Graduate Trainee – Business Optimisation Services at The Science for Africa Foundation in Nairobi, Kenya

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    Graduate Trainee – Business Optimisation Services

    The Science for Africa FoundationNairobi, Kenya

    Posted

    2 days ago

    Apply by

    1 Sept

    Contractor
    On Site
    Internship
    Charity, NGO & Non-Profit
    Management & Business Development

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    Job Description

    This position is designed as a developmental learning opportunity for a highly motivated graduate seeking exposure to business process management, policy and procedure coordination, quality management, document and records management, and project support within the SFA Foundation. Under the guidance and supervision of the Business Optimisation Services team, the Graduate Trainee will support day-to-day coordination, documentation, analysis, follow-up, and administrative activities that enable BOS to deliver structured support to departments across the Foundation.

    Key Responsibilities

    • Learn and support the documentation of business processes by assisting in capturing process steps, roles, inputs, outputs, timelines, risks, controls, and improvement opportunities under close supervision.
    • Assist in preparing process maps, swimlane diagrams, process narratives, RACI matrices, and related BPM documentation using approved BOS templates and standards.
    • Support coordination of process review sessions, workshops, and validation meetings, including scheduling, preparing materials, taking notes, documenting feedback, and tracking action points.
    • Support the maintenance of the organisational process inventory, document tracker, service catalogue tracker, and related BOS registers to ensure records are accurate, complete, and up to date.
    • Assist in policy, SOP, framework, guideline, and template coordination activities, including updating registers, tracking review status, following up with document owners, and supporting version control.
    • Learn how to review documents for completeness, consistency, alignment to approved templates, and basic quality checks before escalation to relevant owners or approvers.
    • Support quality management activities by assisting in the preparation of checklists, review tools, quality logs, improvement trackers, lessons learnt summaries, and feedback analysis.
    • Assist in gathering, organising, and synthesising information from departments to support business case development, requirements gathering, system enhancement requests, and process improvement initiatives.
    • Support project coordination activities for BOS-supported initiatives, including meeting coordination, action tracking, issue logging, risk updates, document filing, and preparation of status update inputs.
    • Participate in user acceptance testing support activities by assisting with test script preparation, test evidence compilation, issue logs, and user acceptance testing UAT summary documentation under guidance.
    • Support the organisation and management of BOS information and records using approved internal repositories, naming conventions, filing structures, and document control practices.
    • Contribute to internal knowledge products such as summaries, presentations, briefing notes, dashboards, reports, and lessons learnt documents related to BOS initiatives.
    • Actively participate in structured learning, mentoring, feedback sessions, and continuous improvement discussions, and progressively apply acquired knowledge and skills in day-to-day tasks.

    Required Qualifications

    • Bachelor's degree in business administration, Business Information Technology, Information Systems, Project Management, Operations Management, Quality Management, Public Administration, Development Studies, or a related field.
    • Any relevant field.
    • No prior work experience is required.
    • Internship, volunteer, academic project, or attachment experience in business analysis, project coordination, process documentation, operations support, research, administration, or digital transformation will be an added advantage
    • Strong research, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
    • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
    • Strong organisational and coordination skills, with the ability to follow through on assigned tasks.
    • Interest in business process management, policy and procedure coordination, quality improvement, project support, and digital transformation.
    • Ability to synthesise information and produce clear summaries, meeting notes, and structured documentation.
    • Ability to manage multiple tasks, meet timelines, and ask for clarification when required.
    • Professionalism, discretion, and respect for confidential organisational information.
    • Demonstrates curiosity, openness to feedback, and ability to apply new knowledge.
    • Takes responsibility for assigned tasks and meets deadlines reliably.
    • Communicates clearly and professionally with colleagues and stakeholders.
    • Collaborates effectively and contributes positively to team objectives.
    • Shows developing ability to analyse information and support problem-solving.
    • Adjusts to changing environments and proactively supports tasks and learning.

    Job Details

    Job Function

    Management & Business Development

    Education Level

    Bachelor’s Degree

    Area of Study

    Business

    Field of Study

    Business Administration

    Additional Information

    How to Apply: Interested and qualified? Go to The Science for Africa Foundation on scienceforafrica.foundation to apply.

    Show You Can Turn Chaos Into Process

    This graduate role is all about helping a team document, streamline, and improve how the Foundation works. Hiring managers will be looking for someone who can listen, capture details accurately, and communicate clearly — not just someone with a degree.

    1. Translate your academic projects into process wins: On your CV, describe any group assignments, research papers, or volunteer work where you broke down a task into steps, created a timeline, or organised information. Use words like 'documented', 'coordinated', and 'streamlined' to show you already think in processes.

    2. Master the basics of process mapping before the interview: You don't need to be an expert, but knowing what a swimlane diagram or RACI matrix is will show genuine interest. Watch a quick YouTube tutorial on BPMN or process mapping so you can speak the language.

    3. Prepare a story about a time you had to follow instructions precisely: This role involves version control, document tracking, and quality checks. Think of an example where you had to follow a detailed brief or manage multiple files — maybe during an internship or a class project — and explain how you kept things accurate.

    4. Brush up on your writing: You'll be drafting meeting notes, summaries, and reports. Bring a sample of your writing — a report, a blog post, or even a well-structured email — to show you can communicate clearly and professionally.

    5. Show you're comfortable with feedback: The posting stresses openness to feedback and continuous improvement. In the interview, talk about a time you received constructive criticism and how you used it to improve your work.

    6. Research the Science for Africa Foundation: Understand their mission, their focus areas, and the kind of projects they fund. This will help you tailor your answers and show you're genuinely interested in their work, not just any job.

    7. Practice your organisational skills: Expect questions about how you manage multiple tasks and deadlines. Have a concrete example ready — maybe how you juggled coursework, a part-time job, and a club activity — and explain your system for staying on top of things.

    8. Ask smart questions about the role: Prepare two or three questions that show you've thought deeply about the position. For example, 'What does a typical day look like for a graduate trainee in the first few months?' or 'How does the BOS team measure success in process improvement projects?'

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    Tags

    business process management
    quality management
    project coordination
    process mapping
    documentation