Chief of Staff to the COO

ABOUT INKOMOKO

Inkomoko supports entrepreneurs to grow their businesses in order to improve livelihoods, create jobs, and help communities thrive. In 2025, Inkomoko was listed by the Financial Times as the 8th fastest-growing company in Africa, supporting entrepreneurs across East and Central Africa to grow thriving businesses and build inclusive, resilient economies.

Founded in 2012, Inkomoko is a non-profit that has worked with more than 100,000 entrepreneurs, including thousands of refugee businesses. Inkomoko provides a combination of training, consulting, access to finance, and market-level systems change to drive impact for our clients. We are the largest investor to refugee entrepreneurs in Africa.

Inkomoko has 800+ staff in 50 offices across Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Sudan. Through Inkomoko’s 2030 strategic plan, we are adding 3 additional countries to positively impact 7M people, by serving more than 550,000 entrepreneurs and growing our $30M loan fund.

INKOMOKO VALUES

All staff at Inkomoko are connected to a shared set of organizational values:
• Purpose: be solutions-oriented, produce high-quality work, and be a global leader.
• Achievement: push yourself to reach beyond what you previously thought possible.
• Improvement: be humble, engage in continuous growth through open & accurate feedback
• Bravery: willing to take risks, create a safe space for others, be compassionate, and inclusive.
• We Eat Goat: we celebrate success and support each other in hard times. We do this work together in the spirit of turikumwe, tuko pamoja, abren nen, Kula na sawa, On est ensemble.

Inkomoko is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Refugees, women, and persons who reflect the diverse communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY & RESPONSIBILITIES

This role serves as the right hand to the COO, ensuring execution discipline, clarity of communication, and operational follow-through across a fast-scaling organization.

The Chief of Staff & Executive Assistant combines high-level coordination, strong communication, and hands-on execution to keep priorities moving, unblock teams, and ensure the COO’s strategy translates into measurable results across operations, risk, and scale-up initiatives. This role is open to candidates based in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya, or South Sudan.

1. Executive Support & Coordination (40%)
• Manage the COO’s calendar, priorities, and travel to ensure focus on highest-impact work
• Organize Office of COO Leaders meetings, as well as other key meetings/forums
• Prepare briefing notes, talking points, and decision memos for internal and external engagements
• Coordinate Office of COO board reports
• Track action items from leadership meetings and ensure timely follow-through
• Represent the COO in meetings where appropriate and ensure clear communication back to teams
• Coordinate Board and executive-level materials in collaboration with leadership

2. Communications & Alignment (25%)
• Draft and refine high-quality internal and external communications (presentations, updates, reports)
• Translate strategy into clear, actionable messaging for teams across countries
• Drive alignment across departments by ensuring consistent messaging and priorities
• Facilitate workshops, leadership meetings, and cross-functional planning sessions

3. Special Projects & Process Improvement (20%)
• Lead and support priority projects under the COO, including scale-up initiatives and new country readiness
• Conduct rapid process reviews across operations (e.g., client journey, procurement, approvals) and recommend improvements
• Coordinate and manage consultants supporting operational transformation initiatives
• Track delivery against key operational KPIs and escalate risks or delays

4. Operations, Risk, Systems & Performance Support (15%)
• Support the COO in strengthening enterprise risk management, including risk tracking and mitigation follow-up
• Coordinate initiatives related to security, safeguarding, legal/contracting, and operational standards
• Support digital transformation efforts by improving visibility, dashboards, and reporting systems
• Ensure operational policies and standards are documented, communicated, and implemented consistently
• Support COO in corporate performance

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Inkomoko has found that our happiest and most effective colleagues are proactive, resourceful, self-motivated, trustworthy, and accountable. They are go-getters with a can-do attitude, who support their teammates with sincerity. No task is too small and above all, they are humble and willing to give and receive feedback.

This role requires someone who is highly organized, detail-oriented, and execution-focused, while able to operate at a strategic level when needed.

Core Capabilities
• Strong system, process experience
• Strong facilitation skills both in person and use of virtual facilitation tools
• Exceptional report writing experience
• Exceptional communicator: Clear, concise writer and confident facilitator across all levels
• Execution-focused: Strong ability to track details, manage follow-through, and deliver results
• Highly organized: Able to manage multiple priorities with precision and discipline
• Problem solver: Quickly identifies issues and drives practical solutions
• Trusted partner: Exercises sound judgment, discretion, and integrity
• Adaptable and resilient: Thrives in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

Additional qualifications
• 5 - 8+ years of experience in operations, consulting, program management, or executive support roles
• Prior experience supporting a senior executive (COO, CEO, or similar) strongly preferred
• Experience in high-growth, mission-driven or startup environments is an advantage
• Strong proficiency in productivity tools, data systems, and presentation platforms
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree is an advantage.

WHAT YOU’LL GET

This role is inside a high-growth, mission-driven social enterprise. By joining, you’ll access:
• Competitive salary, and potential Performance-based bonus
• Incredible company culture, with opportunities for learning and growth
• Diverse colleagues across the region, and policies that demonstrate commitment to equity and inclusion
• Ability to make a significant social impact to your community
• Health insurance for self and family
• Staff savings and provident fund, negotiated bank rates for long-term employees
• Generous annual leave, parental leave, and sabbatical options.

TO APPLY

If you’re excited about this role, please submit your application through the jobs portal. Tell us about what you’ll bring to this growing company.

DEADLINE: Open until filled. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, please apply as soon as possible!

Inkomoko is committed to justice, diversity, equity and inclusion. As we seek to reflect the communities we serve, refugees and women are strongly encouraged to apply. As a company we have policies that ensure fair treatment in the application process.

NB: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Employment is conditional upon successful background checks and other verification as needed.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and background screening checks. Inkomoko also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual misconduct, fraud, or abuse. By applying, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.