Business Development Coordinators

Reporting To: Head of Business Development and Innovation

Location: Nairobi

Contract Term :

Two vacancies are available:

  • Full-term contract: 1 year.
  • Short-term contract: Recruitment for a 6-month Reliever Position

Introduction to Generation

Generation is one of the world’s largest, fastest scaling global demand-driven youth employment programs, providing young adults with the opportunity to launch successful careers and change their life trajectories. We recruit, train and place diverse adults of all ages — whether unemployed or underemployed — into careers that would otherwise be beyond their reach.

We started with a focus on youth, who are keen to launch their careers from non-traditional pathways (e.g. youth with no higher educational qualifications and require support to mitigate challenges due to socioeconomic backgrounds, individuals seeking to enter professions where their profile is traditionally underrepresented), and have now expanded to mid-career workers seeking jobs in demand (e.g. workers who have been displaced potentially due to automation or economic downturn, rejoining caretakers who have been out of the workforce for a significant amount of time).

Our goal is to deliver for job seekers and employers simultaneously: supporting the individual’s personal and financial well-being, while helping businesses acquire entry-level hires who have higher productivity, are of higher quality, are retained longer, and are faster to promotion than peers.

To date, Generation is active in 17 countries: USA, Kenya, Brazil, Spain, Mexico, India, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, UK, France, Italy, Ireland, Thailand, Chile, Colombia and Ghana, with plans of expanding to a few more countries.

Since launching in May 2015, Generation Kenya has trained over 33,000 candidates across 6 different industries. 85% of whom have been placed in meaningful employment with our over 350+ employer partners. We currently train for entry-level roles in 5 programs namely, Freelance Admin Support Work, Sewing Machine Operator, Distributed Sales, Retail and Restaurant and Digital Customer Service.

Driven by our vision, “a meaningful career and sustained well-being for every person anywhere in the world,” and mission “we transform education to employment systems to prepare, place and support people into life-changing careers that would otherwise be inaccessible,” we aim to address the skills gap that hinders growth in the formal sector.

Job purpose:

The Business Development Coordinator’s (BDC) role is pivotal in contributing to Generation Kenya’s strategic objective of sustainability. The BDC’s efforts will play a crucial role in ensuring the long-term viability of the organization by establishing and nurturing relationships with employers who align with our mission.Additionally, h/she plays a critical role in establishing and maintaining relationships with employers, ensuring that they recognize the value of hiring entry-level talent through Generation Kenya’s programs. The individual will need to be proactive demonstrating effective sales strategies, in collaboration with the Head of Business Development, to contribute to the organization’s mission of connecting youth to meaningful employment opportunities.

Roles & Responsibilities:

Employer Relationships – 70%

Employer Engagement:

  • Engage in outreach, field visits, cold calling, and online platforms to expand Generation Kenya’s employer base.
  • Generate leads and identify employer opportunities through referrals and online platforms

Targeted Employer Acquisition:

  • Bring in employers who hire entry-level employees and pay above minimum wage.
  • Sell the full array of services offered by Generation Kenya, emphasizing their relevance to the employer’s needs.

Cross-Selling and Collaboration:

  • Recognize and refer cross-sell opportunities, fostering comprehensive service adoption.
  • Support in collaborating with employers to understand their staffing and talent requirements.

Sales Reporting and Strategic Growth:

  • Prepare and submit timely weekly sales reports for the assigned sector, tracking progress toward sustainability goals.
  • Continually identify business growth opportunities aligned with the strategic direction of the assigned market

Collaboration with Head of Business Development and Innovation: 

  • Work closely with the Head of Business Development and Innovation  to develop and implement tailored sales plans and initiatives.
  • Support in Identifying new potential paying employers to secure payments based on set Generation Kenya targets.

Coordination with Internal Team – 20%

  • Effectively communicate important updates and relevant employer engagement information to other Generation employees. Also, collaborate closely with the Operations team to schedule and manage employer presentations for candidates and coordinate employer interview days.
  • Work closely with the Operations team to ensure a seamless process once job placements have been made, ensuring successful candidate onboarding and integration into their new roles. Additionally, coordinate with the internal team to streamline employer engagement and candidate placement processes, ensuring efficient operations.
  • Share key data and insights from employer interactions with the internal team to inform decision-making and refine plans, initiatives and strategies. Collaborate also with the Head of Business Development and other GPK teams to analyze trends and identify growth opportunities in line with Generation Kenya’s goals.

Brand and knowledge Building – 10%

  • Participate in conferences, exhibitions, and other relevant venues to increase and maintain Generation’s visibility. This includes brand building at conferences, learning events, and other channels
  • Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, benchmarking state-of-the-art practices, and participating in professional societies.
  • Any other responsibilities may be assigned from time to time.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Knowledge, Qualifications And Experience

  • University degree in business or international development.
  • 3+ years’ proven sales track record with consistent achievement of targets
  • Strong understanding of Kenyan employers and the private sector landscape, with a view on their entry level trends.
  • Knowledge of sales process from initiation to close, CRM software, and MS Office (particularly Excel).
  • Knowledge and experience in program/ product development.

Skills, Abilities and Personal Qualities

  • Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills
  • Goal-oriented and results-driven, consistently motivated to achieve and exceed sales targets
  • Strong time management and organizational abilities to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
  • Resolutely data-driven in problem-solving approach
  • Warm, empathetic, and able to build trust-based relationships with diverse stakeholders
  • Thrives in high-energy, fast-paced environments, pushing others to raise the bar
  • Demonstrates high levels of integrity aligned with Generation’s vision, mission, and values
  • Charismatic and persuasive, engaging and influencing employers positively
  • Resilient and persistent, maintaining focus on achieving sales targets despite setbacks
  • Confident and assertive in presenting Generation Kenya’s offerings effectively
  • Proactive problem-solver, finding creative solutions for customer objections
  • Adaptable and flexible, quickly adjusting to changing market conditions and preferences
  • Collaborative team player, fostering a supportive sales environment with colleagues
  • Energetic and enthusiastic attitude, inspiring customers and colleagues alike
  • Quick learner, absorbing relevant knowledge and sales techniques rapidly
  • Proficient in MS Office 365 applications

Other Requirements

  • You are located in Kenya and speak and writes fluently in English and Swahili.
  • You have the right to work in Kenya.
  • You are able and open to traveling frequently within Kenya, and where relevant other regions.

INTERESTED candidates please submit your applications to genkcareers@generation.org attaching your latest resume and cover letter. The deadline for submissions is 30th April 2025. Kindly indicate in the Email subject: Business Development Coordinator. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Equality and diversity: Generation is committed both to promoting equality and diversity within the organization and to equal opportunities in employment. We believe in equality of opportunity regardless of race or racial group (including colour, nationality, ethnicity, national origins), religion or belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, sex, gender reassignment and gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy, maternity and paternity. This also includes any incidents of perceptive or associative discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are made entirely on merit. Generation does not ask for payment from people that apply for jobs with Generation at any stage of the hiring process. If you have any specific queries, please feel free to contact us at genkcareers@generation.org.

To report instances of fraud or unethical business practices by any of our staff, vendors or mobilisers please reach out on this link for our Ethics hotline and / or the executive leadership team on kenyasmt@generation.org.

About Generation

Generation is a global employment nonprofit network that supports people to achieve economic mobility so they can change their lives. We train and place adults into careers that would otherwise be inaccessible and seek to improve how education to employment systems function. Generation launched in 2015 and consists of a global hub and a network of in-country affiliates that span countries. To date, Generation has more than graduates who have earned more than in wages, and works with more than employers, implementation partners, and funders.