Work with Echidna! Become a Program Associate in Nairobi: Apply Now!!!

Role: Program Associate

Term: Full Time

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Compensation: Commensurate with experience

Application Deadline: April 15, 2024 (applications reviewed on a rolling basis)

Target Start Date: June 15, 2024 (or sooner if available)

ABOUT ECHIDNA GIVING

Echidna Giving is a private funder with one sole aim: getting more girls into better schools to live better lives. Investing in girls pays dividends for us all: what she learns in school can transform her life, her family, her community, and her nation for generations to come. That’s why we’re committed to supporting quality, gender-responsive education in lower-income countries. When all kids learn equally, our world becomes more equal. 

Echidna is one of the largest private funders in the international education space, and we are in significant growth mode. Currently, we have a small team of nine and are looking to double in size in the next 5-7 years. We will grow from our current $30M annual grant budget to $100M in annual granting over that period. (Learn more at www.echidnagiving.org.)

It is a particularly exciting time to work at Echidna. Our work building the field of girls’ education has had an impact. We now seek team members who can preserve what is outstanding about our culture and approach while furthering our impact. We pride ourselves on our teamwork, relationships, and ability to move quickly. The Program Associate will need to be self-motivated to work independently, flexible to take on unanticipated roles as required, and approach work with a proactive and collaborative spirit.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Echidna Giving is seeking a Program Associate based in Nairobi to join the Echidna Giving team. S/he will report to Echidna Giving’s Nairobi-based Program Officer and support multiple program staff at Echidna Giving in managing the grants portfolio, particularly in Africa. Echidna expects a hybrid model for the near term, with most of the days spent working remotely and periodic face-to-face meetings with other staff members.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Grant Management (50%)

• Maintain a list of pipeline organizations in Africa for the grant portfolio by researching, writing, and updating organizational profiles and supporting the source new grants
• Support grant due diligence – review and comment on proposals, review financial statements and governance records, conduct reference checks, etc.
• Read, summarize, and comment on grant reports
• Maintain up-to-date grant information for the portfolio in Echidna Giving’s online grant management system 
• Maintain an annual contact/site visit schedule with grantees; document grantee meetings and follow-up steps and draft grantee communications
• Update and maintain information on shared resources to maintain communication across team members and build institutional memory
• Develop materials, grant summaries, and slides for Echidna Giving Board meetings

For more opportunities such as this please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, What’s App, Twitter, LinkedIn and Telegram

Research and Communications (15%):

• Track developments in the field and summarize key reports for the team
• Conduct relevant research related to strategy development
• Support in preparing communication materials for Echidna’s newsletters, blogs, and social media posts as needed

Meetings and events (20%):

• Compile background materials for grantee meetings, site visits, advisory panel meetings, and other Echidna Giving events
• Support in planning, organizing, and managing events

Administrative and Logistical Support (15%)

• Process office-related bills (e.g., transport)
• Support Visa application processes
• Manage office supplies, printing, etc., as needed (minimal given at-home working arrangements)
• Support in scheduling meetings
• Support in travel preparations (hotel and flight bookings, etc.)
• Support logistical arrangements for in-person meetings and events

QUALIFICATIONS

• 5+ years of experience in the philanthropic or nonprofit sector
• Degree or experience in international education preferred
• Experience working and/or living in low and/or middle-income countries; ability to work effectively across cultures, languages, and country contexts
• Willing and able to work across time zones, including available for calls and meetings outside normal business hours
• Willing and able to travel internationally up to 10% time
• Analytical, strategic, pays attention to detail, good organizational skills, ability to reprioritize, collaborative approach to work
• Work collaboratively, building relationships, trust, and credibility with members of a team, management and external stakeholders
• Ability to take specific direction when necessary, along with a high level of independent judgment and initiative. Ability to anticipate needs and creatively address problems with appropriate, timely solutions
• Open to feedback from interested parties as a way to improve the effectiveness of your work and strengthen Echidna Giving’s impact
• Database experience and ability to learn new systems quickly 
• Strong computer skills; experience with G-suite preferred
• Ability to proactively manage workflow to meet deadlines
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• French language skills a plus
• Candidates who are flexible, mature, have a sense of humor, and an ability to work with a team of varying backgrounds and styles will have the greatest success at Echidna Giving
• Take pride in putting our principles into practice.

APPLICATION

If you or someone you know might be a good fit for the above needs, please send an introductory email and your resume to [email protected] with the subject line: Program Associate – Nairobi.

Echidna Giving is an equal opportunity employer and values a diverse pool of candidates in this search.