East Africa Regional Program Development Specialist

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of business and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are amazing…when incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they are able to access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off.

Job Summary:

TechnoServe’s East Africa regional team supports a robust portfolio of single and multi-country programs across Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and DRC. 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 the region.

The Program Development Specialist is a central part of the East Africa regional program development team and will play a key role in helping to expand the organization’s business solutions to poverty. The Specialist will work closely with country teams and report to the Senior Program Development Manager. 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 the region.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

• Supports all aspects of proposal development, including coordinating complex bids, customizing past performance references, editing and formatting technical proposals, drafting staffing and management sections, strengthening candidate CVs, and supporting recon and capture efforts. Additionally supports concept note development.
• Researches donors and partners in support of funding landscape analyses and opportunity-specific capture processes. Conducts other desk and field research as required to support program development.
• Supports knowledge management and opportunity positioning by synthesizing TechnoServe’s work in qualification statements for core technical areas and geographies.
• Collaborates with country teams and TechnoServe global practice areas to support development of concept notes, proposals, and other new business materials that incorporate best practices from TechnoServe’s core areas of expertise.
• Supports engagement with TechnoServe’s priority funders in East Africa, coordinating outreach efforts with technical and country/ regional leads, overseeing pipeline development, sharing funder learnings, and capturing knowledge on TechnoServe’s Salesforce CRM.
• Attends and reports on donor and practitioner meetings to stay ahead of latest donor trends.
• Leads or supports recruitment of consultants to support program development and recruitment of key personnel for proposals.
• Identifies and implements improvements and innovations to strengthen program development-related knowledge management and processes in the region, collaborating with other teams as appropriate.

Basic Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in international relations, economics, business, or other related field, with five years of work experience, including with a new business development team in a high-performing international development organization; or a Master’s Degree plus three years of experience.
• Familiarity with project design and implementation in the international development arena and knowledge of the international development donor landscape.
• Strong written and oral communication skills with an enthusiasm for writing, good organizational skills, and excellent attention to detail.
• Experience working with dispersed colleagues and project teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in agricultural development/agribusiness/economic growth/enterprise development/market systems development/women’s economic empowerment
• Experience with the East Africa Region
• Experience cultivating relationships and liaising directly with donors and partners

Travel – Up to 25%

Required Languages – English fluency

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Passionate about market-led approaches to helping the poor improve their livelihoods
• 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, multi-cultural environment
• Strong critical thinking, problem solving skills
• Attention to detail, orientation to quality, and high degree of follow-through

This is a remote position based in the US, or in one of the East African countries where TechnoServe has operations (including Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, DRC or Uganda). All candidates must have work authorization in one of these countries at the time of application.

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.