The posting
Location: Nairobi, Kenya. Open to all nationals with pre-existing right to work in Kenya
Vacancy type: Fixed-term contract with the possibility of extension. Full time
Service areas: Africa
About ASI
ASI (Adam Smith International) is a global advisory company that works locally to transform lives by making economies stronger, societies safer, and governments more effective. We work on behalf of governments, foundations and companies that share our ambition to take on the big challenges facing the world. We develop strategies and design, deliver and evaluate programmes that stimulate economic growth, stability and good governance.
For nearly three decades in almost 100 countries, we have been working in partnership with governments, the private sector and civil society in countries at all stages of development. Our core team of staff and technical experts, in multiple offices around the world, ensures the quality of delivery and high ethical standards that we and our clients require. We bring together a global network of specialist experts, who contribute their experience and know-how, where and when it is needed.
This is an exciting time to join Adam Smith International and become part of a team of bright, dynamic and committed people, determined to transform lives for the better.
About SSF
The Somalia Stability Fund III is a multi-donor fund (UK, the European Union, Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany, and previously Sweden and USAID) set up to address key risks to Somalia’s stability. Its goal is to reduce risks to stability in Somalia through more rules-based, inclusive and peaceful political systems. SSF III works through three workstreams – Political Dialogue; Conciliation; and Democratisation, Local Governance and Accountability – underpinned by research, learning and a flexible, risk-based approach to programming.
About the role
The Africa team is hiring a manager to join the Project Management Unit (PMU) of the Somalia Stability Fund III. The role will be based in Nairobi, and will primarily focus on programme management, client and partner engagement, delivery, financial oversight, risk management and quality assurance. The manager will work closely with the Project Director, Team Lead, technical leads, state leads, assistant manager, operations and finance resources, and the wider ASI team to ensure the programme is delivered to a high standard, meets FCDO requirements, and strengthens ASI’s profile in the region.
What we’re looking for
Key Responsibilities
- Programme Delivery and Management
- As part of the SSF III leadership team, support the Project Director (PD), Senior Programme Manager (SPM) and Team Leader (TL) to manage the delivery of the programme to terms of reference, time, quality, cost and donor and government satisfaction, ensuring plans are delivered on time and outputs and contractual deliverables are high quality.
- Coordinate workplans, budgets, forecasts, delivery trackers, risk registers and reporting products.
- Support mobilisation and management of technical experts, consortium and implementing partners and downstream delivery arrangements, including supporting the Assistant Manager (AM) to ensure timely mobilisation of consultants and managing the mobilisation of short-term technical assistance (STTA) in response to project needs.
- Support team management, monitoring any performance and staff changes in line with ASI procedures and escalating any performance management issues to the SPM/PD/TL for necessary action.
- Track progress against agreed outputs, milestones, KPIs and deliverables, including setting and reporting on management KPIs and participating in setting and reporting on workstream KPIs.
- Client, partner and stakeholder engagement
- Manage relations and maintain effective communication with the client (FCDO) on a day-to-day basis.
- Prepare for and follow up on SSF’s governance and routine meetings (SMT, ASI-FCDO, JDC, TJSC, HLSC and significant other ad-hoc meetings), including guiding the AM on meeting preparation and coordination, and quality assuring meeting presentations and minutes in a timely manner.
- Lead regular internal and external meetings as needed, including SSF team meetings and the Senior Management Team (SMT) meetings when the TL/SPM is unavailable.
- Identify, escalate and help resolve delivery issues in a timely and transparent way.
- Technical assistance coordination and quality assurance
- Work with technical leads and Core Fund team members (state and intervention leads) to ensure short-term technical assistance is well planned, properly resourced and delivered to agreed standards.
- Support the development of annual workplans, concept notes, business cases, TORs and delivery plans as required.
- Support the SPM to quality assure outputs produced by the team, including technical outputs before submission to FCDO or external stakeholders.
- Learning and reporting
- Contribute to and quality assure financial and narrative quarterly and annual programme reports, ensuring reports are accurate, concise, evidence-based and meets FCDO requirements.
- Financial management, risk and compliance
- Ensure accurate budget forecasting, expenditure tracking, client invoicing and invoice preparation, including supporting the AM in Fund Manager invoicing, and working with SSF’s FRP team to ensure Core Fund budget forecasts and reporting are accurate.
- Monitor spend against forecast and work with FRP and finance colleagues to explain variances.
- Work with the FRP to identify and monitor risks and issues and take corrective action; maintain and update programme risk registers, delivery chain information and escalation logs.
- Audit reports – lead the annual audit process end-to-end, managing timelines to ensure timely submission of the audit report to FCDO and the JDC, and contributing to responses to audit queries and the management responses.
- Ensure compliance with all ASI corporate policies and procedures and internal reporting requirements (Internal Audit, Legal, DoC, People & Talent), and with safeguarding, duty of care, fraud, data protection, confidentiality, equality and inclusion, transparency, branding and communications requirements, in line with ASI and FCDO policies.
- Ensure delivery decisions are informed by VfM, including economy, efficiency, effectiveness and equity, and contribute to VfM analysis.
What we offer You
Our people are at the heart of our strategy and our decisions – your ideas, expertise and unique perspective will shape our future.
We offer:
- Group Income Protection
- Group Life Insurance
- Pension
- Private Medical Insurance
- Travel Insurance (personal and professional)
- 4 x mental health ½ days
- Employee Assistance Programme
What makes ASI a great place to work at:
Impactful work: Lead and innovate in high impact portfolio of programmes that drive reach change.
Grow with ASI: We offer dedicated support to develop your skills and progress in your career.
Team That Inspires: Collaborate with brilliant, passionate colleagues in a dynamic environment.
Diverse Workforce: Through our Equality Action Plan, our Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and through leadership from our Executive Team and oversight by our Board, we ensure ASI is a place where you can be yourself and succeed.
Flexibility That Works for You: We recognise the importance of your life outside of work and support flexible working.
ASI is committed to ensuring that everyone in the organisation is treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. The Company values diversity and inclusion and strives to maintain a workplace where all individuals are treated equally. ASI is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of everyone involved in its work. All ASI People are responsible for understanding and following the Safeguarding Policy, which is designed to protect individuals — especially vulnerable groups — from exploitation, abuse, harassment, or violence of any kind, including sexual misconduct
We'd love to hear from you
Excited to join us? Submit your CV (no more than two pages) and a one-page cover letter setting out your motivations and suitability. The deadline for applications is 30/11/2026.
Due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
ASI encourages applications from candidates of all social backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, abilities, and orientations.
The Manager should have the ability to build effective relationships with clients from a wide range of professional and cultural backgrounds, and to work effectively in politically sensitive and challenging environments. He/she should relish working in a team, should be innovative, energetic, positive, and genuinely committed to making a lasting contribution to the reduction of conflict and poverty.
Adam Smith International seeks the following skills and experience:
· An under-graduate degree in international development, international relations, political science, economics or other relevant fields;
· Demonstrable interest and experience, 2-5 years, in one of the technical areas in governance and stability;
· Demonstrated experience of initiative, planning and organisation skills, results-focus and working in complex and time-pressured contexts;
· Outstanding written English and oral communication skills;
· Excellent inter-personal skills and team-work;
· Strong attention to detail;
· Willingness to travel extensively to fragile and conflict affected environments;
· Enthusiasm and flexibility along with a willingness to travel at short notice and work in developing countries; and
· Strong IT skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
