East Africa Front Office Associate

Acumen is looking for a Front Office Associate to join Acumen’s growing East Africa team. We are looking for someone with at least 3 years of experience in a busy administration role. This role is based in Nairobi and will require presence-at-desk 5 days a week.

About Acumen
Acumen is a global force of entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, and social innovators working together to build a world based on dignity. We were founded by Jacqueline Novogratz on the radical idea that business, when cultivated with moral imagination, can break the cycle of poverty. We invest in transformational companies, build sustainable markets, and prepare leaders with the tools they need to create a more just and inclusive future. Since 2001, we have scaled companies and shaped markets in some of the hardest-to-reach communities on the planet, impacting over half-a-billion lives. To learn more visit acumen.org.

About Acumen in East Africa
In East Africa, Acumen has primarily focused our capital in energy, agriculture, and education. Although we’ve made these investments through different vehicles—from our early-stage pioneer work across East and West Africa, to two separate, pooled investment funds, Kawisafi and Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund (ARAF), and the emerging efforts in Hardest to Reach—our purpose across these vehicles remains the same: serving people living below, at, or slightly above the poverty line. Thus far, we’ve made the biggest dent in energy. For example, Acumen has invested in more off-grid renewable energy companies in Africa than any other investor in the region. We’ve also run successful Fellows Programs in East and West Africa that are networked with similar programs in Pakistan, India, and Latin America. We refer to them as locally rooted, globally connected.

About the role

The Front Office Associate will ensure a refined, professional, and service-oriented front-office function as the primary point of engagement for external visitors and internal stakeholders. The role will provide administrative and operational support to facilitate efficient office functioning, support internal communication, and enhance the team and guest experience.

Accountabilities include but are not limited to:

• Serve as a professional first point-of-contact for visitors, providing appropriate guidance to respective offices and ensuring a courteous and well-managed reception experience

• Maintain a neat and orderly front office and guest reception area

• Manage visitor security protocols, office and elevator access and ensure compliance with building policies

• Coordinate with building management, cleaners, security, and external service providers on basic operational needs

• Report facilities or maintenance issues to building management and follow up to ensure timely resolution

• Report facilities and maintenance issues of the offices & team spaces and ensure timely repairs

• Maintain and update organizational vendor details, inform the team on updates/changes, track performance and ensure timely resolution of service issues.

• Track inventory of office supplies and initiate replenishment requests when necessary. e.g. flowers, stationery etc

• Track and reconcile petty cash and purchases for office-related needs

• Assist in coordinating internal events, catering, and office engagement activities

• Support internal notification and administrative updates to team members regarding office and building related information

• Support calendar coordination for shared spaces or common-use facilities e.g. for new program team & external guests to the office

• Assist in the preparation of materials, decks, printing, binding, and logistical arrangements for internal and external-facing meetings where needed

• Assist internal teams with administrative support when needed.

Skills and Qualifications

Acumen is a high-performing environment. There are general expectations of excellence and very high standards for ethical behavior.

• A bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Commerce, or related discipline

• 2–3 years of experience in a corporate administrative or front-office role

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with a professional polish and client-service mindset

• Proficient in MS Office and Google Suite, along with equivalent productivity & communication applications such as Zoom, Slack etc

• Highly organized, adaptable, and proactive, with strong attention to detail

• Ability to prioritize tasks, manage timelines, and support multiple stakeholders

• Ability to maintain discretion, professional judgement, and confidentiality at all times

• Self-reflective and aligned with Acumen values

• Permanently authorized to work in Kenya

Application Deadline

23rd December 2025. Candidates are encouraged to apply early as applications will be reviewed and interviews held on a rolling basis.

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