Operations Lead, Arts Education Initiative

Operations Lead, Arts Education Initiative

Nairobi, Kenya

Overview

Pharo Foundation ("the Foundation") is a pioneering, mission-driven organisation working to build a vibrant, productive, and self-reliant Africa. Founded and fully funded by Pharo Management, an emerging markets hedge fund. The Foundation represents a new model of philanthropic capitalism: a private endowment using its own capital to design, fund, and operate development programmes with private-sector discipline and long-term commitment.

Over the next decade, the Foundation's ambition is to deliver lasting impact across three interdependent missions:

1. Empowering the next generation through affordable, high-quality education.
2. Solving water scarcity by building and operating sustainable water infrastructure.
3. Driving economic productivity by unlocking jobs, investment, and innovation through both non-profit and for-profit ventures.

The Foundation operates in Ethiopia, Somaliland, Kenya, and Rwanda, employing more than 750 people. It combines a not-for-profit engine: Pharo Development, with a for-profit engine, Pharo Ventures, which builds and operates sustainable businesses to create jobs and advance economic self-reliance.

Opportunity

We are seeking an exceptional Operations Lead with commercial acumen and entrepreneurial spirit to help design and operationalise a new flagship post-secondary initiative in creative education in Kenya from the ground up. The project will focus on nurturing talent and creativity in fashion, textiles, material culture, and fine art, areas that connect creativity, craftsmanship, and enterprise.

This is a rare opportunity to take a high-potential concept from blueprint to launch, shaping everything from business model and operational systems to staffing, partnerships, and student experience. The role requires a builder: someone who can move fluidly between strategic thinking and hands-on execution, able to develop networks and understand the stakeholder and competitive landscape. And most importantly a driven individual who is motivated by the challenge of creating something new from the ground up.

The ideal candidate will combine analytical and operational rigour (MBA or equivalent experience) with an appreciation for the creative and cultural sectors. They will be highly organised, comfortable navigating ambiguity, and energised by the pace of a start-up environment. Success in this role will require a hands-on, proactive approach, at times working beyond regular hours or going the extra mile to build relationships and maintain momentum during critical phases.

Key Relationships

Role: Operations Lead, Arts Education Initiative

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Reporting to: Chief Research and Evaluation Officer, Country Director, Kenya

Functional relationship: Education, Ventures and Operations Teams and External partners and consultants

Key Responsibilities

Launch planning and execution

• Translate the program concept into a concrete, phased launch roadmap, covering community consultations, creative camps, and the first pilot programs.
• Drive delivery of early milestones: identify locations, secure partners, and coordinate logistics for events and pilots.
• Manage day-to-day operations during the build phase, anticipating bottlenecks and problem-solving quickly.
• Build systems for tracking timelines, budgets, and KPIs to keep the project on schedule.

Business model and operations

• Develop and manage detailed budgets and operational systems suited to a lean, start-up phase.
• Maintain strong cost discipline: identify ways to economize and make efficient use of limited resources.
• Support the design of governance, HR, and admissions processes as the initiative evolves into a permanent institution.
• Prepare draft business models, funding scenarios, and cost-recovery plans to guide long-term sustainability.

Partnerships and ecosystem-building

• Engage with creative schools, local institutions, and international partners to build the early network behind the school.
• Support mapping of funders and investors in the creative economy; coordinate outreach and proposal materials.
• Help establish and service an advisory committee of educators, practitioners, and industry experts.
• Represent the project in meetings and events with ministries, cultural organisations, and community stakeholders.

Project management and communication

• Maintain clear dashboards, trackers, and deliverables that support agile decision-making.
• Prepare succinct decks, briefs, and progress updates for senior leadership, trustees, and external partners.
• Ensure alignment across internal teams and any external consultants (if applicable).

Regulatory compliance and legal setup

• Research and understand the regulatory landscape for post-secondary education and design an implementation roadmap for the right registration and certification setup.
• Explore partnerships with global institutions for co-certification programs.
• Work with the organisation's finance and legal team to establish a solid legal structure.

Builder mindset

• Approach the role with a founder's mentality: proactive, accountable, and unafraid to take initiative.
• Willing to go beyond regular hours or step outside formal job boundaries when needed to move the project forward.
• Operate with integrity, humility, and discretion, building trust internally and externally.
• Treat every challenge as an opportunity to shape something lasting and distinctive for the region.

Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Masters in relevant field or equivalent experience in operations, strategy, or venture building.
• Experience: 3–6 years in start-ups or project management (exposure to creative industries, education, or social ventures would be a bonus).

Desired Skills

• Execution-oriented: Self-starter who can translate ideas into action and deliver results with minimal supervision. Pragmatic, resourceful, and comfortable working under tight timelines and imperfect information.
• Financial discipline: Understands budget constraints and looks for smart, cost-effective ways to achieve objectives without compromising quality.
• Collaborative and grounded: Low-ego team player who values trust, accountability, and follow-through over titles or recognition.
• Communication and structure: Able to synthesize complex information into clear, concise presentations and written materials. Confident in preparing professional slide decks and updates that get to the point.
• Mindset: Builder mentality. Willing to go the extra mile when the mission demands it. Thrives in ambiguity, adapts quickly, and remains composed under pressure.
• Cultural fluency: Appreciates art, design, music, and youth culture, and can engage comfortably with both creative communities and institutional partners.
• Stage of career: Ideal for a rising, mid-career operator ready to take full ownership of a pioneering education initiative from the ground up.

Pharo Foundation at a Glance

• Type: Privately funded philanthropic foundation
• Funding: Fully financed by Pharo Management, an emerging markets hedge fund
• Missions: Education, Water, and Productivity
• Structure: Dual-engine model Pharo Development (non-profit) and Pharo Ventures (for-profit)
• Countries: Ethiopia, Somaliland, Kenya, and Rwanda
• Team: 800+ employees across Africa and London

Application Procedure

• Applicants are required to attach a detailed CV and a cover letter.

We will review applications on a rolling basis, and in the event that an exceptional candidate is identified early in the process, Pharo Foundation reserves the right to make an appointment before the advertised deadline. We therefore encourage interested applicants to apply as early as possible.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted due to the high volume of applications received.

Pharo Foundation is an equal opportunity employer committed to promoting diversity, inclusion, and gender equality in all its practices. We encourage applications from qualified individuals regardless of race, gender, religion, or background