Shortlist Search

Shortlist Search is proud to partner with the Mastercard Foundation Mastercard Foundation to recruit a Senior Director of Digital and Technology, supporting the Foundation’s transformative work in Canada and across Africa. This leadership role offers a unique opportunity to lead the Foundation’s digital strategy, overseeing impactful technology initiatives that empower young people in Africa to access dignified employment through Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy and Canadian EleV program. As the Senior Director, you will collaborate with the executive leadership team to design and implement innovative digital solutions, optimize technology infrastructure, and strengthen cybersecurity frameworks. Your work will directly enhance the Foundation’s digital capabilities, ensuring these capabilities align with strategic goals and support program delivery across Africa and Canada. This role is ideal for technology leaders who have a proven track record of driving digital transformation, managing large-scale technology projects, and leading diverse teams to deliver innovative solutions that align with organizational goals, especially within mission-driven environments. Candidates must have at least 15 years of experience in technology, including 5 years in a senior leadership role, with strong expertise in IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and cloud-based solutions, as well as a commitment to equity, inclusion, and social impact values. The role location is flexible and can be based in any city where the Foundation has a physical office. While Kigali is the preferred location, other options include Toronto, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Accra, Lagos, Dakar, and Kampala. For those currently based outside these cities, the Foundation offers strong support for relocation and welcomes candidates of any nationality. Shortlist is the exclusive search partner to Mastercard Foundation for this role. To apply or refer a candidate, please use this link: https://lnkd.in/dv_kP6pX. For inquiries, please reach out to Reynold Owuor at reynold@shortlist.net and Zahnri van Geuns at zahnri@shortlist.net. Carol H. Wangu Kiuru Jeniffer Ramnath The JD is attached to this post.

Shortlist Search is excited to be working with the Nigerian University of Technology and Management (NUTM) and the NUTM Foundation to identify the Foundation’s inaugural Director of Partnerships. Conceived out of the Aspen Institute in 2020, NUTM is an independent university and a pioneering education initiative focused on excellence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), Entrepreneurship, and Management. The Foundation supports NUTM’s bold vision to become a leading university in Nigeria and a top-five university in Africa within the next decade. We are seeking an experienced, entrepreneurial, and enthusiastic higher education fundraiser with a track record of successfully engaging high-value donors. This is a rare opportunity to join a world-class leadership team from an early organisational stage, with the potential to grow alongside the university through this inaugural period of high growth. To apply or refer potential candidates from your network, please reach out to Nancy McKinstry and Ramy El Agamy or apply directly via this link: https://lnkd.in/drkt4g_u. This is a remote role based in the U.S., and we are open to candidates currently living abroad who are willing to relocate.

Shortlist Search is thrilled to partner with Ikigai Nairobi to lead the search for their first Head of Growth. Ikigai stands out as a thoughtfully designed co-working space, where fostering a sense of community and meaningful connections is fundamental. We are looking for a strategic and visionary Head of Growth to steer Ikigai’s business development, sales, and expansion initiatives. This role will work closely with senior management to shape strategic direction and oversee day-to-day functions across sales, marketing and partnerships, focusing on client acquisition, lead generation, and strengthening existing relationships. We're open to candidates with a range of backgrounds. The ideal candidate will have a successful 5+ year track record in both B2B and B2C sales. We are seeking an individual with strong relationship-building skills who can craft and execute sales strategies based on market insights. If you have a talent for driving growth, leading cross-functional teams and forming strategic alliances, we would love to hear from you. To apply or share this role with someone in your network, please reach out to Dina El Zahed (dina@shortlist.net) or Esbon Kyalo (esbon@shortlist.net), or apply directly through this link https://lnkd.in/dtcv72vb (and do visit our new website at www.shortlist.net)

