Job description

AMI is looking for an ambitious and enthusiastic Strategic Partnerships Manager to join our team in Kigali, Rwanda. This is a senior entrepreneurial role that will report to our global Director of Partnerships.

The successful candidate will play a key role in a dynamic, international team focused obsessively on results. This is a great opportunity for candidates with a passion for entrepreneurship and/or learning to play a part in Africa’s transformation.

The Strategic Partnerships Manager will build relationships within the SME support ecosystem in Rwanda to support existing programmes and generate new opportunities. This will include national government, international organizations, local private sector companies, and private sector enablers such as banks and mobile network operators among many others. 

The successful candidate will:

• Identify, develop and formalize new partnerships with ecosystem players in Rwanda, including with relevant national-level stakeholders such as government, civil society, multilateral organizations, and the private sector who are or could be involved in MSME support 
• Work with our programme team to ensure we have the right relationships in place to support programme outcomes
• Support our group business development team on partnership and proposal development for new opportunities 
• Manage existing relationships and identify opportunities for deepening collaboration

Skills and Competencies:

The Strategic Partnerships Manager will be an energetic and intellectually curious entrepreneurial leader who is fully committed to AMI’s mission of enabling ambitious businesses across Africa to thrive. Successful applicants will have:

• Ability to make smart partnerships happen, from negotiation to execution
• A very strong existing network in Rwanda’s entrepreneurial and government ecosystem
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and French or Kinyarwanda
• Excellent interpersonal skills, and ability to maintain strong relationships
• Strong cross-cultural skills, and versatility in dealing with different types of partners
• Strategic thinker
• Approachable, with an ability to engage partners at all levels
• Ability to develop the AMI brand and reputation among stakeholders 
• Ability to multi-task and respond to requests on short notice 
• Ability to think creatively, adapt to new ideas and pivot based on market reality
• A "get things done" attitude 

Experience

• Experience working in/with Rwanda’s MSME support ecosystem 
• Track record in successfully managing inter-Institutional relations
• Experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders, such as local NGOs, government officials, donor representatives, and local and international staff as well as the private sector in Rwanda
• Working experience in the public sector and/or a strong network in the public sector 
• Seven (7) or more years of experience in business development and strategic partnership management with a record of high performance in partnership building 
• Strong business networks are highly desirable and essential
• Masters degree of equivalent work experience