Head of Market Systems – Regional

Inkomoko supports entrepreneurs to grow their businesses in order to improve livelihoods, create jobs, and help communities thrive.

Founded in 2012, Inkomoko has worked with more than 60,000 entrepreneurs across East Africa, including thousands of refugee entrepreneurs. Inkomoko provides a combination of training, consulting, access to finance, and market-level systems change.  We are the largest lender to refugee entrepreneurs in Africa.

Inkomoko has +450 staff in 30 offices across Rwanda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. Through Inkomoko’s 2030 strategic plan, we are adding 4 additional countries to improve the lives of more than 7.6M people by serving more than 550,000 entrepreneurs and investing $150M into refugee & host communities across Africa.

All staff at Inkomoko are connected to a shared set of organizational values:

• Purpose: be solutions-oriented, produce high-quality work, 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, inclusive.
• We Eat Goat:  we celebrate success and support each other in hard times.

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

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced professional to join our team as the Head of Market Systems in East Africa. The Head of Market Systems is pivotal in driving market linkages and facilitating strategic partnerships across our countries of operation. 

She/he will lead initiatives aimed at fostering connections between producers, suppliers, and consumers, thereby contributing to livelihoods, job creation, and sustainable economic growth for micro and small businesses in and around the refugee-hosting regions and secondary cities.

In Inkomoko’s 2030 strategic plan, we recognized the need to create a positive enabling environment for the entrepreneurs we serve– particularly to connect micro and small entrepreneurs to market opportunities beyond their current reach. To achieve thriving communities, Inkomoko believes in a holistic approach of supporting these businesses, including refugees at the individual, market, and ecosystem level.

The Head of Market Systems will be a strategic, systems-level thinker who is committed to driving a market systems change for displaced or marginalized entrepreneurs. Ths is a Regional role and the position holder can be based in Ethiopia, Rwanda or Kenya.

Specifically, responsibilities of this position include:

• Refine the market linkages strategy and roadmap. Map the core barriers to our clients’ success, current stakeholders interested in maintaining and/or impacting the status quo and approaches to change. This role requires someone who can see a big vision, as well as targeted opportunities to make lasting change.
• Market Analysis: oversee market research and analysis to identify trends, opportunities, and challenges to local purchasing within the East African market landscape with an emphasis on Rwanda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. Developing and maintaining forecasts of existing and future procurement needs in relevant sectors will be key to success.
• Strategic Partnerships: Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, including government agencies, industry associations, NGOs, and private sector organizations.
• Market Linkages: Direct Market Linkages implementation across countries, including ensuring Inkomoko’s related services and strategies that facilitate connections between producers, suppliers, distributors, and consumers are leading to new transactions.
• Capacity Building: Oversee the design and delivery of training for local businesses and entrepreneurs that measurably improves their market knowledge, competitiveness, and reach.
• Innovation: Explore innovative solutions and leverage technology to enhance market linkages and streamline business processes. Always look out for what works and what does not and change strategy/processes/systems accordingly.
• Collaboration: Collaborate with internal teams, including investment, MEL, and communication Departments to align market linkage strategies with overall Inkomoko objectives.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Engage MEL to establish market linkage metrics to monitor the effectiveness of market linkage initiatives and track progress toward goals.
• Reporting: Prepare regular reports and presentations for senior management and stakeholders, highlighting key insights, achievements, and areas for improvement.

• • Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, sales, or related field. Master’s degree preferred.
  • Proven experience (7+ years) in market development, business development, or related roles, preferably within the East African context.
  • Strong understanding of market dynamics, value chains, and business ecosystems in East Africa.
  • Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strategic partnerships with diverse stakeholders.
  • Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
  • Strategic thinker with the ability to identify opportunities and drive results.
  • Proficiency in data analysis and report writing.
  • Fluency in English; proficiency in French, Swahili and Arabic is a plus.
  • Ability to travel within the region as required.
  • Unrelenting commitment to equity, refugees, poverty alleviation, improved livelihoods and the Inkomoko mission.
  • Master’s degree in a related field, preferred but not required.
  • Lived experience of displacement is highly respected and sought for all leadership.

This role is inside a high-growth, mission-driven social enterprise. By joining, you’ll access:

• Competitive salary, and potential Goal-based bonus
• Incredible company culture, including deep investment in your learning and growth
• Diverse colleagues and policies that show our commitment to equity and inclusion
• Talented, passionate, and committed team colleagues across the region
• Ability to make a significant social impact to your community
• Generous health insurance, staff savings, parental leave, sabbatical, and more benefits.

HOW TO APPLY

If you’re excited about this role, please submit your application through the: application portal at your earliest (applications are reviewed on a rolling basis).

Tell us about what you’ll bring to this growing company.

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.