🚨 New Search: West Africa Regional Director, Acumen Shortlist Search is excited to partner with Acumen to find a mission-driven leader for their expanding work in West Africa. This is a pivotal role overseeing Acumen’s investments in the region, aimed at creating sustainable solutions to poverty. Acumen is known for its impact-driven approach, investing over $260 million in 200 early-stage companies, touching the lives of over 650 million people globally. The West Africa team has already impacted more than 50 million lives through investments exceeding $20 million, and they're just getting started. We’re looking for a leader who will: • Lead the West Africa investment strategy and oversee the portfolio team • Develop and nurture partnerships, funding relationships, and secure capital to drive Acumen’s investing work and Fellows Program. • Manage regional operations, compliance, and collaborate with teams across Africa to deliver impact.    Ideal candidates have: ✔️ 15+ years of experience in general management, investment oversight, or financial services, with a proven ability to build and secure funding partnerships. ✔️ Experience in mission-driven organizations and a passion for creating products and services that improve the lives of people living in poverty. ✔️ An ability to drive collaboration and impact in complex markets. If you’re passionate about creating systemic change and have the leadership experience to match, we’d love to connect. This is an incredible opportunity to join a global team dedicated to making a real difference. Please refer to the attached JD or reach out to Uday Broca and Weh'yee Barkon directly for more details. Also make sure to follow the Shortlist Search page and share within your networks.

Shortlist is excited to once again partner with Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners, LLC (ESP), this time to identify their first Chief Operating Officer. ESP's mission is to empower entrepreneurs and foster economic growth by delivering innovative solutions and advisory services to a diverse range of clients, including businesses, governments, and development partners across Africa. ESP aims to enable innovative, scalable, and profitable enterprises to drive prosperity throughout Africa. Learn more about their work here: https://espartners.co/. We are seeking an entrepreneurial operations leader with a strong finance background to drive ESP’s strategic objectives while ensuring overall operational efficiency and optimisation. This role will oversee and coordinate several support functions, including Finance, IT, and Operations, and will report directly to the CEO and Co-founder. Fluency in both French and English is essential. The position is based in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. We are open to leaders who are willing to relocate. To apply or refer potential candidates from your network, please reach out to Dina El Zahed and Ramy El Agamy or apply directly via this link: https://lnkd.in/dvxjgc9W.

At Shortlist, one thing we’re incredibly proud of is that our work spans multiple regions across Africa and the world. Recently, we had the pleasure of welcoming one of our newest team members, Daniel Acheampong based in Ghana, to our Nairobi office. Although Daniel has been with us for a few months, his visit to the Nairobi office provided an opportunity to engage more deeply with the team and experience the collaborative spirit that drives our work. With a background in global recruitment across emerging markets in Asia and Africa, Daniel brings a wealth of experience to our research team. During his visit, Daniel shared how rewarding it’s been to meet the Shortlist team face-to-face. He talked about how the in-person interactions have strengthened both his relationships with the team, but also his connection to our mission. He’s leaving Kenya feeling both inspired and motivated to continue helping purpose-driven organizations hire the right leaders around the world. We’re excited to welcome Daniel as a key addition to our West Africa team, now extending across Senegal, Nigeria, and Ghana. Photo 📸: Daniel (3rd from the left) and team in our Nairobi office

Shortlist Search is excited to partner with Field Intelligence Inc. as they transform health access across Africa! Role details below: ⤵⤵⤵ Field is an African healthcare supply chain company serving providers in every setting with technology, fulfillment, and financing solutions to transform the availability and accessibility of care. The company is one of the fastest growing health-tech organizations in Africa, and we are excited to be leading the search for a mission driven Chief Financial Officer who will work closely with the CEO and leadership team as they scale operations. Field's impact has been impressive and special in multiple ways: ✔️ As a software company they have built a powerful health supply chain management platform called Field Supply where they are currently serving 40,000 providers in public, private, and faith-based settings. ✔️ As a licensed pharmaceutical distributor, Field sells over 3,000 products, reaching 6,000 retail, clinical, & government pharmacies. ✔️ As a vendor to providers like USAID, the Global Fund, and thousands of other private providers, Field is a leader amongst tech-enabled, mission-driven companies transforming health access in Africa. As CFO, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping Field’s financial strategy across multiple countries. We’re seeking to connect with candidates who: • Have experience leading financial operations with extensive supply chain, inventory finance, and foreign exchange exposure. • Have experience working in emerging markets, specifically Nigeria and Kenya, with familiarity with US or EU corporate and financial operations • Are mission-oriented professionals who are unafraid of working smart and hard in a multicultural environment. • You can find full details and requirements for the role in the attached document. If you're interested in learning more or would like to apply, please reach out to Weh'yee Barkon (wehyee@shortlist.net) and Daniel Acheampong (daniel@shortlist.net). Also make sure to follow to stay up to date on new roles and developments at Shortlist.

