About Technoserve

TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. As a nonprofit organization operating in multiple countries, we work with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. By linking people to information, capital, and markets, we have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities. With over 50 years of proven results, TechnoServe believes 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.

 Position description

The Deputy Country Director is a member of TechnoServe Ethiopia’s senior management team and deputizes the Country Director when she is away. S/he directly manages around 8 full-time staff. Working closely with the Ethiopia Country Director, the Deputy Country Director’s primary responsibility is to oversee the rigorous implementation, monitoring and evaluation of projects, secure new funding, and develop/maintain relationships with key partners. S/he will be responsible for the following:

 Primary Responsibilities:

1)    Oversee programs with the TechnoServe’s Ethiopia portfolio: Working with separate Project Managers for each project, the DCD will cultivate and manage senior donor relationships, as well as ensure the rigorous technical and financial implementation and reporting for each project.

a.   Develop and support project strategy and senior-level relationships:

    i.   Design and update comprehensive and impactful strategies for projects, leveraging TechnoServe’s experience and expertise in Ethiopia and globally, including market systems facilitation, advancing gender equity, green growth and sustainable development

    ii.   Ensure teams, led by Project Managers, understand overall project goals, the theory of change and project design and translate those into work plans and milestones that guide day-to-day work;

   iii.   Ensure that teams and individuals within them understand their contribution to the achievement of the overall goal and expectations for their performance and are motivated

   iv.    Develop project-related presentation materials and decks beyond the scope of contractual requirements, when applicable.

   v.    Manage senior-level relationship with donors and strategic partners

b.   Develop and manage strong, gender-balanced teams:

    i.       Lead Project Manager recruitment and support the recruitment of gender-balanced teams;

    ii.       Directly manage Project Managers and help them develop into leaders focused on helping their teams to grow professionally and do their best work; manage performance by—among other things—articulating clear expectations (annual goals), providing course correction, coaching and mentoring.

     iii.      Facilitate capacity development for project teams to ensure achieving TechnoServe Global program quality management standards

    iv.       Develop international Consultants’ and Fellows’ Scopes of Work and their recruitment

    v.       Directly manage engagements with short-term international staff, ensuring and overseeing the quality of their work

   vi.       Manage project managers and support their professional development

c.   Oversee implementation and reporting

    i.          Lead mobilization of new projects, establishing relationships with donors, partners and other stakeholders; Troubleshoot and course-correct implementation, including challenges in HR, partnerships. etc.

   ii.          Serve as a key contact person for key food processing and private sector engagement programs including AINFP, LIWAY and IMPACT programs

   iii.          Ensure accurate and high quality technical and financial reports are developed and submitted to donors on time

   iv.          Liaise with the Regional Financial Analyst and Ethiopia Financial Controllers to ensure financial systems are created and updated to ensure full financial compliance with donor reporting requirements.

   v.          Develop budget models and scenarios to inform project design and feasibility of activity modification and/or expansion

  vi.          Ensure consistency in program quality management across projects

  vii.         Ensure that project documentation are intact as per TNS requirements

2)    Lead program development and development/manage relationships with key external partners —The Deputy Country Director will cultivate and manage relationships with prioritized donors, partners and stakeholders

a.     Co-lead regular review and updating of TechnoServe Ethiopia’s fundraising strategy

b.    Develop and maintain an external network with potential donors, partner organizations/companies, including GOE offices

c.     Develop and maintain knowledge of relevant strategies and priorities for the GOE as well as the funding strategies and priorities for current and prospective donors

d.    Play a lead/co-lead role in the development of concept notes and full proposals, working with the East Africa program development team and broader TNS program development team;

e.     Develop budgets and lead the technical design of new projects; review drafts of proposals and concept notes; lead the writing of technical proposals, as required; Lead red team/green team calls, as required

f.      Regularly update and communicate with the East Africa program development team.

3)    Develop and execute Country Strategy and Solve Problems—Working with the Country Director and other members of TechnoServe Ethiopia’s senior management team, the DCD will:

a.     Work together with CD to regularly review and update TechnoServe Ethiopia’s Country strategy, which includes proactively identifying strategies and tactics to achieve impact and sustainability targets.

b.    Lead specific strategic organizational development or technical initiatives, such as developing the Gender Strategy and Action Plan, or Green Growth Strategy, working together with relevant colleagues; or training and promoting technical approaches, such as market systems development

c.     Lead internal communications and capacity building initiatives

d.    Other initiatives and priorities, as assigned by the CD- The DCD will work closely with the Country Director to troubleshoot a wide range of HR, programmatic and stakeholder management challenges, as they emerge. 

e.   Reporting Relationships:

 Reports to:       Ethiopia, Country Director

Exercises Supervision over: Around 8 senior staffs

 This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive nor is it intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, or skills required of an incumbent.

 An employee will perform other reasonably related job responsibilities as assigned by management when required. TechnoServe reserves the right to revise or change job functions as the need arises.  This job description does not constitute a written contract of employment.
I have received and understand this job description for the position that I am accepting as an employee of TechnoServe. I understand that my performance evaluation and continued success will be based upon the satisfactory fulfilment of this Job Description.

Position Requirements:  

.       A Master’s degree in international development, agricultural, business administration or other relevant discipline plus 10 years relevant professional or a Bachelors with a minimum of 12 years of relevant professional experience. In either case, five years of which has to be management experience (management, planning, staff development and training skills) in development programs

·         Technical skills and knowledge in partnering with the private sector, markets systems and monitoring and evaluation (both quantitative and qualitative methods)

·         Passion for sustainable development, environmental sustainability, advancing gender equity, and capacity building,

·         Excellent problem solving and analytical skills; a self-starter,

·         Strong interpersonal/people management and organizational skills

·         Excellent oral and written communication skills a must, including high-quality proposal writing, report writing and presentations, as well as strong program budget development experience and capabilities

·         Experience working in Ethiopia and knowledge of the country

·         Willingness and ability to travel domestically

·         Strong skills in business software (Excel, PowerPoint etc.)

·         Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English; fluency in Amharic, a plus but not required

 Preferred Skill

·         Experience working in Africa

 Profile

·         Analytical and empathetic manager and leader who strives for sustainable impact, by building and working through impactful, high performing teams;

·         Flexible, creative, proactive and resilient problem solver who doesn’t get easily discouraged 

·         Effectively cultivates and engages external networks; Inspires donors, partners, smallholder farmers and other counterparts and stakeholders to take action toward bold and large-scale transformation that benefits the poor, especially women

·         Embraces and exemplifies the learning mindset; Develops a deep knowledge in several areas of TechnoServe’s work and Share knowledge proactively.

 Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, colour vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The work is performed primarily indoors with occasional exposure to outdoor conditions when required. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.