TechnoServe Zambia Limited: Country Director
Job Description
Position Title: Country Director
Reports to: Regional Director
FLSA: Exempt
Location: Lusaka
Grade: 12
TechnoServe Background:
TechnoServe works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. We are a nonprofit organization that develops business solutions to poverty by linking people to information, capital and markets. Our work is rooted in the idea that given the opportunity, hardworking men and women in even the poorest places can generate income, jobs and wealth for their families and communities. With nearly five decades of proven results, we believe in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.
Job Summary:
Every employee of TechnoServe is responsible for carrying out the TechnoServe mission and demonstrating the core values in day to day operations.
The Country Director leads all aspects of TechnoServe’s country-level strategic branding and operations to achieve sustainable economic development in a cost-effective manner. The position uses entrepreneurial skills and inspires team members and external stakeholders to strengthen pro-poor market-oriented development, develops partnerships to finance innovative program that strengthen value chains, grow domestic production, build up entrepreneurs, establish industries and markedly improve lives within the country.
Position Requirements:
- A Master’s degree in business, economics, agriculture or other relevant discipline with a minimum of 10 years of professional experience in a relevant field, including the development of agricultural value chains, private sector and/or entrepreneurship
- A minimum of five years of experience leading a business unit or large-scale project with responsibility for all aspects of operations; evidence of operations management and administration skills; strong skills in business software (Excel, PowerPoint etc.)
- A minimum of five years of professional experience in a developing country; knowledge of financial and contractual requirements of major donors active in the country is preferred
- Private sector strategy and management experience, including several of following key skills areas: business development, consulting, training, financial analysis, marketing, business plan and proposal writing
- Demonstrated ability to form, motivate and lead a diverse team to achieve results
- Excellent problem solving and analytical skills; a self-starter, strong interpersonal/people management and organizational skills
- Proven capacity to fundraise effectively and represent the organization among a diverse range of stakeholders
- Strong diplomatic skills to support effective work with government, implementing partners and donors
- Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English, including report writing and presentations
- Ability to travel domestically up to 50%, and internationally as necessary
- The candidate should be Zambian or already have residence and work permit in Zambia.
Primary Functions & Responsibilities:
Strategic Impact
- Strategically selects areas of work, partnerships, and methodologies that most effectively contribute to pro-poor market-oriented development, and assures excellence of implementation through total quality management and evidence-based decision-making
- Develops, presents, and implements the strategic vision, annual goals and objectives for the country program in line with an organizational strategic plan
People Leadership
- Champions local talent. Directs, inspires and develops a team; ensures mid-year and year-end performance evaluations are conducted with all staff; and recommends and implements all salary increases based upon performance.
- Recruits, orients, motivates, inspires and enables a high quality local and international team; promotes and creates opportunities for advancement of employees
- Represents and promotes the TechnoServe’s mission and objectives externally. Liaises with the media, public, local government and its agencies, as well as other NGOs.
Program Oversight
- Provides strategic direction and leadership with overall responsibility for meeting the goals and objectives of programs;
- Provides leadership and mentorship to the local staff in order to build their own leadership and management capacities;
- On boards and oversees the local project teams as described in project proposals, making shifts as deemed appropriate;
- Implements the contracted development program according to the terms of the contract issued by the donor and adhering to the activities set out in the approved project proposal;
- Creates implementation strategies and work plans to meet all contracted deliverables;
- Implements and manages the country program and budget while also managing relations with financial institutions, reviewing all financial information, monthly reports, business plans, etc. on a timely basis, ensuring proper acquisition, management and eventual disposition of all TechnoServe operational assets required for the program (vehicles, computers, furniture, etc.) and communicates internally and externally with employees, and home and regional/divisional offices.
Program Development
- Secures funding to continue to grow country program development; develops funding proposals; and cultivates and maintains TechnoServe in-country partner and donor relationships.
- Cultivates, grows, and improves relationships and synergies among in-country partners and donors, including local government, bilateral and multilateral development/donor organizations; foundations and relevant local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs); private sector associations and corporations.
- In collaboration with the Business Development unit, it supports the development of leads, concepts, and proposals.
- Assess industries, market research, and other analytical exercises that generate insight into opportunities for TechnoServe to achieve its mission
- In collaboration with headquarters office, strengthens Gender, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) systems, evidence-based learning and technical approaches and models
Other duties as assigned.
Application Instructions:
Qualified and interested applicants should submit a non-returnable single Word-formatted document consisting of a cover letter, resume and salary history by clicking the apply button. The final deadline for application is 30th April 2020.
Women are encouraged to apply.
Please identify the position for which you are applying in the subject line. Only applicants meeting minimum qualifications will be considered or contacted. No phone calls, please.