Senior Program Manager, Inclusive Investment

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

The Senior Program Manager will oversee the delivery of the anticipated two year program with a goal to increase employment in the agriculture sector in Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces in South Africa, in support of the Just Energy Transition. The anticipated program aims to demonstrate the potential of pre-commercial farmers in the fruit and nut sector in the provinces to create jobs once supported by the right combination of Technical Assistance (TA) and blended finance. The Senior Program Manager will oversee the quality execution of TA to high-potential pre-commercial farmers and specialist agri-lenders and be responsible for the management of a broad range of stakeholders, including FCDO, other donors, investors, agribusinesses, JETP partners and government representatives in South Africa.

This Senior Program Manager will be accountable for overall finance and operations management of the anticipated program activities. They will ensure efficient and effective implementation of Program components, compliance with all donor and local legal requirements as well as TechnoServe policies and regulations. The Senior Program Manager will work under the supervision of TechnoServe’s Inclusive Investment Director.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities

Program management

• Ensure that program outcomes and deliverables are completed on time, within budget, and in compliance with donor and TechnoServe requirements; actively anticipate and communicate roadblocks to core team and stakeholders (where appropriate).
• Provide strategic guidance, leadership, management, and general technical oversight of the program, with an unwavering commitment to delivering results.
• Closely track and manage program work plan and finances; ensure timely submission of donor progress and financial reports to TechnoServe and FCDO.
• Foster collaboration, learning, and adaptive management to inform decision-making and drive impact.
• Effectively manage consultants and subcontracted TA service providers and work alongside other TechnoServe staff for targeted pieces of work.

Stakeholder management

• Serve as primary liaison/contact for the program; foster collaboration and manage productive relationships with FCDO in South Africa, JET partners, investors and other key stakeholders
• Drive shared vision and strategy among pre-commercial farmers, agri-lenders, JET partners and other key stakeholders
• Oversee the prioritisation of partnerships with pre-commercial farms, agri-lenders and other donors

Management of technical assistance providers and projects

• Retain oversight of the end-to-end process, including scoping of pre-commercial farmers in Limpopo, designing, proposing, obtaining approval for, tendering, and supervising a selection of TA providers and pool of expert consultants.
• Manage TA providers to ensure efficient and effective delivery, in line with planned objectives and budgets. This includes responsibility to kickstart new projects, introduce innovations and/or troubleshoot existing initiatives; ad-hoc and planned steering committee meetings; performance feedback and check in meetings etc.
• Identify and facilitate connections with experts which can provide specialist technical advice and/or direct TA provision where needed. Leverage and call-on this pool to plug gaps identified.
• Review project spend and progress against KPIs and planned activities regularly (at least monthly) to ensure planned activities are on track; raise key risks, challenges or highlights with Inclusive Investment Director and other relevant stakeholders, as needed
• Facilitate monitoring and assessment of TA delivery, quality and impact pre-commercial farmer and agri-lender operations; advising on areas for improvement and identifying need/opportunity for new interventions.

Monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) and influence of other stakeholders

• Manage relationships with MEL providers and review progress on tracking KPIs and outcomes. Share MEL results with supervisor and FCDO
• Proactively develop and share learnings with JET partners, potential donors and financiers, learning partners, TechnoServe’s Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness Technical Assistance Facility (CASA TAF) team, and external stakeholders and participate in broader knowledge exchange sessions
• Lead thinking on delivering against Theory of Change

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree plus 10 years of experience or a Masters degree or equivalent in business, international development, economics, agricultural economics, or relevant field with seven year’s experience in a senior management role in commercial agriculture, agribusiness development, or management consulting
• Experience overseeing operational, financial and technical areas of complex Programs, including hiring, training and supervision of local personnel and partners, workplan and financial management including budgeting and procurement
• Experience influencing senior management of corporate, finance or development finance institutions to achieve results
• Strong commercial and private sector experience and / or overall business acumen
• Proven Program management experience, including management of donor funded Programs
• Agriculture sector experience, including driving job creation initiatives.
• Experience designing and/or implementing climate adaptation and/or mitigation initiatives in the agriculture sector, ideally with some experience in influencing behaviour change related to climate smart agriculture practices
• Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English, including report writing and presentations.

Travel: This position will require up to 50% travel to the provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, South Africa

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge and experience of working alongside agri-lenders
• Demonstrated ability to work with government and donor organisations
• Experience with climate change related issues
• Understanding of the Just Energy Transition
• Experience in South Africa or comparable country in the region

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and demonstrated ability to influence others to adopt new approaches
• Demonstrated capacity to produce high quality reports and proposals
• Proactive and can work with limited direction
• Results oriented, with a proven track record of working to achieve project targets
• Proven ability to create buy-in and build consensus among colleagues and stakeholders
• Skilled in using business software (Excel, PowerPoint etc.)
• Ability to pivot, make quick and sound decisions when there are risks or change in priorities
• Has a strong sense of ownership, accountability and can-do attitude
• Demonstrated ability to manage executive teams and manage direct reports

NOTE: This position is pending donor funding. We are open to remote applicants for this position (including candidates from South Africa). Applicants must have work authorization from the country from which they are applying; TechnoServe will not provide sponsorship.

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.

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