The iHub Kenya Chief Executive Officer Vacancy Announcement

Vacancy: Kenya Chief Executive Officer

The

iHub, an innovation hub and hacker space for the technology community

in Nairobi, is considered the most successful tech hub in Africa and one

of the most recognizable brands in the world.  

It

has played a pivotal role in growth of the tech community outside of

Nairobi through advisory services resulting in the establishment of hubs

in Mombasa, Kisumu, and Rift Valley. 

 

Moreover,

the iHub has also supported establishment of hubs in several African

countries (Botswana, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe) and is a

founding member of Afrilabs, the umbrella body of innovation hubs on the

continent. 

This

incubator space represents a vibrant community of tech innovators and

entrepreneurs looking to build and scale tech start-ups. 

Over the past few years, iHub has cemented itself as the nexus point, not just for the Kenyan tech community, but the world.

The

iHub’s vision is to create an ecosystem for innovation and technology

to solve pressing issues in which those innovations spur entrepreneurial

ventures that create jobs and promote human capital development and

opportunity. 

We

believe that our collective experience can usher in a paradigm shift of

innovation-led development that gives people the tools to invent

solutions to the pressing issues they face each day, such as access to

quality education, healthcare, food security, and poverty.

We

aim to provide the capacity, education, and services needed for these

inventions to turn into entrepreneurial organizations that can scale up

to increase employment opportunities, capacity building, and knowledge

exchange.

Today, the iHub is entering a new chapter where they

will sharpen their service offerings, become more profitable, and find

and grow leading, innovative, and forward thinking start-ups. 

To

this end, the iHub is in search of a (Chief Executive Officer) CEO to

usher in this new chapter and build a sustainable and profitable tech

business that can scale up regionally and globally.

Job Summary: The

ideal CEO is someone who has the right mix of leadership, passion,

energy, experience, business savvy, entrepreneurial spirit, innovative

nature, and the ability to be a visionary.  

S/he must have a proven track record, understand the tech industry, and how to monitor the key trends and pivot accordingly. 

Working

with the Board of Directors, the CEO will advance the iHub’s vision and

mission and provide high-level strategic and tactical leadership.  

As

the chief steward of the organization, s/he will develop strategic

partnerships, ensure overall revenue and profit goals are achieved, and

motivate a high performance, innovative, and results-driven

organization.  

S/he must also be comfortable working with global customers, investors, donors, and relevant stakeholders. 

It

is also imperative that s/he be motivated by the organisation’s ability

to connect people, support start-ups, and surface

information—ultimately, leveraging all these attributes to support the

growing local, continental, and international tech community. 

Is this you?

Duties and Responsibilities:

The duties and responsibilities of the CEO are outlined below:

Leadership and Strategy

• Serve as a spokesperson for the organization who can articulate and promote the iHub’s vision and mission;


• Provide strong and innovative leadership in an open collaborative environment;


• Lead, in conjunction with the Board, the development and implementation of the short and long-term strategies;


• Create and refine  the organisation’s vision, keeping in mind the strategy as well as current/future trends;


• Ensure effective internal controls and management information systems are in place;


• Set the tone and direction by communicating the strategy and vision of where the organization is headed;


• Provide
  
  avenues for full and open communication and collaboration with the
  
  community at large to promote an awareness of the diverse and changing
  
  needs of the community;


• Communicate effectively with investors, employees, and stakeholders;


• Ensure
  
  that the organisation  maintains high standards of corporate
  
  citizenship and social responsibility wherever it does business; and


• Ensure the integrity of all public disclosure by the organization.

Board Engagement

• Act as a liaison between the organisation and the Board;


• Keep the Board fully informed on the governance and condition of the iHub and the influencing internal and external factors;


• Identify
  
  and address opportunities and challenges, bringing those which are
  
  necessary to the attention of the Board and/or its committees;


• Inform the Board and stakeholders about the trends and activities to facilitate policy making;


• Liaise
  
  effectively with senior management to develop Board agendas and
  
  organize annual meeting of shareholders and special meetings when
  
  appropriate; and


• Sit on committees of the Board where appropriate as determined by the Board.

Management and Administration

• Provide
  
  general oversight of all iHub activities, manage the day-to-day
  
  operations, and ensure a smoothly functioning and efficient
  
  organization;


• Build a strong brand through thought leadership and relationship management activities;


• Keep
  
  abreast of all material undertakings and activities of the
  
  organisation  and all internal and external factors affecting the
  
  organisation;


• Assure
  
  organizational stability through development and implementation of
  
  standards and controls, systems and procedures, and regular evaluation;


• Assess the principal risks of the organisation  and ensure that these risks are being monitored and managed;


• Lead
  
  by personal example and encourage all employees to conduct their
  
  activities in accordance with all applicable laws and the organisation’s
  
  standards and policies, including its environmental, safety, and health
  
  policies; and


• Assure a work environment that recruits, retains, and supports quality staff.

Finance

• Oversee the fiscal activities of the organization, including budgeting, reporting, and audit;


• Increase sales and promotion of iHub services;


• Manage revenue, expenses, external financing to maintain consistent growth of business;


• Ensure revenue growth is achieved and sustainable to sustain and meet the goals of the strategic plan; and


• Create strategic partnerships and build relationships to provide resources to grow the organization.

Human Resource

• Develop a culture and environment that will help attract, retain, and optimise the most capable staff and innovators; and


• Ensure the organisation is appropriately organized and staffed and that staff are performing at an optimal level.

Legal

• Ensure that the organisation conducts its activities both lawfully and ethically; and


• Assure the filing of all legal and regulatory documents and monitor compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate should have the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field;


• Minimum of ten (10) years professional experience with three to five (3 – 5) years in senior management;


• Demonstrate critical competencies of a CEO: commitment to results, business savvy, leading change, and motivating;


• Knowledge and understanding of the context in Kenya and Africa as it relates to innovation, start-ups, and the tech industry;


• Experience
  
  as an entrepreneur who has taken at least one start-up from seed round
  
  all the way to an investor’s exit strategy (desired);


• Demonstrable experience in fundraising through angels, super angels, and venture capitalists;


• Ability to channel and synthesize expectations and needs of multiple constituents, including users and developers;


• High level of comfort and passion for technology and a sense of the possibilities of community and collaboration;


• Experience in working with an international community of people and organizations;


• A highly regarded professional stature and credibility;


• Effective at leading and managing highly independent and self-motivated employees;


• Ability to prioritize and tackle multiple tasks and see the big picture;


• Proven ability to meet budget, revenue, and profit goals;


• Excellent leadership, negotiation, management, problem solving, and interpersonal skills;


• Possess maturity, high integrity, sound judgment, persistence, and humility;


• Excellent oral and written communication, social, and interpersonal skills;


• Ability to solve problems, work under pressure, effectively make decisions, and address urgent matters;


• Ability to plan, effectively, and to delegate;


• Strategic, visionary, and innovative thinker; and


• Track record of building innovative, creative, and collaborative teams

Applicants can send their applications to recruitment@dpckenya.com