Chief Portfolio Officer

Role Overview

As Chief Portfolio Officer, you will sit on Gatsby Africa’s Senior Management Team and act as a strategic partner to the Executive Director, helping to steer the organisation’s direction across East Africa. Your focus will be on making sure every major decision—from programme design to investment choices and government partnerships—works toward durable, system-level economic change. Day to day, you will lead a diverse set of functions spanning portfolio management, programme delivery, partnerships, impact measurement, and external engagement, while translating evidence and learning into sharper strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Shape Gatsby Africa’s long-term strategic plan and ensure the five-year objectives remain relevant and achievable in a fast-changing regional context.
• Lead the portfolio and programme functions, overseeing the selection, design, and adaptive management of initiatives that drive economic transformation.
• Guide strategic investments and partnership decisions, aligning them with organisational priorities and measurable impact goals.
• Direct the impact, monitoring, and evaluation agenda so that evidence from the field actively informs future programme choices and investment strategies.
• Oversee government engagement and external affairs, ensuring Gatsby Africa contributes meaningfully to policy debates on industrial development and economic growth.
• Foster a culture of learning and innovation across the Senior Management Team and broader organisation, encouraging strategic adaptation when evidence demands it.
• Build and strengthen Gatsby Africa’s thought leadership presence in national, regional, and global forums, elevating the organisation’s influence on economic transformation.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Executive-level leadership experience in economic development, portfolio management, or a related field, with a proven record of shaping strategy in complex organisations.
• Deep familiarity with East African economic contexts, including understanding of industrial policy, private sector development, and systems change approaches.
• Strong background in managing large, multi-stakeholder programmes and aligning investments with long-term impact goals.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams across functions such as programme delivery, partnerships, impact measurement, and government relations.
• Exceptional analytical skills, with experience using evidence and learning to adjust strategy and inform decisions at board or senior management level.
• Outstanding communication and influencing skills, capable of representing an organisation externally and shaping public discourse on economic transformation.
• A postgraduate degree in economics, development studies, public policy, business administration, or a closely related discipline is typically required.