Chief of Staff at Umurava: (Deadline 8 December 2025)

Position: Chief of Staff

Location: Hybrid (3 Days – On-site, 2 Day – Remote)

Company (Tech Startup): Umurava

ABOUT US

Umurava is a Talent Marketplace Platform on a mission to build Africa’s largest workforce of digital talents and connect them with jobs and projects in various companies and organizations locally in Africa and globally in America and Europe. By addressing the global talent shortage in digital careers and tackling youth unemployment in Africa, Umurava aims to create a sustainable impact in the current job market.

Umurava Talent Cloud features a diverse pool of vetted specialists, experts, and candidates across key digital careers  such as Tech & IT, Data & AI, Marketing & Communications, and Business.

In addition, we have recently acquired an HR-FinTech Startup called SokoFund. It offers modern HR & Payroll Management Software alongside an Embedded Finance Super App for Employees and Contractors that help them access financial services such as salary advances, loans, device financing, insurance, savings, etc.

Over the past 3.5 years, we’ve helped 400+ companies hire and outsource 1400+ talents, and over 20K professionals use our platform for career growth and skills development.

Our Product Lines: 

• Umurava For Companies: We enable companies and organizations to hire and outsource African Digital Talents faster and easier by leveraging AI Technology and Talent Management Expertise. Companies can access both full-time and freelance talents for their jobs and projects.
• Umurava For Talents: We assess and place young talents in digital jobs and projects. Additionally, we design and implement various talent development and job creation programs to build technical and soft skills for young people to acquire all the essentials needed to land job opportunities, including Skills Assessments, Talent Accelerator Programs, Job Readiness Programs, and career growth resources.
• Umurava For Educational Institutions: We offer products and programs that empower educational institutions, such as universities and training institutions, by helping them better prepare their students for the modern job market and boosting graduates’ employment rates.
• Umurava for Governments & Development Partners: We partner with government institutions, NGOs, and developmental organizations to design and implement digital job creation programs that democratize in-demand skills and job opportunities for a wider range of communities and talents. The government also leverages Umurava to access Data and Insights for the job market.

ABOUT THE ROLE 

The Chief of Staff is a high-impact, strategic partner and right hand to our Founding Team and you will play a critical role in driving Umurava’s strategy, operations, and organizational alignment.

You will act as a “force multiplier” enabling the Founding and Senior Management Team to work more effectively and ensuring the entire company is aligned and executing on our most critical priorities.

You will be the “glue” between departments, a master problem-solver, and a trusted advisor. You will have a unique, cross-functional view of the entire business, from Engineering & product to sales, marketing, and talent operations.

The role is ideal for a strategic thinker and operator who can balance high-level vision with tactical execution. The Chief of Staff will ensure that the company’s priorities are clearly defined, effectively executed, and consistently communicated across all teams and business units, helping to accelerate Umurava’s growth and scalability as it expands across Africa and globally.

The ideal candidate is a highly organized, data-driven, and adaptable individual who thrives in the ambiguity of a fast-paced startup environment and is passionate about shaping the future of work and education.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE OF WORK 

• Cross-Functional & Special Projects Management 
• Lead the planning, execution, and coordinating cross-functional projects, programs, and initiatives that accelerate product innovation, operational excellence, and strategic partnerships
• Support the execution of new strategic ventures such as partnerships and expansion initiatives
• Strategic Execution & Alignment:
• Collaborate with the Founding and leadership team to define, track, and communicate company-wide strategy, goals, and OKRs (Objectives and Key Results).
• Cascade the CEO’s vision and company priorities, ensuring every team member understands how their work contributes to the larger mission.
• Prepare high-stakes communications and presentations for board meetings, investors, and key partners
• Act as a trusted advisor to the CEO, driving clarity, alignment, and follow-through on company priorities
• Represent the CEO in internal or external meetings when needed
• Translate strategic goals into actionable initiatives and measurable outcomes across teams
• Organizational Operations & Execution
• Design, implement, and manage the company’s operating model, including leadership meetings, quarterly planning, oKRSs, and company-wide updates.
• Track progress of key company initiatives and ensure timely delivery of commitments
• Identify bottlenecks and drive operational efficiency and alignment across departments
• Identify, diagnose, and implement improvements to our our core business processes as we scale
• “Fill the gaps” in  a startup, this means being willing to step into any functional void (e.g operations, partnerships, finance) on a temporary basis to get the job done.
• Decision Support & Analysis:
• Conduct research, synthetize data, and prepare briefing materials for decision-making
• Surface actionable insights from company data, projects, and performance metrics
• Communication & Alignment:
• Draft and manage internal communications, leadership updates, and organizational announcements
• Develop narratives and updates that keep the company aligned, informed, and inspired
• Maintain clear and consistent communication between the Senior Management Team and other teams

