Program Manager(Kenya)

Who we are

Girl Effect is an international non-profit that builds media that girls want, trust and need.

From chat-bots to chat-shows and TV dramas to tech, our content is reaching millions of girls in Africa and Asia to make choices and changes in their lives. Igniting their confidence to act differently at a time that can define their future.

We create safe spaces for girls, sharing facts, and answering questions about health, nutrition, education, relationships and so much more. And we use innovative technology so we can reach girls at scale. We arm girls with the skills to negotiate and redefine what they are told is possible, so every girl can choose to be in control of her body, her health, her learning and livelihood.

When a girl unlocks her power to make different choices that change her life, it inspires others to do so too. She starts a ripple effect that impacts her family, her community, her country. That’s the Girl Effect. 

Girl Effect Kenya has an ambitious roadmap of building new and ongoing programs and campaigns under Tukisonga- our overarching platform, testing new community and digital innovations. Leading with media and content, the team is responsible for creating life-changing experiences for girls and will drive many of these projects by coordinating across a diverse network of programs, writers, designers, researchers, and technologists. Part of the Tukisonga platform offering is the Tuki-Jituma Initiative (Together We Thrive) initiative,  dedicated to empowering Kenyan youth aged 15–24 by providing essential skills, mentorship, and pathways to opportunities in the creative and digital sectors. The program directly addresses high unemployment in urban areas and underemployment in rural regions by partnering with Vocational Training Centres (VTCs), Certiport Authorized Test Centres (CATCs), and creative industry leaders. Through certification courses, apprenticeships, mentorship, and a digital marketplace, Tuki-Jituma will support young people—especially vulnerable youth such as teenage mothers and school dropouts—to access sustainable livelihoods in Nairobi and Migori.

The Program Manager will lead the implementation of the Tuki-Jituma initiative, ensuring delivery of high-quality outcomes and strong partnerships. The role requires significant experience in program management, especially in the economic empowerment and livelihood sectors, combined with expertise in forging strategic relationships with donors, private sector actors, governments, and communities. The PM will drive program excellence, partnership development, and evidence-based impact to position Girl Effect as a leader in youth empowerment and the creative digital economy.

What you will do

Programme Planning, Design, Implementation, and Monitoring

• Manage the design, planning, delivery, and monitoring of the Tuki-Jituma Initiative across Nairobi and Migori Counties
• Facilitate the recruitment of youth from Girl Effect’s Tukisonga networks, with a focus on vulnerable groups (teenage mothers, school dropouts, low-income households).
• Ensure delivery of skills-building programs, including life skills, financial literacy, and creative/digital industry training.
• Manage partnerships with VTCs and CATCs to deliver certification programs.
• Coordinate mentorship and apprenticeship programs with industry experts in film, media, digital marketing, fashion, and design.
• Support the rollout of the Champions Model using Girl Effect’s Champions App to facilitate peer-led learning and engagement.
• Oversee the onboarding of youth to the digital marketplace, ensuring access to entrepreneurship, internships, apprenticeships, and mentorship opportunities.
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements, government regulations, and Girl Effect’s internal policies.
• Develop annual, quarterly, and monthly work plans and track delivery against set targets.

Stakeholder Management – External

• Build strong and collaborative relationships with national and county stakeholders, ensuring alignment with youth, skills, and economic empowerment priorities.
• Establish and maintain partnerships with creative industry actors, private sector stakeholders, and digital platforms to sustain youth employment linkages.
• Represent Girl Effect in external forums, technical working groups, and sector platforms.
• Provide regular updates, donor reports, and visibility materials showcasing program progress and impact.
• Analyze youth economic empowerment and creative sector trends in Kenya to inform program strategy.

Stakeholder Management – Internal

• Collaborate with in-house technical experts (gender, digital, creative, and monitoring & evaluation) to deliver impactful programming.
• Work closely with the Communications team to amplify program impact stories, youth voices, and Girl Effect’s niche in the sector.
• Support and manage project teams, ensuring performance, motivation, and professional development.
• Keep internal leadership updated on progress, risks, and opportunities, ensuring program alignment with Girl Effect’s broader strategy.
  
  

Who You Are

• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate program vision into impactful delivery while spotting long-term opportunities.
• Partnership builder, with proven success in forging relationships across donors, governments, the private sector, and civil society.
• Effective communicator with excellent written, spoken, and presentation skills for donor reports, proposals, and public representation.
• Mission-driven leader, committed to youth empowerment, gender equality, and inclusion, especially for adolescent girls and young women.
• Team player, able to collaborate across diverse teams and digital platforms to ensure youth-centered and inclusive programming.
• 5 years of progressive program management experience in Kenya, preferably in youth livelihoods, skills development, and or creative/digital economy.
• At least 3 years working with bilateral, multilateral, or private donors.
• Strong grasp of gender and gender-transformative approaches in program design.
• Experience meaningfully involving young people in the design, delivery, and governance of programs.
• Demonstrated success in building and managing multi-stakeholder partnerships at the community, county, and national levels.
• Master’s degree in International Development, social sciences, Business, or related field.

What else you should know

As we continue to scale and grow - we are hugely ambitious for our future, and we are looking for people who are driven to change the world for girls.

Our teams are a diverse mix across sectors (non-profit and commercial) and specialisms (from Brand and Creative through to Gender and Insight). You’ll learn and grow in an environment that will challenge you to think and work with a fresh perspective. In turn, you can expect to work somewhere where you will be stretched and developed in your role, a place where you can build your career and work with talented, engaged people committed to our cause.

Girl Effect is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

We are committed to building an organization that is increasingly representative of the communities that we serve. To this end, due regard will be paid to recruiting candidates with diverse professional, academic and cultural backgrounds.

This role is subject to a standard background disclosure.

This role is being recruited for on a 12 month contract basis.

Please note that there is an expectation to be flexible to travel within Kenya - up to 40% of the time.

Application closing date –20th October 2025