Senior Consultant, Project Management

Position: Senior Consultant

Contract: Full time; 2 years fixed term, renewable

Remuneration: Competitive, based on experience and competence

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Reports to: Practice Area Lead

About us

Africa Practice is a mission-led strategic consulting firm advising investors and development partners across the continent. Our mission is to shape a prosperous Africa that inspires the world. For over 20 years, we have been partnering with global investors, policy-makers, development partners and other changemakers to drive transformation on the continent. 

Our insights and advocacy solutions are rooted in detailed system and stakeholder understanding. We identify, generate, and analyse human-centred systems data to design impactful advocacy interventions. We deliver our world-class insights and advocacy solutions through our local presence.

We operate as one company, with a diverse team working on a hybrid basis in Abuja, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Gaborone, Johannesburg, Lagos, Nairobi, and London. We are risk analysts, development economists, advocates, storytellers, data scientists, policy experts,  systems thinkers and creative minds. Over 80% of our staff are African and over 50% are women. We have been a signatory to the UN Global Compact since 2021 and we are actively working to achieve B-Corp status.

About the role

We are looking for a strong and experienced project manager based in Nairobi, Kenya to deliver excellence across complex mandates within East Africa, and also at a pan-African level. The successful candidate will work across our two practice areas - Insights and Advocacy - with a strong focus on delivering change projects. The ideal candidate should possess a deep understanding of political, economic, and policy contexts across the region and continent. 

The role responsibilities are focused on project delivery and management, as detailed below:

• Manage pan-African, regional and Kenya-focused projects of varying duration, managing client relationships and ensuring effective and efficient delivery by the consulting team, to the highest standard.

• Quality control all relevant deliverables to guarantee client satisfaction.

• Facilitate communication across project teams, stakeholders, and clients to ensure clear understanding of objectives, deliverables, and progress.

• Oversee the delivery of complex assignments, including sizeable reports, and ensure the highest level of quality through meticulous preparation and review.

• Lead multidisciplinary project teams across different job grades and expertise, as well as client industries and geographies.

• Develop and oversee project management plans, including resource allocation, timelines, and budget management.

• Apply strategic thinking and analytical skills to solve complex problems and provide innovative, well-structured and fit-for-purpose solutions to clients, which deepen client satisfaction.

• Identify opportunities to grow existing client relationships, in tandem with senior colleagues, and contribute to strengthening Africa Practice’s unique value proposition.

• Deepen the team’s understanding of the East African political, economic, and policy landscape and key development issues in sub-Saharan Africa.

What we are looking for

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• A track record in designing and leading insights and advocacy projects geared towards change, in Kenya, East Africa, or further afield.

• At least 7 years’ experience in managing and mentoring diverse, multidisciplinary teams across geographies, fostering an inclusive and high-performing team culture.

• • Robust and relevant education and professional training credentials e.g. postgraduate degree or MBA, professional bodies membership or certifications.
    • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in English; experience and comfort with data visualisation.
    • Experience working in both commercial and development community settings and ecosystems.
    • Familiarity with systems thinking theories and human-centred design to enhance project outcomes.

• Strong skills in multi-stakeholder engagement, and fostering collaborative relationships, particularly with high-level public sector officials, industry clients across sectors, donor and philanthropic foundations, civil society and project partners.

• Expertise in leveraging digital platforms for project management with a strong understanding of digital analytics and data-driven decision-making for optimisation.

• Ability to thrive in a dynamic, innovative, and collaborative environment, with a passion for working on complex issues within the strategic consulting and advisory sector.

• • Strong bias towards action; embraces rapid adaptation and multitasking.

• Curiosity and a commitment to continuous learning, with a proactive approach to understanding the political, social, technical, and financial contexts impacting project delivery.

• Proficiency in additional languages (e.g. KiSwahili, Amharic, French) considered a significant asset.

• Sector experience in the digital economy, energy and climate, and the philanthropic space considered an asset.

What we offer

Do you want to contribute to an influential and prosperous Africa, inspiring the world? We’re looking for Africa’s changemakers – smart people with strong analytical, advocacy, digital and problem-solving skills who can reconcile diverse perspectives to deliver sustainable change. 

The successful candidate will work within a dynamic pan-African consultancy advising a prestigious portfolio of clients. This position offers:

• Competitive remuneration

• Organisational focus on talent development, delivered through individual development plans

• High degree of flexibility in ways of working, and hybrid, geographically dispersed workplace

• Immediate opportunities for growth

• Collaboration with a diverse and experienced team of colleagues

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are much less likely to apply for a position unless they meet every single qualification. So this notwithstanding, if you are excited about this role, we would love to hear from you. At Africa Practice, we are dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse and authentic workplace. You might just be the new team member we are looking for - for this or other roles. 

Please send in your application by clicking on the “apply” button. 

Do include a cover letter explaining why you think you are suited to this position and indicating your availability. Your documents must be entitled with “your name Senior Consultant, Project Management”

The vacancy is immediately open for suitable applications and will be closed as soon as a suitable candidate is identified. Early applications are advised.