Regional Director, East and West Africa

Job Description

TechnoServe’s East and West Africa division operates across seven countries (Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda) and has more than 350 team members. The division currently implements more than 30 projects with a total annual budget of $24 million. The division collaborates with diverse donors such as the Dutch government, the Gates Foundation, the Coca-Cola Foundation, the Mastercard Foundation, Nestle, Nespresso, and the World Food Programme.

Leveraging a market-driven approach, the division collaborates with private-sector partners, governments, and communities to deliver sustainable solutions in agriculture, food systems, and entrepreneurship. Its programs provide training to farmers and entrepreneurs in business skills, access to finance, and connections to markets, enabling participants to increase their incomes and build more resilient livelihoods. By fostering inclusive growth and addressing challenges such as climate change and gender inequality, TechnoServe’s East and West Africa division plays a pivotal role in creating lasting economic and social impact across the region.

Job Summary:
The East & West Africa Regional Director (RD) oversees the design, development and implementation of our programs in the East & West Africa Region. The RD is responsible for ensuring a steady pipeline of new business opportunities through proactive relationship building with key donors, and the quality and compliance of all project operations. The RD reports to the Chief Operations Officer and serves as a member of TechnoServe’s global senior management team.

The RD is expected to have significant management and international experience, a passion for economic development, relevant language skills, and be capable of thoroughly understanding and successfully leading program teams and operations across multiple countries. S/he is expected to be an outstanding communicator and team leader. Previous experience working with organizations of TechnoServe’s size and scope is important and private sector experience is highly desirable. The RD embodies TechnoServe’s values of Lasting Impact, Collaboration, Entrepreneurial and Accountability.

Key responsibilities include:

Strategy and Leadership

• Oversee the design, development and implementation of programs across the East & West Africa Region, and drive strategy for the region as a whole
• Hold responsibility for East & West Africa Region’s $24 million annual regional operating budget
• Support country and regional program directors to develop strategies, platforms and budgets
• Ensure country programs meet quality standards and integrate project monitoring, learning and evaluation into decision making and work planning
• Provide sound financial management and ensure contractual and donor compliance reporting

New Business Development

• Generate regional new business, leveraging existing relationships and expanding the range of TechnoServe opportunities
• Support corporate new business efforts for current and new programs in the region and maintain donor relations
• Develop winning proposal strategies: organizing resources, contributing to or authoring proposals and negotiating agreements

Talent Management

• Recruit, retain, supervise and coach country directors and regional team members
• Enable cross-cutting learning, partnership and collaboration between teams
• Support and encourage knowledge sharing and professional development among staff
• Manage regional human resource matters in partnership with the global human resources team

Representation

• Represent TechnoServe to public and private donors of significance globally
• Support country directors in the Region to effectively manage relationships with stakeholders such as local and district governments, donors, nonprofit organizations and others
• Represent the region internally, updating the Senior Management Team, Program Office and Board of Directors as appropriate of significant developments in the region

Basic Qualifications:

• A minimum of ten years of leadership experience, preferably in strategy consulting, private sector agribusiness, or international development
• A minimum of three years of work experience in one or more developing countries
• A bachelor’s degree and preferably a post-graduate degree such as an MBA, MPP or MIA
• Experience in Francophone West Africa
• Fluency in English & French

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage multicultural and geographically dispersed teams in complex working environments
• Proven track record in successful business and program development design and authoring/overseeing winning proposals
• Strong foundation of knowledge in one or more of the following: economic growth, value chains, private sector, agriculture, entrepreneurship and/or SMEs

Travel: Up to 50% regionally and internationally

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• An effective and inspiring communicator and negotiator with strong oral and written skills
• Demonstrated passion for TechnoServe’s mission and a desire to work in a dynamic environment
• Demonstrated ability to motivate, retain and develop staff

Supervisory Responsibilities: Regional Directors supervise country leadership as well as regional program and operational staff

NOTE: All application materials must be submitted in English for further consideration.

We welcome applications from both international and in-country candidates. If the successful candidate is a resident of the operating country, s(he) will be offered a local contract.

About the Organization

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of businesses and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are amazing...when incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they are able to access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off.