WHAT ARE THE REAL DAY TO DAY TASKS  :

• The “Air Traffic Controller”: You are managing the flow of information to and from the CEO. You’ll spend your morning reviewing dashboards, flagging critical issues for the CEO, and ensuring they are prepped for their 3 most important meetings of the day.
• The “Firefighter”: A key partnership is at risk, or a product feature launch is delayed. You are the first person the CEO sends to diagnose the problem, get all the stakeholders in a room, and develop a plan to fix it.
• The “Strategist”: The CEO says, “I think we should expand into Kenya.” You are responsible for the 2-week “sprint” to research the market, analyze competitors, build a basic financial model, and present a “Go/No-Go” recommendation to the leadership team.
• The “Communicator”: The company just raised a new round of funding (or missed a quarterly target). You are the one drafting the internal all-hands presentation and the external communication to ensure the message is clear, consistent, and inspiring.
• The “Business Process Engineer”: You notice the time it takes to vet and onboard new digital talent onto the platform is too slow, which is hurting sales. You will lead a project with the Talent and Product teams to redesign that workflow, set new metrics, and monitor the improvement.

REQUIREMENTS:

Who You Are:

• Education: Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in Business, Strategy, IT, Human Resources, Consulting, Management, or a related field
• Experience: 3+ Years  of professional experience in Strategy, Operations, Executive Assistance, Project Management, Program Management, and other related roles
• Problem-Solver: You are a first-principles thinker who can break down complex, ambiguous problems into actionable steps and drive them to resolution.
• Data-Driven: You are highly analytical and comfortable using data to build arguments and measure success
• Exceptional Communicator: You have high emotional intelligence and can communicate with clarity and precision, both verbally and in writing. You are a natural relation-builder
• Project Management Master: You are a hyper-organized and have a proven track record of managing complex, cross-functional projects from inception to completion
• Startup Mentality: You are resourceful, adaptable, and have a”no task is too small” attitude. You are biased toward action and thrive in a fast-paced setting.

Others

• Proven experience in leading cross-functional initiatives and teams
• Strong business acumen, analytical thinking, and execution excellence
• Exceptional communication, relationship management, and organizational skills
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities under pressure
• Comfortable working in a hybrid, remote-first, and fast-paced environment
• Having worked for a tech startup company is a plus
• Experience in HRTech, EdTech, or FinTech is an added advantage
• If you have become a Founder, it is an added value.

PREFERRED ATTRIBUTES :

• Passion for innovation, talent development, and Africa’s digital economy
• Strategic mindset with attention to both details and outcomes
• Proactive problem-solver and results-driven operator
• Experience
• Passion for empowering young professionals
• Data-driven mindset with high attention to detail
• Self-started with strong initiative and accountability
• Collaborative team player who values impact and innovation

WHAT WE OFFER :

• AccelThis role is a “business-in-a-box” experience. You will gain more exposure to all facets of a business in one year than in five years at a large corporation.
• Opportunity to work directly with Umurava’s CEO and Senior Management Team on company wide-strategy and execution
• Work in an innovative environment across HRTech, EdTech, and FinTech
• Hybrid work Model for flexibility
• Exposure to high-impact partnerships and innovation initiatives across Africa and globally.
• Career advancement opportunities as the company expands into new markets
• Competitive compensation package and hybrid work flexibility

TO APPLY:

• PLEASE APPLY USING THIS FORM.