Country Director, Kenya

COUNTRY DIRECTOR, KENYA Pharo Foundation Location: Nairobi, Kenya Reports to: Chief Operations Officer ABOUT PHARO FOUNDATION Pharo Foundation is a mission-driven organisation committed to building a vibrant, productive, and self-reliant Africa. Founded and fully funded by Pharo Management, an emerging markets hedge fund, the Foundation brings private sector discipline and operational rigour to create sustainable, lasting impact. Rather than pursuing short-term gains requiring constant external funding, Pharo combines two complementary engines: ventures that create jobs and economic activity, while their profits fund development programmes that strengthen conditions for future growth. Operating across Ethiopia, Somaliland, Kenya, and Rwanda with over 800 employees, the Foundation pursues three interconnected missions over the next decade: empowering the next generation through affordable, high-quality education; solving water scarcity through sustainable infrastructure; and driving economic productivity by unlocking jobs, investment, and innovation through both non-profit and for-profit initiatives. THE OPPORTUNITY We seek an exceptional Country Director to lead and scale Pharo Foundation's operations in Kenya at a pivotal moment of growth. This is your chance to shape the future of one of the Foundation's most strategically important geographies. You will provide overall leadership for organisational operations in Kenya, driving execution across both non-profit and for-profit activities while serving as steward and protector of people, brand, assets, and licence to operate. This role demands a leader who combines strategic vision with operational excellence, equally comfortable engaging government stakeholders, overseeing complex programmes, and building high-performing teams. The Kenyan office houses the country team alongside the Foundation's global leadership and executive team. You will collaborate closely with other leaders to cultivate a coherent culture of collaboration and excellent execution, translating the Foundation's long-term ambitions into tangible outcomes on the ground. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Strategic Leadership You will lead the development and execution of Pharo Foundation's country strategy in Kenya, aligned with the organisation's broader mission and long-term objectives. You will identify emerging opportunities, risks, and trends relevant to the Foundation's missions while providing strategic counsel to senior leadership and the Board. In partnership with global and regional teams, you will shape Kenya's strategic direction and develop new investment proposals. Your leadership will foster a culture of ambition, accountability, innovation, and operational excellence across the country team. Programme and Venture Leadership You will oversee the successful delivery and expansion of all country programmes, schools, and ventures across Kenya while ensuring strong governance, compliance, safeguarding, and risk management across all activities. Supporting the performance of for-profit ventures within the Kenya portfolio, you will work closely with venture leadership teams to drive sustainable growth and operational effectiveness. You will identify and evaluate investment opportunities, partnerships, and new initiatives aligned with Pharo Ventures' strategic priorities, establishing robust monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems to ensure continuous improvement and measurable impact. Regular site visits and performance reviews will maintain strong operational oversight. Management Responsibilities You will collaborate closely with the Global Senior Leadership team to effectively manage the country office within a matrix structure. In partnership with relevant functional managers such as the Director of Pharo Schools and CFO, you will jointly manage the Country Office's Management team. As strategic steward of execution, relationships, and platform performance, you will represent this role in all Steering Committees for Kenya operations. Stakeholder Engagement You will build and maintain trusted relationships with government institutions, regulators, development partners, investors, and community leaders. Representing Pharo Foundation externally with credibility, professionalism, and influence, you will strengthen and protect the Foundation's reputation and long-term licence to operate in Kenya. You will represent the Country Office internally, reporting all operational matters, risks, and opportunities to the Executive Team and Board of Trustees. Financial and Operational Management You will oversee country-level financial planning, budgeting, reporting, and resource allocation. Ensuring strong financial controls, governance processes, and operational systems are in place and functioning effectively, you will drive disciplined execution and efficient resource deployment across programmes and ventures. People and Culture You will build, lead, and develop a high-performing, values-driven country team. Recruiting exceptional local and diaspora talent capable of scaling world-class organisations in Kenya, you will foster a culture of continuous learning, professional growth, and high accountability. Coaching and mentoring senior leaders and managers across the organisation, you will champion staff engagement, motivation, and wellbeing to support a high-impact working environment. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE We seek a leader with the credibility, judgement, and ambition to operate at scale in complex, evolving environments. The ideal candidate will bring: A Master's degree, MBA