At Shortlist Search, we've embraced global remote work along with the many benefits that come along with it. But let's be honest - remote, distributed work also comes with its own specific challenges. We've experienced this firsthand, both in our work with clients who have remote cultures and within our own global, remote team. What are some of those challenges? We're glad you asked! ⬇️ ✔️ Timezone Headquartered in Nairobi, we're a global team of 40+ spread across nine countries working with clients and candidates on almost every continent. Sounds awesome right? Yes, that's until you have your first 7pm meeting on a Friday night. Coordinating and collaborating across 11 time zones can be dizzying. Despite the challenges, we're incredibly proud of our global reach and the flexibility, resilience, and mutual understanding that this way of working has built within our team. ✔️ Cultural differences Something we talk a lot about here at Shortlist is understanding and embracing cultural differences in the way work norms vary from place to place. Our team hails from the US, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, Canada, the Philippines, and the UK, to name a few. Some of us come from recruiting backgrounds, and others don't. It's exciting to work in such a melting pot environment, but this can also present some pretty unique challenges when learning how to collaborate effectively across different cultures. One thing we've found to be super effective is establishing an open culture where differences and norms can be freely discussed. The more we communicate openly, the more we grow and learn how to better understand and collaborate with one another. ✔️ In person collaboration Ah yes, the ongoing debate around the benefits of in person vs remote work. As a hybrid team with some of us going into the Nairobi office part of the week, and others working 100% remotely from around the world, we see both sides. On one hand, remote work enables us to stay locally embedded and closer to our clients’ on the ground realities. On the other hand, in-person interaction helps boost team unity and sharpen focus. Whether you favor one approach or the other, our advice to clients is to make sure they develop a strategic plan that considers both culture and working norms. Each way of working comes with its own set of pros and cons, so it’s crucial to plan thoughtfully and be ready to adjust as needed. So what's the final verdict? There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. But one thing we’ve learned at Shortlist is that transparency and open conversations about the way you work are key to improving culture. The challenges, and the way organizations work to overcome those challenges, are what end up building truly world-class teams over time.

We're thrilled to share that Shortlist Search has begun working on a confidential, global search that we're very excited about! We are looking for a Managing Director to join an Africa / Asia-focused impact advisory firm. The ideal candidate will have experience designing and implementing large-scale impact programs in areas such as livelihoods, financial inclusion, and job creation, or as a strategy consultant working with large multilateral foundations and family offices. Candidates can be based anywhere in Africa or on the East Coast of the U.S., and should have strong networks within the donor ecosystem across both regions. This is a pivotal leadership role, leading a multi-million dollar P&L with a team of 40+ consultants. If you're interested in learning more, please reach out to Uday Broca or Weh'yee Barkon to learn more.

Here at Shortlist Search we’re thrilled to partner with Open Capital as they continue to drive impactful change across African economies. Open Capital is a diverse global team focused on solving some of the continent's most pressing challenges. They’re currently seeking a Project Leader to join their team in Kampala, Uganda. As a Project Leader, you'll lead multiple client projects, working closely with businesses, investors, and development partners to design solutions that make a tangible difference. You'll have the opportunity to manage and coach junior team members while collaborating with Partners and Principals. We’d love to hear from candidates with experience at top global management consulting firms, investment firms, or experience as an entrepreneur or leader in a high growth business. If this sounds like you or someone you know, reach out to Weh'yee Barkon (wehyee@shortlist.net) and Joshua Oduwu (joshua@shortlist.net) to apply or share this opportunity within your network.