TechnoServe Job Vacancy For West Africa Regional Director

TechnoServe seeks a seasoned leader as the next Regional Director of the West Africa Division.  The right person will bring a passion for economic development, and capabilities to lead and expand operations in the West Africa region, currently including Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria with ambition to add new countries and major regional projects to the portfolio.  The West Africa region has expanded in depth and breadth of staff and programs in recent years and is poised for further growth.

TechnoServe (www.technoserve.org) is a nonprofit, economic development organization with sustained commitment to its founding mission 50 years ago to work with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries.  We are business specialists assisting famers and other entrepreneurs in 29 countries, increasing their access to information, capital and markets.  The increased income our clients derive enhances resilience and prosperity for their families and communities.  In 2017, TechnoServe assisted 437,000 farmers and 13,000 businesses in multiple sectors resulting in 11,000 new jobs and $189 million of new revenues and wages.

The Regional Director will report to the Chief Operating Officer and serve as a member of TechnoServe’s global senior management team and reside either in the region or in the Arlington, VA headquarters. Previous experience working with organizations of TechnoServe’s size and scope is important and business experience is highly desirable. The Regional Director will embody TechnoServe’s values of collegiality, integrity, resourcefulness and results.

Key responsibilities include:

Strategy and Leadership

• Oversee the design, development and implementation of programs across West Africa and drive strategy for the region as a whole
• Profit and loss responsibility for West Africa’s $15 million annual regional operating budget
• Support country and regional program directors to develop strategies, new concepts and relationships
• Oversee development of project monitoring, learning and evaluation into decision making and work planning
• Provide sound financial management and ensure contractual and donor compliance reporting
• Contribute fully to regular convenings of TechnoServe’s Senior Management Team and represent the region periodically to the organization’s Board of Directors

Talent Development

• 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 staff human resource issues in coordination with TechnoServe Human Resources

Representation

• Represent TechnoServe to public and private donors and others of significance globally
• Support Country Directors in West Africa 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, Executive Office and Board of Directors as appropriate on significant developments in the region

New Business Development

• Generate regional revenue, leveraging existing relationships and expanding the range of TechnoServe new business opportunities
• Lead regional fundraising 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

Qualifications

The Regional Director will be a seasoned and mature leader with the following experience and attributes:

• A minimum of twelve years of leadership experience, preferably with a mix of commercial and international development experience. A minimum of three years of work experience in one or more developing countries required

• A bachelor’s degree and preferably a post-graduate degree such as an MBA, MPP or MIA
• 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
• Written and verbal fluency in French and English required
• Demonstrated passion for TechnoServe’s mission and a desire to work in a dynamic environment
• Demonstrated ability to motivate, retain and develop staff
• Availability to travel regionally and internationally up to 50 percent of time

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.