Product Scaling Officer - ASCEND Project

Village Enterprise Kenya is a leading economic inclusion organization dedicated to ending extreme poverty through entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, and access to markets. Village Enterprise is implementing ASCEND - Advancing Scalable, Cost-Effective Entrepreneurship through Digital Innovation - a three-year, multi-country initiative across Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia.

ASCEND will scale Village Enterprise's digitally enabled approach to poverty graduation, combining entrepreneurship and livelihood development with digital learning, savings, coaching, financial inclusion and market access. The project will use technology and data to increase the reach, quality and cost-effectiveness of delivery while maintaining strong participant engagement and programme quality.

The project will support 21,600 businesses and 64,800 households, reaching an estimated 388,800 lives across the four countries. At least 80% of direct participants will be women.

ASCEND is both a major delivery initiative and an important opportunity for Village Enterprise to demonstrate how digitally enabled Graduation programming can achieve quality, scale and cost-effectiveness across diverse operating contexts.

Project and Position Overview

Village Enterprise is implementing ASCEND - Advancing Scalable, Cost-Effective Entrepreneurship through Digital Innovation - a three-year, multi-country initiative across Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia.

ASCEND will scale Village Enterprise's digitally enabled approach to poverty graduation, combining entrepreneurship and livelihood development with digital learning, savings, coaching, financial inclusion and market access. The project will use technology and data to increase the reach, quality and cost-effectiveness of delivery while maintaining strong participant engagement and programme quality.

The project will support 21,600 businesses and 64,800 households, reaching an estimated 388,800 lives across the four countries. At least 80% of direct participants will be women.

ASCEND is both a major delivery initiative and an important opportunity for Village Enterprise to demonstrate how digitally enabled Graduation programming can achieve quality, scale and cost-effectiveness across diverse operating contexts.

Living Our Values

• Ubuntu: We serve people living in extreme poverty with respect, empathy, and dignity regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion, or education level, and value our common humanity.
• Passion: We believe passionately in our mission and the ability of people living in extreme poverty to improve their lives.
• Integrity: We operate with the highest levels of integrity and trustworthiness.
• Innovation: We value innovation as a means to reduce poverty and treat new ideas, new technologies, and new partners as opportunities to grow our impact.
• Sustainability: We are committed to ensuring that our businesses and our organization are sustainable in the long-term.

• University degree or equivalent in development, program management, international development or other relevant field, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• At least 3 years’ experience in development programming in an NGO.
• Experience working in Poverty Graduation or Market Systems Development is a STRONG advantage
• Experience in dealing with a diverse group of stakeholders representing government, external partners, and others.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with fluency in both English and Kiswahili. Proficiency in a local language spoken within the target geography will be an added advantage.
• Computer literate and proficient in basic Microsoft packages and email and other technology, including project management software. Experience using Salesforce, Wrike, Box, Dashboards, etc., a strong advantage.

Key competencies and behaviors

• Ability to work in challenging and changing environments, and to see through challenges to find solutions.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to exercise diplomacy and tact as demonstrated in previous roles that required communication with a broad and diverse set of partners.
• Demonstrated skills in working remotely and delivering quality results with minimal supervision
• Exhibits consistent excellent judgment, develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to; builds and maintains effective working relationships with colleagues and external partners and stakeholders.
• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and takes responsibility for their own personal development

To Apply

Interested and qualified candidates who meet the set criteria are invited to send their Cover Letter and CV (Maximum 3 pages) including 3 referees, on the online platform.

Village Enterprise is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Village Enterprise provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. Village Enterprise does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Village Enterprise will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in undue hardship to daily operations. Village Enterprise is a corruption, solicitation, and bribery-free organization.

Neither Village Enterprise nor any of its employees or associates’ charges money to job applicants before, during, or after the recruitment process. Please report any malpractice through our safeguarding toll-free hotline 0800724810

Safeguarding Statement

Village Enterprise is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. We expect all employees, volunteers, Visitors, associates (consultants, service providers and suppliers) and partners to uphold this commitment and adhere to our safeguarding policies and code of conduct. Village Enterprise has zero tolerance for any form of abuse, exploitation, or harassment.

All appointments are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, which may include reference checks with previous employers, verification of qualifications, and criminal record or background screening where required by law