Mission. The mission of Friends of Ngong Road is to empower Nairobi children living in poverty to transform their lives through education and support, leading to employment. www.ngongroad.org.
Background. We started our work in Kenya in 2007 and for the past 15 years, the organization has grown and evolved with the founder serving as the organization’s volunteer Executive Director. The founder and other key volunteers have backgrounds in business; volunteer leaders have built the program and the organization’s infrastructure in most respects (finance, fundraising, marketing/communications, technology, strategy). The organization’s Executive Committee leads day-to-day activities and provides leadership to all members of staff in the U.S. and Kenya. In 2022, leadership of the organizations will transition from volunteer leaders to an Executive Director (ED) and an enlarged team the ED will help shape.
There are three entities involved with Friends of Ngong Road:
- Friends of Ngong Road (www.ngongroad.org) is a U.S. based 501(c)(3) which provides fund-raising, donor relations / support and strategic direction to the enterprise. Our current U.S. team includes three paid staff – an Operations Manager, a Development Associate and an Accountant. The 2022 budget for Friends of Ngong Road (includes NRCF operating costs) is just over $1million and the organization’s endowment value is also $1 million.
- Ngong Road Children’s Foundation (www.nrcfkenya.org) is a registered international NGO in Kenya and consists of approximately 25 Kenyan employees led by a very capable Program Manager. The team in Kenya implements the program.
- Karibu Loo Limited (www.karibuloo.co.ke) is a for-profit portable sanitation business in Nairobi. Its mission is to provide jobs for NRCF program graduates and contribute a share of profits to NRCF’s operating budget. It includes about seven Kenyan employees as well as three trucks, 105 portable toilets and related infrastructure.
Journey to 2026. Friends of Ngong Road has just completed a five-year strategic plan. Our vision is to double our impact in Kenya in the next five years while transitioning leadership of Friends of Ngong Road to paid executive staff. At the end of 2021 we will have 375 active students in the program and 125 alumni; by 2026 we will have 750 students in the program and 325 alumni.
Role of organization’s first Executive Director. We are more focused on competencies than background as we seek to fill this role. The successful candidate must be prepared to live the organization’s mission, be good at fundraising, comfortable working with people in Kenya and visiting regularly and be highly effective interpersonally. The Executive Director could come from experiences in global development, fundraising, non-profit or for-profit leadership. We are open-minded about that. Our targeted starting salary range is $90,000 to $125,000.
Duties:
Leadership
- Lead U.S. staff in managing day-to-day activities of the organization. Provide appropriate feedback and support professional development.
- Lead Ngong Road Children’s Foundation Program Manager and the team in Kenya.
- Retain, recruit and effectively use experienced, high-level volunteers to advance the mission.
- Participate in functional and board committees as agreed upon with the board chair.
- Support and develop the boards of directors of all three entities and enhance global governance.
Annual and strategic planning
- Facilitate strategy development with the board.
- Develop annual plans and goals, along with appropriate tracking.
- Implement the plan, reporting regularly to board members on progress.
- Oversee development of the budgets and annual plans for the U.S. and Kenya.
Development
- Raise the organization’s annual budget in collaboration with development staff and key volunteers.
- Proactively pursue long-term funding opportunities, grant-making organizations and endowment/quasi-endowment enlargement. Raise the necessary funds to accomplish the mission.
- Manage relationships with key sponsors and donors.
- Assume responsibility for a portfolio of Major Donors.
- Broaden the organization’s base of supporters and recruit an increasing number of sponsors, consistent with the five-year plan.
Other
- Travel to Kenya at least every other year to ensure appropriate connections between FoNR and NRCF. Potentially lead group travel with supporters.
Competencies
- At ease being the face of the organization
- Enjoy meeting people and building relationships
- Motivated by the opportunity to lead significant growth of FoNR
- Excited about the mission of helping students in Kenya
- Energized to help members of the U.S. and Kenya staff realize their potential
- Able to energize high-potential donors
- Comfortable in and respectful of other cultures
- Strategic thinker
- Demonstrated excellence at getting things done with and through others
- Experienced at working with highly effective volunteers and a high caliber board of directors
To apply for this position, develop a cover letter explaining why you are a strong candidate and attach a current resume. Forward those items to careers@ngongroad.org. We will be in touch within 48 hours of receipt. We will review and respond to all applications received before February 11, 2022. Applications received after that date may be considered until an appointment is made.
14 December 2021