Job Summary

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 s/he is away. Below is a summary of primary responsibilities for the role:

Primary Responsibilities:

Oversee program implementation: Working with individual Project Managers, the DCD will provide strategic leadership over selected projects ensuring that implementation is of the highest technical quality, sound financial management and deliver on all contractual obligations with donors

ensure the rigorous technical and financial implementation and reporting for each project.

a.  Support high-quality delivery:

• Lead all the mobilization processes for new projects. Ensure that program/project delivery is of highest impact, leveraging TechnoServe’s experience and expertise in Ethiopia and globally,
• Implement strategies that ensure gender equity, inclusive programming, green growth, and sustainable development.
•  Ensure that each project contributes to meeting TechnoServe’s global gender targets.
•  Working with MEL Manager, ensure that each project has a MEL plan, and that implementation approaches are responsive to the project theory of change/results framework. Ensure that each project has a learning agenda.
•  Support project managers to appropriately report progress to relevant internal dashboards and corporate measurement processes.

b.  Personnel management:

• Recruit, train and retain project managers/senior advisors and manage their performance through TechnoServe internal performance management systems and processes.
• Facilitate capacity development for project teams to ensure achieving TechnoServe Global program quality management standards
• Develop work-related scope of work for Consultants’ and Fellows’ and support recruitment.

c.  Oversee reporting and project budgets

• Serve as a key contact person for specific projects including donor engagement and reporting.
• Ensure accurate and high quality technical and financial reports are developed and submitted to donors on time
•  Liaise with Ethiopia Financial Controller to ensure financial systems are created and updated to ensure full financial compliance with donor reporting requirements.
• Manage project budgets according to donor contractual agreements and approved corporate budgets.
•  Ensure that project documentations are intact as per TNS requirements

Support program development and partnerships management The Deputy Country Director will cultivate and manage relationships with prioritized donors, partners, and stakeholders

• Co-lead regular review and updating of TechnoServe Ethiopia’s fundraising strategy
•  Develop and maintain external network with potential donors, partner organizations/companies, including GOE offices
• 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
•  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;
•  Support budget development for new projects; review drafts of proposals and concept notes; lead the writing of technical proposals when required
•  Regularly update and communicate with East Africa program development team.

Support strategic initiatives and leadership of the office - Working with the Country Director and other members of TechnoServe Ethiopia’s senior management team, the DCD will:

• 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.
• 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
• Lead internal communications and capacity building initiatives
• Serve as acting country director during the temporary absence of the CD
•  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.

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, color 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.

Reporting Relationships:

Reports to:      Ethiopia, Country Director

Exercises Supervision over: project managers and senior advisors

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 fulfillment of this Job Description.

Job Requirements

Position Requirements:  

•  A Master’s degree in international development, agricultural, business administration, social science or other relevant discipline plus 10 years relevant professional or a Bachelors with minimum of 12 years of relevant professional experience. In either case, five years of which has to be managing staff or projects in development programs.
• Technical skills and knowledge of private sector engagement, agriculture, access to fiancé, youth, women empowerment, enterprise development, food processing and monitoring and evaluation are highly preferred.
• Passion for sustainable development, resilience, 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 and internationally
• 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
•  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.

How to Apply

Qualified and interested applicants should Click here to apply for this position and submit a cover letter resume and salary history as a single document (either Word or PDF) by June 14, 2021. Applications will be reviewed and considered as received/on a rolling basis. Please identify the position for which you are applying in the subject line. Only applicants meeting minimum qualifications will be contacted. Please note that we are not accepting CVs that are not sent through the indicated link. 

TECHNOSERVE ENCOURAGES DIVERSITY IN ALL LEVELS AND ACROSS ALL FACETS OF OUR ORGANIZATION. WITH THIS COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, WE ARE PROUD TO BE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND DO NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF GENDER, RACE, COLOR, ETHNICITY, RELIGION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, AGES, DISABILITY, AND ALL OTHER PROTECTED CLASSES.

TechnoServe has the right to cancel this advertisement. Women are highly encouraged to apply