Bridge International Academies is a startup revolutionizing education across Africa with a truly unique business model. The company has launched a large-scale franchise-like network of ultra low-cost for-profit private primary schools across Africa. Our schools profitably deliver high-quality education for less than 300 Shillings per child per month, enabling local school managers to operate their school businesses profitably, while creating a highly successful business at the central level.
We have already launched the first 12 schools in our network in the slums of Nairobi with tremendous success, and plan to rapidly scale the company to serve more than 1 million families in Africa.
About this position
We are seeking a full-time Community Negotiation Officer, who will help support the land team in their push to find plots of land suitable for schools inside Nairobi’s informal settlements.
A central part of our operations includes the identification, verification, negotiation and purchase of plots of land for our schools inside the slums. These plots often have clouded title histories, but through our land identification and procurement process we must establish a certain amount of security -- understanding the previous ownership, other potential competing claims, titling possibility, issues with city council, lands office, etc. To make these determinations and the actual purchase, the process may involve negotiations with local village elders, local government administration, and local landlords, and ultimately a sales contract written with some or all of these participants.
Bridge International has developed extensive systems and tools for its land acquisition management that requires extensive community negotiations – both before, during and after purchasing a plot. The role will also include negotiating with Chiefs, Councillors and MPs, as well as maintaining a range of contacts at Nairobi City Council, Ministry of Lands, Survey Kenya and other organizations that can help provide Bridge International Academies with assurances that the land that we build schools on is suitable for development.
This position is also critical in providing feedback to the central headquarters as to ways to improve upon these systems.
The Community Negotiation Officer will focus on certain elements of the land acquisition and the community and administration negotiations processes.
These include:
Meeting and dealing with community members
Meeting and dealing with local Administration officials
Negotiating conflict surrounding land and land purchases, often including tribal issues
Holding community meetings and barazas, where you represent Bridge International Academies
Writing full briefing notes
Taking meeting minutes
Investigating conflicting land ownership claims
Establishing and utilizing contacts at local and central government to find clear information on land ownership
Being able to locate and explain plot positions on a variety of mapping interfaces
And more
This is a very hands-on job, with the Community Negotiation Officer in the field working with schools about 80% of the time.
About You
You are a very process or systems-oriented person.
You have experience in the field negotiating land conflict in informal settlements
Experience in working in very poor communities (slums) is a real plus
Experience in dealing with sensitive issues regarding land
You are not afraid of getting your hands dirty
ou have experience managing projects with many moving pieces, and working with teams of people
You function well in a fast-paced informal environment where constant change is the norm and the bar for quality is set high
You are comfortable with numbers and maps
Bachelors degree
Our team has a passionate belief that basic primary education is critical to the development of every child, family, community and nation. We believe that it is possible to address this critical need for poor families through new and innovative approaches leveraging the private sector, and that by providing low-cost but high-quality primary education, we will give millions of children the opportunity to accomplish their dreams. We are looking for someone who wants to join us in this rewarding task.
Requirements/Skills:
3-5 years experience in community negotiations or related experience
Fluent written and spoken Kiswahili and English, with at least two tribal languages
Driven, disciplined and self-motivated
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Must be a team player and open to new approaches and ideas
Strong personality with proven negotiating skills
Ability to organize, prioritize, and manage multiple tasks
Good computer and web skills