Chief Operating Officer

The Soweto Youth Initiative is a growing Community Based Organization (CBO) in the Kahawa Soweto informal settlement in Kahawa West, Nairobi. We need someone to be the right-hand person to our CEO. We’re searching for a chief operating officer (COO) who has strong leadership skills and the ability to approach service provision and business with a creative point of view. The COO will lead our team to be efficient, productive, and effective. The ideal candidate has extensive experience within development, preferably having worked their way up to an executive role. We believe this trajectory helps a person develop a unique mix of business and management expertise, plus proficiency with the practices, policies, and procedures of the development field. 

Objectives of this role

Collaborate with Project Coordinator and Soweto Youth Initiative Board in setting and driving organizational vision, and operations strategy
Translate strategy into actionable steps for growth, implementing organization-wide goal setting, performance management, and annual operations planning
Oversee the organization’s operations and volunteer employee productivity, maintaining a highly inclusive culture that ensures team members can thrive, grow, and learn in their roles as ambassadors for the organization, and that organizational goals are met
Ensure effective professional development, and performance management

Responsibilities

Analyze internal operations and identify areas for process enhancement 
Implement strategies and plans developed in tandem with the Project Coordinator and Soweto Youth Initiative Board
Oversee operations, HR, and accounting
Research, apply for, and administer grants and other awarded funding to meet short and long term growth targets
Build and maintain trusting relationships with service partners and key stakeholders throughout the industry 
Monitor and evaluate performance throughout the organization and take corrective measures when necessary, and prepare detailed updates and forecasts
Oversee the creation of a data collection system designed to gather sensitive and confidential information

Required skills and qualifications

Five or more years of experience in executive leadership roles 
Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field
A network of contacts with service providers in Nairobi and surrounding areas
Extensive grant writing experience
Bilingual Kiswahili and English
Excellent leadership skills, with steadfast resolve and personal integrity
Understanding of advanced planning
Solid grasp of data analysis and performance metrics
Ability to diagnose problems quickly and foresee potential issues
The ability to thrive in a child-friendly environment

Preferred skills and qualifications 

Experience managing a vocational training center or community service center
Project management experience 
Master’s Degree in a relevant field

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