Project Manager, East Africa

Aktis Strategy is a specialist consultancy which helps solve complex problems in fragile and conflict-affected countries. With knowledge and expertise across the spectrum of security sector reform, governance and organisational change, justice/rule of law, conflict management and counter extremism, Aktis specialises in devising, managing and evaluating programmes to address challenging political and institutional problems and bring about lasting positive change. Working from our network of offices in the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and East Africa, Aktis personnel have demonstrated their excellence at delivering innovative management consultancy support in some of the most challenging situations.

Job Summary
Aktis is recruiting a Manager to support our growing project portfolio in East Africa. The successful applicant will have a trusted position in the company with the opportunity to help shape the future direction of the Aktis business. Initially the role will have a business development (BD) focus, to help Aktis win and secure new contracted revenue in East Africa, in particular in Somalia. The individual will have the opportunity to then take on project management and progressively, technical consulting responsibilities, on new contracted work won in the region.

The successful applicant, among other duties, will:

• Proactively take an independent lead role in progressing strategic pursuit and opportunity leads and actively converting them into tangible, contracted work in the East Africa region, with a specific focus on Somalia (Mogadishu).
• Develop new business leads and generate new revenue sources for Aktis in the East Africa region, and actively build and maintain broad client, consultant, potential partner, competitor and host government networks.
• Oversee and lead the management, implementation and quarterly review and evaluation of the Aktis East Africa BD and regional pursuits strategy.
• Take a lead role on the planning, preparation, delivery and quality assuring of tender and proposal submission activities.
• Take a senior oversight and compliance assurance role with regard to risk, safety and security coordination and field team monitoring within the East Africa region.
• Lead project management of small to medium sized international development, security sector reform, governance and/or monitoring and evaluation (M&E) projects in the East Africa region.
• As a project manager, proactively problem-solve and adapt team management and project planning to deal with challenges as they arise.

The successful applicant may have a home base in Nairobi and will be required to regularly travel throughout the East Africa region and to London. Occasional travel may also be required elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa regions (for example to Tunisia, Lebanon, Turkey or Jordan).
Please note that industry-standard security and safety procedures and protocols are in place for all travel required by Aktis to risk locations including Mogadishu – more information available on request

Requirements:

1. Minimum Bachelors’ degree in International Development, Humanities, Politics, Law, Business Management, Commerce, Medicine, Science, Engineering gained from a reputable, quality university. If no Masters qualification, Bachelor’s should have an average grade from studies of no less than H1 (80%) across the course studied.
2. Masters qualification in relevant sector a significant advantage.
3. Minimum of four (4) years post-qualification experience in consulting, business development and project management in the international development space, with a focus on either stabilisation, conflict, community-based security and justice:
4. Experience in technical consulting advisory on a donor project an advantage.
5. English (full working proficiency)
6. Additional full fluent language proficiency in Arabic, Somali, or relevant dialect to the East Africa region an advantage.
7. Preparedness to travel regularly (up to 70% of the time) in the East Africa region (including to Mogadishu), or to establish a home base location there (reducing necessary travel) in either Nairobi, Addis Ababa or Mogadishu.
8. Existing base, or past history working in East Africa an advantage.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please send a CV and covering letter to recruitment@aktisstrategy.com. The covering letter should detail your suitability for the role, your availability and your current (or if not currently employed, most recent) remuneration details.