Practical Action - Africa Director by Oxford HR

AFRICA DIRECTOR March 2022

Practical Action - Africa Director

About Us We are an international development organisation putting ingenious ideas to work so people in poverty can change their world. We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems. Challenges made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. We work with communities to develop ingenious, lasting and locally owned solutions for agriculture, water and waste management, climate resilience and clean energy. And we share what works with others, so answers that start small can grow big. We’re a global change-making group, working with communities who are vulnerable to poverty and climate change to support them to change their world. Together we develop innovative, community powered and locally owned solutions that achieve transformative change in lives and livelihoods. And we work with a range of partners, including governments, business and international organisations to ensure improvements are sustained and scaled and to change the systems that keep people poor and vulnerable. We were founded in 1969 by radical economist EF Schumacher who challenged the development thinking of the time. He believed in solutions suited to context, equipping people with the skills and knowledge to change their situation, economic systems that work for all and living within the planets means. This ethos continues to fuel all our work. Schumacher was the author of ‘Small is Beautiful: A study of economics as if people mattered’. In our work we start ‘small’, ensuring we understand what is already working but we aim big focussing on what will deliver the systems change required. We have over 50 years of experience working across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Our group consists of a UK registered charity with experienced country teams, an expert consulting service and an independent development publishing company. We combine these specialisms to multiply our impact and help shape a world that works better for everyone.

Practical Action - Africa Director

Our aims We work across four thematic areas. Much of our most impactful work combines our expertise across issues to solve complex and interconnected problems such as supporting smallholder farmers with renewable energy to increase yields and open up bigger opportunities for the wider economy. Harnessing energy that transforms for the one billion people without electricity, and the three billion people without clean cooking solutions. We’re supporting rural communities, displaced people, energy providers and decision makers to put clean energy to work. By 2025, our work with partners will have led to affordable, low-carbon energy access and cleaner cooking for two million people in ‘last mile’ communities and 18 million people through wider systems change. Building resilience that protects for vulnerable people whose lives and livelihoods are threatened by climate change. We’re working to reduce vulnerability and impacts and support people to adapt so that they can continue to thrive in the future. By 2025, 0ur work with partners will have enhanced adaptive approaches so that four million people are better protected against current and future hazards.

Practical Action - Africa Director

Our aims Making cities fit for people for the millions of people living in urban slums and settlements without proper sanitation, clean water and waste services. Our work with communities is making cities in poorer countries cleaner, healthier, fairer places for people to live and work, with clean water for drinking and sewage safely contained, collected and processed. By 2025, our work with partners will have led to improved water, sanitation and waste management services for one million people living in slum communities and a further 2.4 million people through wider systems change. Cultivating farming that works for smallholder farmers struggling to make a sufficient income and adapt to the negative effects of climate change. We’re teaming up with smallholder farmers, many of whom are women, so they can adapt to climate change and achieve a good standard of living. By 2025, our work with partners will have improved food security and incomes for two million people in rural communities and a further one million people through wider systems change.

Practical Action - Africa Director

Our International Organisation

Key Global Management team Strategic Leadership Team (includes Global Management team)

Chief Executive Officer

Director of Finance and Services

Director of Influence and Impact

Director of Fundraising Marketing and Communications

See other functional organisation chart for direct reports under these Directors.

Africa Director

International Director

Kenya Country Director

Latin America Regional Director

Zimbabwe Country Director

South Asia Regional Director

Sudan Country Director

Bangladesh Country Director

West Africa Regional Director

Head of International Operations

Rwanda Country Director

Head of Practical Action Consulting International Coordinator International Operations

Practical Action - Africa Director

The Role

Title:

Africa Director

Reports to:

CEO

Direct Reports:

Country Director Kenya, Zimbabwe & Sudan, Regional Director West Africa, Country Manager Rwanda

Relationships: Regional & Country Directors; CEO, Leadership Team, Fundraising, People & Culture, Communications, Impact and Influence, Finance, external donors and strategic partners

Practical Action - Africa Director

Budget scope:

Oversight of a growing Africa regional portfolio, currently approx £10m p.a.

Location:

Africa, preferably one of the countries where Practical Action has an office (Kenya, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Senegal)

Duration:

5 years with potential for renewal

Travel:

Significant international travel, particularly within Africa and to the UK

Practical Action - Africa Director

About the Role The post holder of this new strategic role will provide the vision and leadership for our work across Africa and operate as a member of the Global Leadership Team to drive the global strategy, reporting to the CEO. The post holder will have a strong understanding of the regional context and develop a range of high-impact strategic partnerships and funding relationships that willl enable us to deliver our ambitious strategy in Africa. The Africa Director will manage five Country/Sub regional Directors based in Africa (Zimbabwe, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan amd West Africa, ensuring cohesion and high quality delivery across country offices and supporting senior staff to reach their full potential. Over the course of 2022 we will develop a small team (initially two people) to support high quality programme delivery and partnership development across the region.

