Masakhane is a pan-African initiative aimed at tackling the underrepresentation of African languages in natural language processing (NLP) and AI. Our mission is to bring together researchers, technologists, linguists, and community members from across the continent to collaborate on AI that is inclusive and representative of Africa’s linguistic diversity. By working collectively, we are democratizing access to cutting-edge AI research and contributing to the global growth of African NLP.
The Masakhane African Languages Hub (“the Hub”) is a new initiative to address the critical underrepresentation and misrepresentation of African languages in artificial intelligence (AI). Anchored by the Masakhane Research Foundation (MRF), the Hub will develop community-centered open-source datasets, models, and use cases to catalyze innovation in sectors such as healthcare, education, and agriculture. With a vision to unlock AI's benefits for over 1 billion Africans, the Hub fosters community-driven approaches and long-term, sustainable partnerships across the African NLP ecosystem.
Our goal is to empower one billion Africans by 2029 with locally relevant AI tools and resources, unlocking opportunities for economic development, local innovation, and the preservation of Africa's linguistic heritage.
The Operations and Executive Support Officer will play a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation of Masakhane Research Foundation and the Hub organisational systems while providing high-level administrative and strategic support to the Hub Director and Board Chair. This role requires a proactive, detail-oriented professional who thrives in a dynamic environment and can balance executive assistance with operational coordination.
You will serve as the central link between leadership, staff, and external partners—helping to keep the organisation running efficiently, priorities clear, and commitments on track.
1. Executive Support
Manage the Director’s calendar, appointments, and travel arrangements; prioritise engagements and respond to meeting invitations.
Prepare briefing notes, agendas, minutes, and follow-up actions for board and management meetings.
Coordinate communications and correspondence with internal and external stakeholders.
Draft reports, presentations, and documentation as requested by the Director or Board.
2. Operations and Logistics
Oversee daily organisational logistics and coordination for a distributed (remote) team.
Manage procurement, vendor relationships, and office administration (where applicable).
Support onboarding of new staff and maintain HR records and contracts.
Coordinate logistics for workshops, retreats, and events (virtual and in-person).
Maintain organisational databases, files, and shared resources.
3. Financial and Administrative Support
Track organisational expenditures, prepare simple financial reports, and support budgeting processes.
Liaise with the finance team or accountant to ensure timely reconciliations and documentation.
Support grant reporting, reimbursements, and compliance with donor and board requirements.
4. Board and Governance Support
Provide administrative support to the Board Chair, including scheduling meetings and maintaining board documentation.
Coordinate communication between the Director, Board, and staff to ensure alignment on key initiatives.
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Project Management, Development Studies, or a related field.
Minimum of 3–5 years’ experience in operations, administration, or executive support (preferably in a nonprofit or international organisation).
Demonstrated experience managing logistics, calendars, and financial tracking systems.
Excellent writing, communication, and presentation skills in English.
Proficiency with digital collaboration tools (Google Workspace, Slack, Airtable, or similar).
Strong problem-solving ability, attention to detail, and capacity to work independently with minimal supervision.
Experience supporting remote teams or international operations is a strong advantage.
Highly organised, adaptable, and proactive.
Discreet and professional, with strong judgment and emotional intelligence.
Able to balance multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment.
Passionate about supporting African-led initiatives and social impact work
Multi-lingual including French and/ Portuguese understanding
Competitive and commensurate with experience, aligned with nonprofit sector benchmarks in Kenya.
Please submit your CV (max 2 pages) and a cover letter detailing your experience and motivation to hub-recruitment@masakhane.io with the subject line:
“Application – Operations and Executive Support Officer (Kenya)”
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and close 15 November. Please note, we will only reach out to shortlisted candidates.
We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those from marginalized groups, to apply. If you are passionate about this role, please submit your application.