SPOKE Programme Manager
Remote plus Office-Based in Kenya, or Rwanda
Led by the Centre for Sustainable Cooling, University of Birmingham, ACES was established to lead the way in the development and roll-out of affordable, sustainable, resilient and equitable on- and off-grid cooling and cold-chain solutions for food and health sectors in Africa. The programme is developed by the Governments of Rwanda and the United Kingdom; the United Nations Environment Programme, and the UK's Centre for Sustainable Cooling, bringing together a consortium of leading UK and international universities. Funding and support to date exceeds $30 million.
ACES is the only Centre of its kind with a focus on holistic and sustainable cold-chain solutions tailored for African markets. It has a uniquely situated and equipped 4-hectare headquarters campus in Kigali, under development:
- a state of the art in-market technology test and demonstration centre;
- demonstration and test facilities;
- fully equipped refrigeration and data telemetrics training centres;
- a business hub to support early-stage technology companies to accelerate to market and scale up their businesses.
As part of “Hub and SPOKE” approach, ACES is establishing Specialised Outreach and Knowledge Establishments (SPOKEs) to showcase how solutions can be deployed in practical, real-world applications and provide the on-site and outreach learning, training and knowledge transfer, and technical assistance Centres to support local community uptake. The first SPOKE model is being developed in Kenya with the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS); further SPOKEs are being developed in Kenya and other markets.
The candidate can be based in Kenya or Rwanda, and will be expected to travel within the EU.
Employer
Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold Chain (ACES)
Contract Type
Employed Or Consultant
Duration
1 Year Renewable Contract
Location
Remote plus Office-Based
in Kenya, or Rwanda
Application Deadline
15th December 2025
Start Date
15/01/2026
Language Level
Fluent in English, French, and ideally other European languages
Position Overview
We are looking for an Operations Leader to develop, manage, coordinate and operationalize SPOKEs. This necessarily will require extended periods of work in different Africa markets (based out of Kenya or Rwanda) and in the EU with our partners – you will be responsible for ensuring you have appropriate rights to resident and work permits.
Duties & Responsibilities
Activities will include:
- Project planning, developing and managing the work plans of new and existing SPOKEs and generally ensuring proper execution, quality control and reporting. These are major projects and involve interaction across multiple geographies and cultures. You will be required to capture and report on the impact delivered through these projects.
- Working with the international and in-country teams:
- field work to support, inter alia, the site selection, installation, operation, (problem-solving) and ongoing delivery;
- support the development and delivery of the training programmes;
- support the development and delivery of financeable and sustainable business models;
- planning, implementation and evaluation of technical trials for product development and increasing the efficiency of the product range;
- research and data gathering.
- Support in the development and roll-out of our virtual tools and knowledge platforms.
- Use your knowledge of the research funding landscape to identify and pursue grant funding, foundation and impact investor opportunities
- Public work in the form of participation as a speaker at international conferences and organising the company's public relations work.
Skills & Experience
Experience
- A postgraduate degree (or equivalent experience and expertise) in a relevant academic field
- Have worked in Africa.
- Deep sector knowledge and field experience in solar-powered/off-grid cooling and cold-chain in Africa.
- Experience in the areas of agrifood systems, cold chains, financial instruments, and sustainable and innovative business models in developing markets.
- Understanding of the challenges and needs of small-holder farmers and start-up businesses in Kenya, Rwanda (or sub-Saharan Africa).
- Hands-on Technical competence and management of off-grid cooling solutions.
- Product testing/development.
- Understanding the economic, regulatory, and cultural landscape to ensure the business model aligns with local realities.
- Training development and delivery.
Skills
- Fluent in English, French, and ideally other European languages.
- Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
- Problem-solving.
- Cultural sensitivity and diversity awareness.
Extras
Other Information
Starting salary negotiable based on experience. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position may be filled before the deadline.
How To Apply
To apply for this position, please send your CV and a covering letter to [email protected] before the deadline of midnight on 15th December 2025.