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Ranked the top NGO in the world for the third time running, BRAC is known for its holistic, data-driven and community-based programming. As Director for Africa, you will lead BRAC’s work across more than five countries, strengthening and deepening its programmatic work. You have significant programme leadership experience, strong regional knowledge and resource mobilisation skills. This is an exciting opportunity for a leader to build on the vast technical knowledge and resources within BRAC and apply it to an Africa context.

About BRAC

BRAC was established in 1972 in a remote village in Bangladesh as a limited relief operation. Today it is the largest development organisation in the world, ranked by Geneva-based NGO Adviser as the world’s top NGO for the third year running. Sharing successful solutions in 11 countries in Africa and Asia, as well as in Bangladesh, BRAC implements large-scale and impactful interventions in the areas of livelihoods, health, education, micro-finance, climate change, and community development, with a strong commitment to gender equality and empowerment of women and girls across all its work.

BRAC works on changing the systems of inequality by creating platforms to empower individuals and communities in situations of poverty, illiteracy, disease and social injustice. BRAC has touched the lives of an estimated 130 million people around the world, with staff, volunteers and BRAC-trained entrepreneurs numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

BRAC is many things, it is a social enterprise, an NGO, a public forum, a knowledge hub, a social investor, a policy advocate, a university and a crisis responder.  It brings together change makers, activists, heroes and mentors who want to build a world that works for everyone.

About BRAC International

Stichting BRAC International (BI) was set up in 2009 as a non-profit foundation in the Netherlands to govern and manage all BRAC entities outside Bangladesh, UK and USA. With 8,000 employees, 10,000 volunteers in Africa and Asia, and an annual budget of over 130 million USD, BI touches the lives of an estimated 20 million people each year.

As BI enters its second decade of existence, it has embarked on a significant organizational change process together with BRAC Bangladesh, BRAC USA and BRAC UK, developing a new BRAC Global Strategy (2020-2030) to establish a global organization with a shared vision, coherent goals for sustainable development and strong, ambitious organizational growth targets.

About the Role

The Director for Africa reports to the Executive Director for BRAC International, supervising 5-7 Country Directors and overseeing a staff cohort of 4,000+ working across Uganda, Liberia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tanzania and soon in Rwanda. The operating income for the region is approximately 48 Million USD in both grants and microfinance programmes.

Within BRAC, the Director holds key relationships with the Director of Asia Programmes, Country Representatives, Unit Heads and Sector Specialists. Externally, the Director relates to the leaders of BRAC UK, BRAC USA, donors and BRAC Bangladesh. The Director takes leadership of operational and policy-level decisions related to the countries and region. The Director receives advice and guidance from his or her supervisor on strategic and policy-level decisions which has an impact outside of the Africa region. The goal of the Director is to lead the regional offices’ development and guide them towards growth and long-term success.

Purpose of the Role

• Leading the implementation of the regional strategy with a focus on quality control, monitoring and evaluation and donor reporting.
• Identifying synergies within the region and identifying different opportunities for programme improvement and funding and partnerships for growth.  
• Tracking success of programmes through data analysis and informing future plans and policies, aligning with the mission of BRAC.
• Offers operational support and creative leadership to country directors across the region.

Key Performance Indicators

• Quality delivery of the programmes; including improvements required by audit and finance reports.
• Regional partnerships and donor relationships.
• Developing and reviewing new projects and proposals for existing and new BRAC countries in Africa.
• Data and research-based decision making which informs the regional strategy.

Major Responsibilities

• Ensure successful implementation of in-country operation through overseeing planning, development and implementation of programmes in countries and achieving coherence with BRAC’s mission, values and core competencies, as well as ensuring timely reporting to donors and feeding the communication needs for the broader BRAC family.
• Oversee the management of the country offices and ensure the implementation of the country strategy.
• Manage programme collaboration within countries and within the region, identifying synergies and economies of scale in close collaboration with the country representatives.
• Provide information and analysis on regional and country-specific issues to inform future plans, innovate and adapt programme design, plan the resource mobilisation strategy and inform stakeholder interactions.
• Liaise effectively with programme anchors at BRAC International, and unit heads and programme directors in BRAC Bangladesh to ensure quality control and seamless technical assistance from head office to countries.
• Study data trends, emerging research, and advise on resource optimisation and influence internal and external stakeholders on the same.
• Align country programme strategies and sector plans with BRAC’s core competencies.
• Support country representatives in building national and regional partnerships, government and donor relationships, and fundraising and advocacy activities.
• Support effective staff hiring and management, diversity, security, gender justice, legal issues and adherence to BRAC’s integrity policies.
• Representation in external forums, country visits, advocacy.
• Oversee the development of the skills and competencies of the country team leaders.  
• Work closely with audit and finance team to ensure and align financial and overall integrity processes for the Africa office.

Major challenges

• BRAC Africa faces resource constraints and further resources must be mobilised.
• This position is in a complex region with various countries that require support to improve synergies.  
• Remote management is required to interface with donors and country representatives.
• The region has multiple post-conflict countries, and troubleshooting in emergency context is required.  

Experience

• At least 15 years’ experience in a senior technical or management position preferably in an NGO/INGO, managing complex programmes, including programme planning and administration, evaluation, proposal writing and fundraising, managing budgets and accounts, staff supervision and training.
• Experience in more than one country is preferable.
• Demonstrated experience in dealing with multiple stakeholders and multicultural staff as well as foster a culture of gender justice and diversity.
• Demonstrated experience in advocacy work and knowledge of at least one sector BRAC works in.

Knowledge, skills and competencies

• Track record of managing large-scale and complex development programmes.
• Demonstrated experience leading multicultural staff and developing senior teams.
• A proven ability to raise funds and further sound growth and programme development.
• Strong influencing skills and experience relating to government and managing relationships with diverse stakeholders including business, donors, academia, media, and civil society. Technical knowledge of at least one BRAC programme.
• Able to analyse and apply research, data and learning to improve programmes and operations.
• Previous field experience, including leading community-driven programming and Southern-led development initiatives.
• Excellent communication and relationship skills.
• Experience and excellence in managing a multi-cultural organisation, leading it towards a culture of gender justice and diversity in practice.
• Excellent written and spoken English skills.
• Willingness to travel internationally.