Program Development Manager (New Business), East and West Africa Region

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.

Job Summary:

TechnoServe’s East and West Africa (EWA) regional team supports a robust portfolio of single and multi-country programs across Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Benin, Ghana, and Nigeria. The team is currently seeking a dedicated program development professional to build upon the existing portfolio and support the cultivation and development of new business opportunities in both regions.

The Program Development Manager is a central part of the EWA regional team and will play a key role in helping to expand the organization’s business solutions to poverty. The Manager will work closely with country teams and report to the Regional Director, EWA. S/he will be a dynamic participant in all aspects of program development, gaining exposure to economic development and sustainable business models across the organization’s footprint in both regions. S/he will play a key role in ensuring consistency and quality of program design across the EWA region, aligning country-level initiatives with TechnoServe’s global standards and learning.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

• Contribute to overall new business strategy in collaboration with country teams and Regional Director, EWA, assessing regional performance against Key Performance Indicators and annual revenue targets
• Review and synthesize key donor priorities to identify areas for regional growth, and support identification of new business opportunities to develop a strong, diversified pipeline
• Collaborate with country teams and TechnoServe global practice areas and Global Program Development team to develop presentations, knowledge documents, concept notes and proposals that incorporate best practices from TechnoServe’s core areas of expertise
• Execute all aspects of proposal development, including managing and coordinating complex efforts with dispersed proposal team members, facilitating program design processes, drafting and editing technical proposals, gathering budget inputs, liaising with key partners, and customizing past performance references
• Support capture, research, and analytical efforts to inform evidence-based program design
• Convene and participate in meetings with external stakeholders, articulating a clear understanding of TechnoServe’s past and present portfolio in the region
• Support knowledge management by synthesizing TechnoServe’s work in qualification statements for core technical areas and geographies, and capturing donor knowledge and interactions in TechnoServe’s CRM system (Salesforce)

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in International Development with a Bachelor's Degree or 5 years of experience in International Development with a Master's Degree
• At least 3 years of experience in business development with a proven track record of managing and contributing to winning proposals

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong familiarity with project design and implementation in the international development arena and knowledge of the international development donor landscape, particularly in EWA
• Experience working with geographically dispersed colleagues and project teams
• Experience in one of TechnoServe’s areas of excellence and/or cross cutting initiatives including: regenerative agriculture, agribusiness development, economic growth, enterprise development, circular economy, market systems development, women’s economic empowerment
• Experience cultivating relationships and liaising directly with donors and partners

Travel - Up to 20%

Required Languages - Fluency in English is required, and proficiency in French is highly desirable.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong written and oral communication skills with an enthusiasm for writing
• Ability to perform under pressure, be flexible, work independently, manage multiple tasks, and work effectively as a manager and team member in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent writing and presentation skills
• Strong critical thinking, problem solving skills
• Attention to detail, orientation to quality, and high degree of follow-through
• Passionate about market-led approaches to helping the poor improve their livelihoods

Applicants must be based in one of TechnoServe’s operating countries in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania) or West Africa (Benin, Ghana, Nigeria).

This position can be performed remotely from approved countries. If candidates are located within a commutable distance to a TechnoServe office, they may be expected to follow the office's hybrid schedule.

Candidates must have valid, unrestricted work authorization in the country from which they are applying. TechnoServe will not provide sponsorship for this position.

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 proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action 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.