Adeso Kenya Careers

Adeso Innovations Manager Kenya Careers

Innovations Manager

Vacancy Announcement: Innovations Manager

Organization: Adeso - African Development Solutions, www.adesoafrica.org

Position Title: Innovations Manager

Reporting To: Innovations Lead

Working With: AIM DEPP Lab Consortium Project Team

Program/Duty Station: Garissa, Kenya

Duration: One (1) year renewable

Starting Date: Immediately

Organizational Context

Adeso is a humanitarian and development organization that has been changing the way people think about and deliver aid in Africa for over 25 years. Adeso works at the grassroots level to ensure that development comes from within, not outside, African communities. The strength of our relationships with stakeholders is the strength of our programming approach.

Together with communities, humanitarians, donors, government and local authorities, we work towards our vision to bring positive change to the way in which aid is delivered. By listening to communities and responding to the needs that they value the most, Adeso works alongside African communities to co-create programs that develop sustainable outcomes and lasting change at the grassroots level.

MasterCard International

MasterCard International was established in 1966 as a cooperative of US banks in order to create the basic infrastructure and governance to allow bank credit cards to be issued by individual banks with limited geographical reach but be accepted by merchants nationally and eventually globally.

The MasterCard Labs for Financial Inclusion is the seventh in a series of MasterCard Innovation Hubs and is also the first Lab in Africa and the first to focus exclusively on financial inclusion. With the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Lab seeks to impact more than 100 million people by bringing together MasterCard’s innovation and global financial inclusion capabilities under one roof, combining these with local expertise and insight.

The iHub, founded in 2010, is a globally-recognized organization that is deeply steeped in the local tech innovation culture. The iHub has been both the main catalyst for regional tech acceleration and a role model for tech hubs across emerging markets. They serve the tech community, by connecting organizations and people, building market relevant solutions and being ahead of the curve of innovation.

Since its founding iHub has supported the creation of more than 100 start-ups, employed more than 1,000+ individuals, and reached more than 200,000 people through communications outreach. iHub strives to become the best African support system for ICT-focused tech entrepreneurs and individuals who aspire to tackle large-scale challenges by creating an environment of trust and experimentation that facilitates the growth of entrepreneurs and their companies with the acknowledgement that this is only possible with strong partnerships.

iHub ensures it uses a culture of inclusivity to include those traditionally left out in society.

The three agencies of the AIM Consortium/DEPP Lab Consortium have a combination of more than 50 years’ experience connecting organizations and people, building market relevant solutions and being ahead of the curve of innovation. Community connectedness is one of the Lab’s key advantages. We are able to convene a community around the issues of disaster, emergency preparedness and innovation.

We continuously invigorate a vibrant community of innovators and entrepreneurs able to build globally competitive companies, while solving the myriad of problems present in Africa and across the developing world. We develop people by providing an environment that allows them to visibly grow in their technical and non-technical skills, and critically, act as a connector, allowing world captains in business and technology to meet with aspiring entrepreneurs fresh from high school.

DEPP Lab Project

The DEPP Lab project is a 22 months project being implemented by the AIM-DEPP Lab consortium whose objective is to increase preparedness and resilience of disaster-prone communities in Garissa and Marsabit counties of Kenya by drawing on their deep knowledge of pastoralist.

The Consortium will undertake activities to meet the objective by utilizing the consortium members’ in house experience in managing labs and proven innovation methodology as well as experience in disaster management. The project will build up communities’ capacities to identify and evaluate the risks related to natural disasters and innovative mitigation measures to address these gaps.

The consortium will identify and reinforce existing disaster coping mechanisms and refine new contingency measures emerging from the target communities. The consortium will also ensure participation of rural communities at the village level rather than focus on urban issues, as innovation labs need to.

Position Summary

In the context of organizational growth, the DEPP Innovations Manager will be expected to support innovators in the target communities. S/he will assist in ideation and prototype process of innovations and their suitability for development by the Labs.

The Innovations Manager will enable and drive innovation through the establishment, management and evolution of a comprehensive innovation program. S/he will leverage best practices and learning, incorporate new ideas and assimilate with DEPP Labs innovation processes.

This position requires the demonstrated ability to facilitate in driving the innovations process and cementing and documenting innovation culture in newly established labs. This is an excellent opportunity for a dynamic individual to contribute to and be part of an innovative programme of very vibrant humanitarian, Fintech and information management agencies that offers real and sustainable solutions to vulnerable communities and which seeks to reach out to more Kenyans.

Position Purpose

The position is based in Garissa, and reports to the Innovations Lead at the headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.

Program Responsibilities include:

· Establish and facilitate the innovation process

· Promote a culture and environment of innovation

· Document learning and best practices of the Lab

Specific Roles and Responsibilities

· Organize ideation events; manage scheduling, materials, facilities and documentation.

· Establish and promote a culture of innovation.

· Closely work with the innovators and their products to leverage partnerships and identify opportunities for ideation.

· Manage the idea database to ensure all ideas are captured and documented.

· Assist with evaluating all ideas against established criteria to determine if appropriate for Labs.

· Ensure the innovation process is managed efficiently and effectively.

· Regularly document and share best practices and lessons learned from the innovation process in order to assist innovators to improve their current and future innovations.

· Any other duties as required within the level and authority of this position.

Skills and Qualifications

· Graduate degree in Social Sciences, Business Management or equivalent – essential

· A minimum of 4-years innovations management experience - essential

· Passion for innovation and its incorporation in all domains.

· Proven innovation management skills.

· Strong team-working and relationship building skills.

· Ability to be proactive and promote the Lab.

· Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

· Strong organization and project management skills

· Relevant experience in development and humanitarian context is desirable.

· Must have excellent written, spoken and analytical skills in English.

· Spoken Kiswahili skill desirable.

· Experience in documentation, reporting and learning required.

· Knowledge of working with or handling innovation labs will be an asset.

· Ability to multi-task and effectively handle stressful situations.

· Proficiency in computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, power point, etc.

How to apply:
This is a challenging opportunity for a dedicated and highly motivated professional. If you would like to join this dynamic team, please submit your application to jobs@adesoafrica.org, quoting “DEPP Innovations Manager” in the email subject matter, by August 16, 2017**.

Each application should be addressed to the Regional Human Resources Manager and include the following:

· An updated CV; and

· An application letter which should include remuneration requirements and contact information for three work-related referees.

Applications not including all of the above information will not be reviewed. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Adeso is an equal opportunity employer.