SUMMARY
ROLE PURPOSE:
Kumwe Hub is the innovation and impact investment arm of Save the Children International. Kumwe Hub supports the growth, sustainability, and scaling of locally led businesses and innovations that positively impact children, youth, and families.
Kumwe Hub is scaling its Refugee-led Early Childhood Development (ECD) model to Kenya following successful implementation in Rwanda. The model is a childcare service set up in refugee camps, allowing refugee mothers to access income generating opportunities, knowing that their children are in a safe and stimulating learning environment. The model is built for sustainability; and achieves self-reliance from the refugee mothers paying for the childcare service.
The Kumwe Hub Programme Officer will play a key role in implementing the Refugee-led ECD model in Dadaab refugee camp, supporting the establishment, operationalisation, and sustainability of ECD centre, and ensuring strong relationships with refugee communities, local businesses, governmental and UNHCR authorities, and camp partners.
This role is outward-facing and requires strong relationship management with refugee entrepreneurs, community members and humanitarian stakeholders. The post holder will ensure the programme is implemented in a respectful, inclusive, and community-led manner, with a strong emphasis on human-centered design, and enabling refugee autonomy.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Kumwe Hub seeks a highly talented and experienced Programme Officer to work directly with a refugee business, to help them set-up a for-profit childcare solution that they have designed, led and financed themselves. For the Programme Officer role, Kumwe Hub is aiming to recruit a woman who speaks fluent Somali.
The Kumwe Hub Programme Officer is responsible for supporting and coordinating field-level activities for the implementation of the Refugee-led ECD centre in Dadaab refugee camp. The role involves close engagement with refugee communities, especially mother entrepreneurs, and collaboration with Save the Children Kenya, UNHCR, local authorities, and private sector partners.
The Programme Officer will act as Kumwe Hub’s primary presence in Dadaab, ensuring that project activities are delivered effectively, that relationships with community members and businesses remain strong, and that feedback from the field informs programme adaptation and improvement.
Reports to: Kumwe Hub Programmes Manager (dotted line to Dadaab Programmes Manager)
Staff reporting to this post: None
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY
Project Coordination and Implementation
- Act as a key focal point for Kumwe Hub in the Dadaab refugee camp, ensuring that key team members within Kumwe Hub are aware of challenges, opportunities and other areas of interest and are able to respond accordingly.
- Facilitate participatory design workshops with refugee mothers and community members to co-create the ECD model and ensure it reflects community needs.
- Support the planning, implementation, and day-to-day coordination of the refugee-led ECD project in Dadaab.
- Monitor the progress of the ECD centres throughout the setup phase and during operations.
- Provide hands-on support and problem-solving when operational, financial, or community-related challenges arise.
- Perform Project Management under the principles of Half Double. Participate in Monthly Sprint Planning and Retrospectives with the Kumwe Hub Programmes Team as well as weekly Sprint Planning.
Stakeholder Engagement
- Facilitate information sessions and consultation meetings with refugee communities, government representatives, camp management, UNHCR, and other implementing partners to ensure transparency and strong buy-in for the initiative.
- Mobilise government and camp-level stakeholders to support the establishment of refugee-led, for-profit childcare businesses and promote the broader shift toward refugee self-reliance and self-programming.
- Represent Kumwe Hub in coordination meetings and public forums, delivering presentations and speaking on behalf of the project as needed. Experience with public speaking and stakeholder presentations is highly valued.
- Build and maintain strong, respectful, and trust-based relationships with refugee entrepreneurs, community leaders, private sector actors, and humanitarian partners.
- Act as the primary relationship manager for refugee mothers and refugee entrepreneurs engaged in the project, ensuring they feel supported, respected, and empowered throughout the process.
Business Support and Documentation Review
- Review key business and operational documents submitted by ECD business, including equipment lists, partnership agreements, grant documentation, and investment or loan agreements.
- Provide constructive feedback and guidance to ensure documents meet quality standards, financial sustainability requirements, and compliance with donor and organisational policies.
- Support the preparation and finalisation of partnership Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), grant documents and other contractual or operational documents required for the set-up of the ECD businesses within Save the Children’s standards.
