Aceli Africa is a market catalyst that aims to mobilize $2 billion in private-sector lending for agricultural SMEs and improve livelihoods for 5 million farmers and workers by 2030. To achieve this goal, Aceli provides financial incentives to increase the risk appetite of 50 financial institutions to make loans ranging from USD $10K-$1.5M for high-impact agricultural SMEs. Complementary technical assistance builds capacity for lenders and SMEs while data and learning drive engagement with partners to strengthen the policy and regulatory environment.

Since launching in 2020, Aceli has mobilized $350M in lending to SMEs, providing market access for 1.7M smallholder farmers across Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia. Financial incentives have been designed based on an original dataset detailing the profitability of agri-SME lending across $5 billion in transactions.

To date, Aceli Africa has secured US$100M in funding commitments from leading bilateral and philanthropic donors, including the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gates Foundation, Global Affairs Canada, IKEA Foundation, Norad, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Aceli is raising a new round of funding to scale up its work over the next five years.

Aceli is completing an initial five-year phase and positioning for ambitious growth and influence in Phase Two (2026-30). In addition to scaling with existing lending partners and engaging new ones, Aceli has formed policy working groups to address regulatory barriers as part of a broader strategy to integrate into the country-level enabling environment. The Senior Manager for Strategic Initiatives will work closely with senior leadership and program managers to distill learning and evolve Aceli’s program and funding model across three areas:

i. Organizational strategy

• Synthesize emerging trends in Aceli’s activities and the broader market for agricultural SME finance to inform strategic approaches for scaling and deepening Aceli’s impact.
• Develop approaches for engaging multilateral development banks, development finance institutions, and other stakeholders involved in government-linked funding (e.g., sovereign loans from IFAD, World Bank to African governments).
• Draft materials to articulate strategic growth plans for external audiences.
• Support program managers in designing and refining financial incentives and other innovative finance mechanisms to mobilize private capital flows.

ii. Business development

• Cultivate and steward relationships with leading bilateral and philanthropic funders, with a focus on those based in Europe, to develop new sources of funding and engage existing partners.
• Conduct initial mapping and periodically update funding opportunities in Europe.
• Contribute to funding proposals and reports as a member of the Executive Office team responsible for Aceli’s fundraising and donor management.

iii. Sector learning & influence

• Engage program staff and partners to identify key insights and develop learning reports and other original content that position Aceli as a sector leader.
• Serve as a thought partner to program leads in analyzing data and developing learning briefs in their functional areas.
• Attend industry events and participate in strategic platforms to position Aceli as a sector leader influencing learning and practice related to catalytic capital and blended finance for African agriculture and beyond.

• 15 years of progressive experience, including at least five years driving market-shaping initiatives at the intersection of private sector development, finance, and agriculture in East Africa.
• Strategic thinker with strong analytical abilities who is experienced synthesizing data and market insights to design and implement innovative models.
• Skillful relationship manager who is adept at navigating bilateral and multilateral institutions and philanthropic foundations.
• Exceptional writer with demonstrated ability to convey complex ideas clearly and compellingly.
• Collaborative approach to engaging and leading cross-functional teams outside vertical reporting lines to draw insights and develop strategic initiatives.
• Growth mindset with an appetite to work at the frontier of industry thinking and practice.
• Commitment to Aceli's vision, mission, and values.

Applications should include: i) a CV; ii) cover letter (no more than two pages) stating your interest in and qualifications for the position; and iii) two writing samples in which the applicant was the primary author.  

The application deadline is 11:59pm East African Time on Friday, August 15, 2025. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Aceli Africa is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.