Investment Manager – Airbel Ventures (Kenya)

Role Overview

Airbel Ventures, the impact investing arm of the International Rescue Committee, is looking for an Investment Manager to drive its early-stage portfolio across Africa and parts of the Middle East and North Africa. Day to day, you will source promising startups, lead rigorous due diligence, and support portfolio companies as they scale in humanitarian and frontier markets — all while working closely with the Managing Partner and IRC country teams to open doors for these businesses. This role sits at the intersection of mission-driven humanitarian work and private capital, so you will do more than evaluate deals; you will shape how innovation reaches people who need it most, faster and more cost-effectively.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and nurture a pipeline of investment opportunities by cultivating relationships with founders, accelerators, incubators, and fellow investors across the African continent.
• Own the full due diligence lifecycle for potential investments — from initial screening and market sizing to financial modeling, impact analysis, and risk review — and prepare Investment Memoranda for the Investment Committee.
• Support portfolio companies after closing by advising on strategy, helping with fundraising efforts, and measuring impact, while actively identifying and enabling use cases within IRC's humanitarian programs and markets.
• Deepen Airbel Ventures' sector knowledge by researching and mapping themes, sub-sectors, and verticals to sharpen investment theses in climate, health, education, and economic opportunity.
• Represent the organization at regional investor meetings, industry events, and conferences to raise its profile and strengthen partnerships across the African venture ecosystem.
• Coordinate with a range of internal stakeholders within the IRC — from country program teams to technical advisors — to ensure investments align with humanitarian goals and gain traction where they are deployed.
• Assist the Managing Partner with fundraising efforts, portfolio strategy discussions, and broader institutional stakeholder engagement as the venture arm grows.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Right to work in Kenya is mandatory; this role is based in Nairobi.
• 6–8 years of professional experience in venture capital, impact investing, development finance, or management consulting, with direct project experience in impact investing.
• Proven track record managing due diligence processes end to end, from first outreach to final close.
• Deep familiarity with African startup ecosystems, including existing networks of founders, funders, and ecosystem builders across the continent.
• Strong financial analysis capabilities, including building and interpreting financial models for early-stage ventures.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to convey complex ideas to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated passion for impact investing and innovation focused on underserved or frontier markets.
• Comfort working across sectors, geographies, and team structures; entrepreneurial mindset with a high degree of independence and adaptability in a fast-moving, early-stage environment.
• Skill in navigating multiple internal stakeholders within a large global NGO while driving execution and results.
• Ability to strategically use AI tools for research and analysis, and to critically review AI-generated content for accuracy, quality, and alignment with IRC's mission and values.
• Master's degree in finance, business, economics, or a related field preferred.

What We Offer / Why Join

This is a unique opportunity to work at the frontier where humanitarian action meets venture capital, within a newly launched entity backed by a global organization. You will operate with significant autonomy in an entrepreneurial environment, based in a standard office setting in Nairobi, with periodic regional and international travel to engage with startups, investor networks, and ecosystem events across Africa. The role offers meaningful exposure to both investment decision-making and on-the-ground impact delivery.