East Africa Operations Manager (Refugee-Led Research Hub)

About the role

The Refugee-Led Research Hub (RLRH) is hiring an East Africa Operations Manager for its Nairobi office at the British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA). The post is a mid-career, full-time (37.5 hours per week) fixed-term role until September 2028, with possible extension pending funding, reporting to the BIEA Country Director and working closely with the RLRH Director of Operations and Strategy. The role covers operations, HR, finance and compliance, office management and strategy, with occasional travel.

Key responsibilities

• Act as focal point for East Africa operations, liaising with colleagues in Oxford and BIEA on HR, finance, logistics, legal and compliance.
• Oversee daily office operations, maintain office and operations manuals, safeguarding and finance policies and employee handbooks, and monitor operational and staff safety risks.
• Manage staff and consultancy contracts, oversee recruitment, onboarding, leave and performance monitoring, and support HR policy updates and staff wellbeing.
• Line manage the East Africa Finance Officer and approve payments, procurement, reimbursements and petty cash; support annual financial audits and donor reporting.
• Support grant disbursement, subcontract management and MOUs with external partners.
• Lead a team of three direct reports (Finance Officer, Administrative Assistant, Office and Events Assistant) and plan office space across Nairobi, Kampala and Kakuma.
• Contribute to donor compliance reporting, strategy and the development of new offices.

Required profile

• Substantial experience in operations, administration, HR or finance, ideally in non-profit or academic/research organisations in Kenya or East Africa.
• Master's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Operations Management, International Development or equivalent.
• Strong knowledge of Kenyan legal, HR and financial frameworks for charitable and research organisations.
• Experience leading or line-managing teams and excellent written and verbal English.
• Right to work in Kenya; RLRH can support obtaining a free Class M work permit for displaced persons.

Required skills

• Digital systems for finance and operations, such as accounting software (e.g. XERO), budgeting and reporting tools, collaboration platforms (e.g. Slack), HR systems (e.g. BambooHR) or CRM systems.
• Desirable: lived experience of displacement, interest in international development and refugee/migration studies, and knowledge of languages spoken by RLRH learners (Swahili, Arabic, Amharic, Somali, French, Oromo).

Salary is KSh 3,234,111 - 3,727,222 gross per year depending on experience, plus benefits. Applications include a CV, a cover letter and answers to three role-specific questions, with a closing date of 23 November 2026.