Practical Action - Africa Director

Terms and Conditions You will join a high performing team of leaders, all committed to making the world work better for everyone. You will experience and contribute to a friendly and supportive culture, working with values driven and highly engaged teams. In addition, we offer the following benefits: • • • • • • • •

A fair and competitive salary Full time hours of 35 per week Minimum 25 days’ annual leave, in addition to public holidays An attractive pension scheme (through either a salary allowance or opportunity to join a pension scheme) Group travel, life and accident cover Depending on the location, group in-patient and out-patient medical cover Family friendly policies, including maternity and paternity leave Access to the global Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

We treat all applications for employment on their merits and do not take into consideration any factors that are not relevant to the job such as disability, race, age, religion, gender, gender reassignment or sexual orientation. Practical Action are committed to safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults and as such candidates will be subject to preemployment checks, including criminal checks and terrorist financing. The preferred location for this role is one of the countries where Practical Action has an office (Kenya, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Senegal). Practical Action would consider someone working from home in another African country with good international travel. Candidates must have the pre-existing right to both live and work in the country of base. Our offer would be subject to: • A six month probationary period • At least two satisfactory employment references covering at least the last three years of employment history and including the most recent employer

Practical Action - Africa Director

Accountabilities Strategic Leadership • Lead the strategic planning of our work across Africa and, as a member of the Global Leadership Team, help develop and drive the global strategy to increase scale and impact. Provide thought leadership on key issues at the highest organisational level. • Maintain a good understanding of the external context and link with relevant organisations and alliances to develop bold collaborations in Africa, linking to work in other regions to maximise our global impact. • Ensure that systems and other strategic analysis leads to identification of the most impacful roles and partnerships to achieve and fund our mission in Africa and that these are well aligned with global strategy, Sustainable Development Goals and the relevant countries’ development agendas and strategies. • Oversee the development of high quality proposals for programmes, consultancies and partnerships at national and regional levels that move forward regional and global priorities. • Ensure that all coutries within the region develop and implement viable, strategic business plans based on entrepreneurial ways of working and maximise the relevance of our work to people and development in Africa. Generating Income and Nurturing Relationships • Raise Practical Action’s profile through effective influencing and advocacy, being an ambassador for the organisation and representing Practical Action at appropriate regional events and networks to enhance Practical Action’s local and global reputation and brand. • Provide vision and leadership for an ambitious and feasible fundraising strategy and plan for Africa. • Foster and lead a broad spectrum of regional, multilateral and individual partnerships with governments, partners, private sector, civil society and development donors that support our fundraising strategy and strategic vision for programmes and consultancy work within and outside Africa that will deliver well-funded high-impact partnerships for systems change.

Practical Action - Africa Director

Accountabilities •

•

Support Country Directors to achieve their agreed annual income, cost and efficiency plans including where necessary the negotiation of funding agreements and the development of new business (income streams, strategic partnerships, grants, donors) across the region. Identify and manage the regions opportunities and risks, particularly those involving public relations, contractual commitments, partnerships, key staff, finance and cash management.

People, Capabilities and Leadership • Build, oversee and mentor a high performing Country Director team, providing strategic leadership, oversight and demonstrating qualities and behaviours that foster a highly effective, solutions oriented, entrepreneurial and impact driven Africa leadership team. • Create a culture of collaboration, ingenuity, and engagement with high standards of accountability and performance for maximum impact. • Design a lean, fit-for-purpose structure across the region, sharing resources and services in an efficient manner, to ensure appropriate and effective staffing levels that meet the regions needs. • Enable strategic and purposeful learning to continuously improve our work and inspire senior staff to reach their full potential. • Develop an effective approach to people and performance through Practical Actions’ Be Your Best (appraisal) process to create strategic alignment of individual objectives, offer focus and feedback on performance and encourage professional growth. • Promote our ethics and values as set out in relevant policies including Code of Conduct, Conflict of Interest, Diversity and Dignity at Work, Financial Crime and other policies. • Create an inclusive and equitable working environment in which everyone is accepted and respected, regardless of differences and where everyone’s contribution is valued and respected. • Ensure that Country Directors, and other accountable staff, implement and maintain Safeguarding practices in accordance with global policies and frameworks to mitigate risk and create a culture in which people feel safe to report concerns.

Practical Action - Africa Director

Accountabilities Delivering Performance • Lead and manage a team of Directors to ensure that the delivery of programmes, consultancies, influencing and knowledge work is effective, compliant with relevant policies and procedures and achieves sustainable large-scale transformative systems change. • Provide high-level oversight of key areas of regional performance, opportunity and risk and regularly report on regional performance to the Global Leadership Team and Board of Trustees, using data analytics and commentary. • Be accountable for monitoring, achieving and reporting on regional KPIs, impact and project indicators, promoting a culture of continuous learning to improve accountability and impact. • Oversee the proper functioning of controls in finance, People and Culture, logistics/procurement, administration, communications, reporting and M&E in accordance with policy. • Monitor the implementation of findings and recommendations from audits and evaluations. • Ensure that safety & security management policies and procedures are applied throughout the region.

