Job Details
Description
At TechnoServe, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better life. For over 50 years, we have given smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs the skills, connections, and confidence to lift themselves out of poverty. We leverage the power of markets and the private sector to create sustainable economic growth to benefit people and the planet. Our unique mix of business solutions, deep knowledge of local contexts, and data-driven insights is helping to fight poverty across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

TechnoServe staff are local–95% are from the countries in which they work. We put a high premium on collaboration and entrepreneurship. We hold ourselves and each other to the highest standards of integrity and transparency. And we focus on delivering lasting impact for our mission.

TechnoServe’s East Africa division operates across seven countries in the region and has 250 team members, focusing on empowering smallholder farmers, entrepreneurs, and local businesses to drive economic growth and reduce poverty. 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 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 Africa division plays a pivotal role in creating lasting economic and social impact across the region.

Job Summary:
The East Africa Regional Director (RD) oversees the design, development and implementation of our programs in the East 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 operations. The RD reports to the Chief Program 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 East Africa and drive strategy for the region as a whole
Hold responsibility for East Africa $15 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 East 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, 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, business, finance 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
Fluency in English
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: Approximately seven direct reports including Country Directors and Program Managers.

This position will be based in one of the countries where TechnoServe has operations in the East Africa Region. National and international candidates are welcome to apply.

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe’s vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.

If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact the Human Resources at [email protected] or call +1 202 785 4515.

Travel Required
Yes. Up to 50% regionally and internationally

Qualifications

Skills
Required
Program ManagementAdvanced
Operations ManagementAdvanced
International DevelopmentAdvanced
Human ResourcesIntermediate
FinanceIntermediate
CommunicationsAdvanced
Business StrategyAdvanced
Business DevelopmentAdvanced
Preferred
Program ImplementationIntermediate
Private SectorIntermediate
People ManagementAdvanced
East Africa RegionNovice
Behaviors
Required
Leader: Inspires teammates to follow them
Preferred
Innovative: Consistently introduces new ideas and demonstrates original thinking
Motivations
Preferred
Entrepreneurial Spirit: Inspired to perform well by an ability to drive new ventures within the business
Ability to Make an Impact: Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization
Education
Required
Bachelors or better.

Experience
Required
3 years:
Work experience in one or more developing countries
10 years:
Leadership experience, preferably in strategy consulting, business, finance or international development
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. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)