Stanford Seed is excited to announce an opening for the Business Transformation Advisor position at Stanford Seed in East Africa.
We are seeking highly-qualified candidates to join our dynamic team and contribute to our mission. A Business Transformation Advisor partners with small and medium enterprises (SME) leaders to shape their growth plans, translating Seed’s curriculum into practical and context-specific guidance.
About Stanford Seed
Building on Stanford's decades-long history of educating innovators in Silicon Valley, Stanford Seed has been bringing this innovative mindset and practical business training to entrepreneurs in Africa and Asia for the past twelve years, making a significant impact in the region.
Seed is a Stanford Graduate School of Business-led (GSB) initiative that's working to end the cycle of global poverty. We believe that business is one of the most powerful engines of change to move developing economies to greater prosperity. To maximize our impact, we're working across multiple segments, programs and geographies. We partner with entrepreneurs in emerging markets to build thriving enterprises that transform lives. For more information about the Seed program, please visit seed.stanford.edu.
Position Summary
Through the Seed Transformation Program (STP), Stanford GSB faculty and regional experts equip founders and CEOs of SMEs with the knowledge needed to scale their businesses and drive inclusive economic growth.
At the heart of this 10-month blended program lies the role of the Business Transformation Advisor (BTA)—a key enabler of impact and transformation. Each participating company is paired with a BTA who works closely with its founder and leadership team to contextualize and apply Stanford’s intensive curriculum to their specific business environment.
The BTA serves as a strategic thought partner, facilitating leadership engagements, guiding application of frameworks, and supporting the development of a medium to long-term growth plan. This role is a unique blend of curriculum translation, business advising, and relationship management, playing a critical part in helping SMEs realize their growth potential.
The position reports to the Regional Director of Seed East Africa and offers a hybrid arrangement (in office, remote) with significant travel (30-40%) across the region as required.
In this role, your primary duties and responsibilities will include:
1. Curriculum Translation and Business Advising
- Translate Stanford Seed’s curriculum, covering areas such as strategy, marketing, sales, finance, operations, organizational design and other related fields into actionable insights tailored to the unique contexts of each company.
- Advise business leaders and their senior teams on applying key frameworks and methodologies to build holistic transformation plans.
- Facilitate immersive workshops (in-person and virtual) and small-group structured leadership circles aligned with curriculum themes and growth planning stages.
- Contribute to the design and delivery of faculty-led classroom weeks - in-person and online.
2. Portfolio Engagement and Workshop Facilitation
- Guide a portfolio of assigned companies throughout the Seed Transformation Program, serving as a primary advisor and thought partner.
- Track and monitor company progress across the program journey, providing insights to support continuous learning and outcomes measurement.
- Build and sustain trusted relationships with business leaders in your portfolio, fostering deep engagement and continuity.
- Support the STP recruitment efforts, contributing to the selection of high-potential SMEs.
3. Program Impact and Collaboration
- Collaborate with the Global team and Seed faculty to align on delivery standards, content integration, and participant experience.
- Support data collection efforts and contribute to program assessments that help evaluate impact and shape future program enhancements.
- Contribute to the growing community of practice within Stanford Seed by sharing learnings, innovations, and emerging patterns across SMEs, while also engaging in strategic initiatives to enhance programs and processes at the East African and global levels.
To be successful in this role, you will bring:
Education and Experience:
- A bachelor’s degree in business, economics, management, statistics, or a related field from an accredited university is required; a master’s degree is a plus.
- 10+ years in advisory, entrepreneurship, or P&L roles with exposure to SMEs/startups in East Africa; Experience coaching founders or C-suite on growth and transformation is a strong plus.
- Certifications in leadership coaching, strategic planning, or business operations are desirable.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Advising and Facilitation
- Strong facilitation skills with the ability to lead structured workshops and strategic discussions.
- Passion for supporting and transforming small to mid-sized businesses in East Africa.
- Ability to inspire and influence founders and leadership teams toward bold, growth-oriented action.
Leadership and Collaboration
- Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to influence and engage across diverse organizational boundaries.
- Highly collaborative working style that fosters partnership with staff, business leaders, and their teams.
- Ability to remain effective under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and meet tight deadlines.
Communication and Interpersonal Skills
- Excellent interpersonal and active listening skills to engage with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Advanced fluency in spoken and written English, with the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively. Kiswahili, French and/or Portuguese are desirable.
Regional and Cultural Awareness
- Understanding of the East African region, including cultural nuances and business etiquette relevant to SMEs and family-run enterprises.
Benefits:
Stanford Seed offers a competitive and holistic benefits package designed to support the well-being and professional growth of our employees. Key benefits include:
- Comprehensive medical insurance coverage, structured leave entitlements, and statutory benefits as per applicable Indian employment laws
- A competitive, compliant compensation framework, including reimbursement of approved work-related expenses such as travel and accommodation, in line with company policy
- Flexible and remote-friendly work arrangements
- A collaborative and purpose-driven work environment that values innovation and impact
- Opportunities for continuous learning and knowledge exchange within a global network
In addition, requirements include:
- Be legally authorized and/or obtain legal authorization to work in/from Kenya
- Comfortable with remote working and collaborating virtually with a distributed team across geographies.
- Ability to travel locally and/or internationally with occasional overnight travel
- May work variable hours, evenings or weekends
The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.
Stanford University is one of Silicon Valley's largest and unique employers. Our mission is to educate future leaders and promote interdisciplinary, world-class research and teaching. This passion makes Stanford an intensely creative, rewarding, and challenging place to work. At the same time, our traditions of respect and collaboration sustain a humane, supportive environment in which to pursue your life and your career. Our full-time employees also enjoy a very competitive benefits package. Please visit: benefits.stanford.edu