Practical Action - Africa Director

Person Profile To be successful in the role, the ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate: Experience & Knowledge • Significant experience in the development field and/or consultancy sector, including at a senior management level in a complex global organisation, bringing perspectives and views from regional context to overall strategy and leadership. • Proven track record of leading portfolio growth. • Experience of developing and leading ambitious, viable strategies. • Masters level qualification or equivalent professional experience • Excellent knowledge of the Africa context, ideally related to: energy, agriculture, WASH & Waste Management and/or climate & resilience. • Experience managing a cross-cultural team in Africa with lived experience and knowledge of political-economic realities and cultural diversity across key countries in Africa. • Strong track record in creating strategies collaboratively across diverse teams and networks and developing high profile external representation and building strategic partnerships for high impact. • Experience of managing a high performing team to achieve results and ability to drive change processes, bringing people along on the journey. • Proven track record of managing multi-million pound portfolios, ensuring business viability, budgets compliance, delivery and controls. • High calibre representation and leadership in partnership building. • Ability to manage multiple responsibilities and to set priorities. • Excellent written & verbal communications skills: English and one other language commonly spoken in Africa. • A sound understanding of and commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, including gender. • Commitment to Practical Action’s vision, mission and values. • Ability to travel regularly between countries in Africa and to the UK

Practical Action - Africa Director

How to Apply All correspondence, at this stage, should be via Oxford HR. Before applying, please check that you can answer yes to all the following questions: • • • • •

Do you have significant experience in the development field and/or consultancy sector in Africa, including at a senior management level? Do you have excellent knowledge of the Africa context, and relevant networks, ideally related to at least one of the following: energy, agriculture, WASH & Waste Management and/or climate & resilience? Do you have a proven track record of leading portfolio growth and managing multi-million pound portfolios, ensuring business viability, budgets compliance, delivery and controls? Do you have experience managing a cross-cultural team in Africa with lived experience and knowledge of political-economic realities and cultural diversity across key countries in Africa? Do you have the right to work in the African country where you live?

If you cannot answer yes to these questions, please do not apply, as we will be unable to progress your application. If you can answer yes to all the above questions, then please click here to apply. To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button on the job advert page, complete our online application form, and submit your CV and cover letter in two different documents. The CV should be upto-date and no more than 2-3 pages. The documents should be saved in MS Word in the following format: Your First Name-Your Last Name-Document Name-Date (mmyy) -Organisation e.g., Sara-Musa-CV-0422-Practical Action or Sara-MusaCoverLetter-0422- Practical Action.

Practical Action - Africa Director

How to Apply

The cover letter should be no more than 2 pages long – bullet points are acceptable. It should explain: • • •

why you are interested in this role. why you are interested in Practical Action how your skills and experience make you a good fit for the role.

For guidance on preparing a statement, please see here. Timeline Closing Date: Preliminary interviews with Oxford HR: Client interviews: Final panel interviews:

8th May Week of 23rd May 9/10th June 22nd June

Applications will be assessed on an ongoing basis and early application is recommended.

Selection process All candidates will receive an update regarding their application after the closing date. We advise candidates to add the role email to their safe senders list and regularly check their spam folder. Shortlisted candidates may be required to undertake an additional assessment prior to the final interview. Equality Statement Equality and diversity are at the core of Practical Action values. Staff are expected to work collectively and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others from a variety of backgrounds, where the work of others is valued and respected. Queries If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information, or would like to have an informal discussion, please email at pa-africa-director@oxfordhr.co.uk in the first instance.

Practical Action - Africa Director

About Oxford HR Oxford HR operates globally - mainly within the international development and charity sectors. We carry out retained executive search mandates at board and senior management levels. We also offer human resource and organisational development consultancy. Oxford HR has many years of experience in search as well as an extensive network of international development, social sector, corporate, public sector, and academic contacts from across the world. We carry out comprehensive and often international searches designed to meet the specific needs of our client.

Practical Action - Africa Director

OXFORD

LONDON

AMSTERDAM

NAIROBI

46 Woodstock Road

5 Tanner Street

Korte Schimmelstraat 12

Workify Africa

Oxford

Bermondsey

1053 SZ

ABC Place

OX2 6HT

London

Amsterdam

Waiyaki way

SE1 3LE

Nairobi

United Kingdom

The Netherlands

Kenya

+44 (0) 1865 985 457

+44 (0)20 7939 7451

+31 (0) 683 334 473

+254 (0) 797 233 217

www.oxfordhr.co.uk | Company No. 6456325

Practical Action - Africa Director