Monitoring, Financial Tracking and Impact Assessment
- Monitor the overall performance of the ECD businesses against agreed business plans, operational targets, and child safeguarding standards through face-to-face follow-ups.
- Track the disbursement and repayment of loans provided to the ECD businesses, maintaining accurate records and following up with operators on repayment schedules.
- Support impact data collection and monitoring activities related to child development outcomes, women’s economic participation, and business sustainability.
- Conduct regular site visits to verify activities, assess service quality, and ensure alignment with project objectives and Save the Children’s safeguarding requirements.
- Document lessons learned, community feedback, risks, and success stories to support reporting, learning, and future scale-up.
Local Context and Innovation
- Provide regular analysis of the socio-economic, political, and cultural context in Dadaab to inform programme adaptation and risk management.
- Identify barriers that may affect the operation of refugee-led, for-profit businesses and work with the programme team and partners to develop practical solutions.
- Promote innovative, locally appropriate approaches that strengthen refugee leadership, ownership, and long-term sustainability of services.
- Promote innovative approaches, such as the Kumwe Hub’s Half Double methodology, that enhance impact outcomes for refugee and host community families.
- Act as a representative of Kumwe Hub in the field, advocating for its mission and building networks with relevant actors.
BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)
Accountability:
- Holds self -accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.
- Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.
Ambition:
- Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same.
- Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others.
- Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.
Collaboration:
- Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters.
- Values diversity and sees it as a source of competitive strength.
- Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.
Creativity:
- Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
- Willing to take disciplined risks.
Integrity:
- Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Programme management or any other field, master’s degree an advantage.
- Additional certifications in program management, project management, people first impact method, or professional development preferred.
- Desirable: Experience with innovative project management, experience with public speaking, experience with human-centered design, experience with client management
The ideal candidate will have:
- Fluency in Somali and English (required).
- Minimum of 3 years of experience in field-based programme implementation in humanitarian or development contexts in Kenya or similar settings.
- Proven experience working directly with refugee communities, particularly in Dadaab or other displacement contexts.
- Demonstrated experience supporting or engaging with small businesses, entrepreneurs, or community-based enterprises, including reviewing business documents or supporting business development processes.
- Experience facilitating workshops, training sessions, participatory design processes, or community information meetings.
- Strong presentation and public speaking skills, with the ability to confidently present programme concepts and business ideas to diverse audiences.
- Experience engaging with or maintaining professional relationships with UNHCR, government authorities, or camp management structures is highly desirable.
- Ability to review and provide feedback on business or operational documentation, such as business plans, budgets, partnership agreements, and grant or loan documentation.
- Experience tracking financial information, loan repayments, or basic business performance indicators is considered an asset.
- Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple processes simultaneously, including events, monitoring visits, and stakeholder coordination.
- Solid computer skills, including proficiency in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and digital collaboration tools such as Teams, Miro, or similar platforms.
Skills and Abilities
- Strong knowledge of the humanitarian and development landscape in Kenya, particularly in refugee-hosting regions such as Dadaab.
- Ability to design and facilitate training sessions tailored to audiences with different levels of literacy, business knowledge, and language skills.
- Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills, with the ability to maintain professional relationships while managing expectations and addressing challenges.
- Ability to work with high-level stakeholders while demonstrating professionalism, discretion, and cultural sensitivity.
- Capacity to analyse problems, identify practical solutions, and support clients through complex or unfamiliar processes.
Personal Qualities
- Passionate about field work in humanitarian and development settings, particularly within refugee contexts.
- Strong commitment to women’s empowerment and refugee empowerment.
- Demonstrates empathy, patience, and respect when working with vulnerable populations.
- Collaborative team player with a proactive and positive attitude.
- Reflective practitioner with a commitment to continuous learning and professional growth.
Expected start date: 1st August 2026
THE ORGANIZATION
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.
We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:
- No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday.
- All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
- Violence against children is no longer tolerated.
Save the Children is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to employ and assign the best-qualified talent.
Female Candidates are encouraged to apply.
Disclaimer:
Beware that there are individuals who may take and use SCI’s name in an attempt to solicit fees from interested job-seekers. We do not use recruiting persons or agencies to help us identify candidates for employment. If you’re contacted by a person promising you recruitment or placement at SCI for a charge, do not accept, and please get in touch with us at [email protected].
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
