Business Growth Services Director

As the lead organizer of business advisory and training across Ethiopia, the Business Growth Services Director (Ethiopia) will oversee a department of nearly 30 staff spread throughout Adddis Ababa, Jijiga and Assosa.

CLIENT DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT (60%)

• Lead, manage, and coach department staff, including direct supervision of Program Managers, Business Development Managers and Senior Trainers to deliver impactful services to Inkomoko’s clients.
• Manage project deliverables, reporting, and partnership relations with internal and external partners.
• Develop and deliver on strategic objectives for the department, and cascade annual organizational goals.
• Stay up to date with the entrepreneurship industry across Ethiopia and East Africa, connecting entrepreneurs to new insights, developments, and other government initiatives.
• Work with operational directors in People & Culture, Finance, MEL, and IT for enhancing the backbone support to the Department’s programming and operations.
• Work with the Investment department to coordinate pre-and post-investment Business Development services to borrowers.
• Work with the Communication department to promote Inkomoko’s programs, client case studies, and brand to achieve objectives of public recognition, alignment with donor/partner communication requirements, sales and marketing objectives, and brand positioning.
• Collaborate with program staff in the Inkomoko group of companies across East Africa to share lessons learned.
• Serve a key role in the Inkomoko Leadership Team to ensure cohesion and collaboration across the highest levels of the organization.
• Serve as a thought partner to the Managing Director of Ethiopia to ensure collaboration, country fundraising, and partnership efforts are achieved.
• Maintain standards of the department quality and productivity – building the skills, leadership, and capacity of team members to grow professionally to meet and exceed expectations.
• Oversee personnel matters in the department including staffing plans, role clarification, hiring, professional development, discipline, investigation, etc.,
• Contribute to Inkomoko’s efforts for inclusive policy approaches to benefit marginalized entrepreneurs, particularly IDPs and refugees in Ethiopia.
• Maintain and grow Inkomoko’s relationships with the local government, various program partners, and external stakeholders, in partnership with other organization leaders.
• Benchmark Inkomoko against other partners, ensuring a strong market position relevant to client needs, ecosystem offerings.
• Generate programmatic insights with the MEL team to ensure product impact and relevance, and be able to report insights to Executive leadership, Board, and external partners.
• Other duties to support organizational culture and the leadership team

PRODUCT INNOVATION & EXPANSION (20%)

• Innovate/iterate on existing products to achieve value for clients in alignment with Inkomoko’s impact strategies and Vision 2030 in close collaboration with the Inkomoko Regional Director of BGS.
• Develop and implement strategies to expand in new geographies, testing and iterating to meet the need.
• Modify or develop new Business Development products to meet client needs and market opportunities.
• Work closely with the senior leadership on change management to roll out new products and train staff to implement them with fidelity and high quality.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT & REVENUE GENERATION (20%)

• Partner with fundraising colleagues, to identify, develop, and negotiate proposals/budgets with institutional clients and donors in alignment with Inkomoko’s priorities.
• Co-manage department expenses with the Regional Director of BGS, setting annual and multi-year budgets, and strategically allocating resources to achieve quality department outputs.
• Work with the Finance Department for timely billing and financial reporting to partners.

Successful candidates will be passionate about the power of entrepreneurship to improve lives and communities. They will embody Inkomoko’s values of being aligned to our purposes, solutions-oriented, and willing to put in the time and effort to reach exceptional outcomes. We require individuals who have previously taken on multiple project management, leadership and management responsibilities.

Minimum qualifications include:

• University degree (Masters or equivalent preferred)
• 8+ years of work experience in relevant or applicable field
• Experience with the development of micro and small enterprises required.
• Experience with refugee and Internally Displaced People(IDPs) entrepreneurs and financing is strongly preferred.
• Proven track record of leadership, including significant experience in team development and growth.
• Experience with product development – through the lens of human-centered design – and a willingness to test, fail, iterate, and test again, incorporating data, not your own biases.
• Ability to care about your colleagues and challenge them simultaneously (i.e. “Radical Candor”)
• Strong experience in project management, budgeting and managing outcomes.
• Unrelenting perseverance, personal integrity, and critical thinking skills
• A nuanced understanding of justice and fairness in the workplace
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage multiple deadlines – must be both strategic and operational.
• Ability to work with high-profile individuals with discretion, professionalism, and responsiveness.
• Fluent in English, additional proficiency in Amharic Arabic is strongly preferred. Somali is a plus.

This role is inside a high-growth, mission-driven social enterprise. By joining, you’ll access:

• Competitive salary, and potential KPI-based bonus
• Incredible company culture, with opportunities for learning and growth
• Diverse colleagues across the region, and policies that demonstrate commitment to equity and inclusion
• Ability to make a significant social impact to your community
• Health insurance for self and family
• Staff savings and provident fund, negotiated bank rates for long-term employees
• Generous annual leave, parental leave, and sabbatical options.

How to Apply

If you’re excited about this role, tell us about what you’ll bring to this growing company.

Please send your resume and cover letter through the provided link. Should have any questions regarding this position, please contact Inkomoko’s People & Culture Director for this position at: peopleteamethio@inkomoko.com.

DEADLINE:  Open until filled.  Please apply as soon as possible. 

Inkomoko is committed to justice, diversity, equity and inclusion.  As we seek to reflect the communities we serve, women are strongly encouraged to apply. As a company we have policies that ensure fair treatment in the application process.

NB: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Employment is conditional upon successful background checks and other verification as needed.