POLICY & RESEARCH MANAGER

Your Data

If you choose to apply for this position, you will be providing us with your Personal Data, which we will process for the purposes of selecting a candidate for the position only.

We will keep the Personal Data you share with us as part of the application process for six months from the deadline for application, after which it will be deleted.

Your Personal Data will be accessed only by our HR Staff managing the recruitment process, as well as the members of the selection panel.

You have the right to:

a) ask us for access to your Personal Data and for information about how we process it;

b) to ask us to rectify the Personal Data we have on record for you;

c) to ask us to delete your Personal Data or restrict its use; and

d) to object to our processing of your Personal Data.

To exercise these rights, please contact; hr@kepsa.or.ke

If you have any concerns or complaints about how KEPSA processes your Personal Data, please submit them to hr@kepsa.or.ke

Position Overview

The Policy and Research Manager plays a pivotal leadership role at KEPSA, driving effective public-private dialogue, impact tracking, and strategic communication between KEPSA members, government institutions, partners, and other stakeholders. The role is central to advancing policy reform, business competitiveness, and sustainable economic growth.

The Manager provides strategic oversight and technical leadership to the Policy and Research Department, ensuring delivery of the National Business Agenda (NBA), development of an engagement blueprint for proactive dialogue, and execution of departmental workplans. This position requires a leader with strong analytical, advocacy, and stakeholder management skills, capable of translating research into actionable policy reforms and guiding KEPSA’s competitiveness agenda.

Over the next decade, KEPSA aims to scale its collaboration with government, members, and partners to strengthen Kenya’s economy, enhance resilience to future shocks, and position businesses for global competitiveness. The Policy and Research pillar focuses on five competitiveness drivers; Cost of raw materials (imported and locally produced), Utilities, Logistics, Credit and Labour productivity with special emphasis is placed on digitization of services, effective management, and evidence-based advocacy.

Key Responsibilities

A. Policy and Research Leadership & Process Design

• Lead the design, implementation, and facilitation of effective policy dialogue processes, tools, and forums.
  
• Coordinate Governing Council meetings and ensure timely execution of competitiveness-related decisions.
  
• Strengthen sustainability of KEPSA’s dialogue platforms through improved administration, transparency, inclusive participation, and results-oriented reporting.
  
• Oversee development and review of departmental and personnel workplans. Ensure active participation of KEPSA members in sector boards as the primary entry point to KEPSA’s policy work.
  

B. Policy Advocacy and Reform

• Drive advocacy efforts to address bottlenecks and priorities identified in the National Business Agenda (NBA-4).
  
• Influence decision-makers at national and county levels to foster a competitive and
  enabling business environment.
• Establish and strengthen county and regional economic block dialogue platforms.
  
• Champion reforms in policy, legislation, and regulatory frameworks to promote entrepreneurship, investment, and economic growth.
  

C. Research and Evidence-Based Decision-Making

• Collaborate with the Policy and Thought-Leadership team to integrate research findings into KEPSA’s advocacy agenda.
  
• Translate evidence into actionable issue matrices for KEPSA’s dialogue platforms. Ensure KEPSA’s policy positions are grounded in robust data and global best practices.
  

D. Capacity Building and Leadership Development

• Strengthen KEPSA Sector Boards to engage in meaningful and impactful dialogues.
  
• Conduct training, workshops, and awareness campaigns for Business Membership Organizations.
  
• Build the capacity of Policy and Research staff to enhance delivery and sector board management.
  

E. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Communication

• Establish robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track effectiveness of policy initiatives.
  
• Develop clear metrics to measure success and attribute impact to KEPSA’s dialogue efforts.
  
• Provide timely communication to members, government, donors, and partners on outcomes and progress.
  
• Ensure transparency and accountability in reporting.
  

F. Resource Mobilization and Partnerships

• Develop partnership proposals to support Policy and Research programs.
  
• Identify and engage development partners to transform KEPSA’s policy priorities into funded programs.
  
• Build and sustain networks with government, private sector, and partners to amplify KEPSA’s influence and impact.
  

Qualifications and Competencies

• Masters Degree in Economics, Public Policy, Business Administration, or related field.
  
• Proven leadership experience in policy advocacy, research, and stakeholder engagement.
  
• Strong analytical skills with ability to translate research into actionable policy recommendations.
  
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and facilitation skills. Demonstrated
  ability to manage teams, oversee complex projects, and deliver measurable results.
• Experience in resource mobilization and partnership development.
  
• Commitment to KEPSA’s mission of advancing Kenya’s competitiveness and economic transformation.