Chief of Staff NGO Job Light Up Hope

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Job Summary

The Chief of Staff (CoS) serves as a strategic bridge between US-based leadership and Kenyan operations, ensuring organizational priorities are executed with alignment, accountability, and cultural cohesion. Reporting directly to the President/CEO, while working in close partnership with the COO and Deputy Directors, the CoS serves as a high-level orchestrator and translating high-level strategy into actionable results. This multifaceted role encompasses executive and board support, external stakeholder engagement, and resource mobilization, as well as the critical tasks of identifying operational risks and fostering cross-departmental synergy. Ultimately, the CoS acts as a force multiplier for the executive team, streamlining communication and driving visibility to ensure the organization’s mission thrives within the Kenyan context.

Key Responsibilities

• Executive & Board Operations: Manages the CEO’s business rhythm, designs leadership agendas, tracks action items, and prepares materials for board engagement and site visits.
• Organizational Pulse & Culture: Monitors staff sentiment to sense burnout or cultural disconnects between US and Kenyan management styles, proactively advising the CEO on morale.
• Risk & Compliance Tracking: Identifies emerging operational risks, coordinates mitigation plans, tracks Kenyan regulatory developments, and ensures policy compliance.
• Cross-Departmental Synergy: Connects Programs, Finance, and Development to resolve operational bottlenecks and integrate the “Kenya strategy” across all functions.
• CEO Relationship Facilitation: Researches and introduces external Kenyan stakeholders, donors, and government officials to the CEO as the primary organizational leader.
• Resource Mobilization Leadership: Partners with the Development Director to lead the Kenyan fundraising, grant writing, and networking strategy.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Identifies and fosters connections with corporate, government, and donor bases, handing off opportunities to department heads.
• Due Diligence & Representation: Serves as the organization’s representative at stakeholder forums and leads due diligence efforts for new partnerships.
• Local Media Strategy: Implements a local media and marketing strategy to increase visibility, including coordinating large-scale documentary initiatives.

Qualifications:

• Experience: 5–7+ years of progressive management experience, with at least 2–3 years in a senior advisory, operations, or Chief of Staff role within an NGO, social enterprise, or international development organization in Kenya.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in International Development, Non-Profit Management, Business Administration, Public Policy, or a related field (Master’s/MBA preferred).
• Fundraising Track Record: Proven success in local and international resource mobilization, grant writing, and building strategic donor/corporate partnerships.

How to Apply

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