence generation and inform national scale-up.
• Ensure the quality and integrity of programme deliverables, reports, communications, and stakeholder engagement activities.
• Represent the programme in high-level forums, policy engagements, and strategic partnerships, positioning the SBDC model as a leading MSME development approach in Kenya.
• Drive resource mobilisation and strategic growth opportunities to sustain and expand the programme beyond the pilot phase.
• Identify and manage strategic, operational, and financial risks to ensure effective programme delivery and long-term impact.

• Senior leadership experience managing large, complex development or donor funded programmes.
• Building and managing multi-stakeholder partnerships across government, donors, private sector, and civil society.
• Programme leadership, including financial management, contract oversight, and team management.
• Donor-funded programme compliance, reporting, and results-based management.
• Willingness to travel.

• MBA/MSc/MA
• Master’s degree in a relevant field such as International Development, Public Administration, or Economic Development.