The Pharo Foundation is a private foundation based in the United Kingdom, established in 2011 and committed to the development of Africa. The Foundation supports projects in the Horn of Africa. Pharo Ventures Kenya Limited is hiring an Operations Lead to drive the launch of their Arts Education Initiative.
Role Overview
This role is critical to translating the program concept for the Arts Education Initiative into a concrete, phased launch roadmap and driving the delivery of early operational milestones. The Operations Lead will approach the role with a founder's mentality, ensuring strong cost discipline, building necessary systems, managing external partnerships, and ensuring regulatory compliance during the start-up phase.
Key Responsibilities
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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).
5. 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.
Required Attributes (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 a 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).
