Regional Director Africa
2026-03-05T09:35:43+00:00
Feed the Children
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https://www.feedthechildren.org/our-work/around-the-world/
FULL_TIME
Lusaka
Lusaka
10101
Zambia
Nonprofit, and NGO
Management, Business Operations, Social Services & Nonprofit
2026-03-15T17:00:00+00:00
8
The Regional Director position provides overall direction and leadership to the Africa program teams. The incumbent will have strategic and operational responsibility for formulating, supervising, and managing the regional programs and for playing a major role in developing the department’s policies. The position will be a part of the Senior Management team that drives the strategy for the organization and represents Feed International on a global basis.
This role reports to the President of Feed International.
Responsibilities or duties
Program Leadership & Management (60%)
- Develop and implement a revised regional plan, including an appropriate operational plan and staffing structure to ensure alignment with the vision of the organization and ensure optimum delivery, and organizational impact.
- Lead change initiatives in collaboration with regional and country teams, promoting organizational agility and distributed leadership. Drive structural enhancements to optimize operational models.
- Provide oversight to program strategy, design, planning, budgeting and MEAL (monitoring, evaluation, assessment & learning) in the region.
- Responsible for setting regional program goals, strategies, and performance metrics.
- Drive continuous improvement in program quality and support strengthening capacity, operations, and results across the region to ensure ongoing programmatic excellence
- Oversee the planning, development, and reporting of all programmatic activities and operations to maximize programmatic and organizational impact.
- Manage, develop, coach, and retain high-performance team members, empowering them to elevate their level of responsibility, span of control, and performance.
- Work with the staff to develop systems to ensure consistent, high-quality project management.
- Provide leadership in the development of inter-team communication and cohesiveness, sustaining culture and supporting staff during organizational growth.
- Work with the Country Directors and program teams in the review and presentation of unsolicited proposals.
- Work with the program teams in responding to non-routine grant status reports and budget changes.
- Work with the Grants Manager to develop and maintain appropriate grant tracking and reporting.
- Ensure the effective and timely delivery of all program funder requirements, reports, and agreements.
- Actively participate in the Senior Management Team, providing strategic program and field perspective and contributing to the development and implementation of shared global strategies and priorities.
- Ensure program operations comply with organizational standards for safety and security, child protection, and the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.
Business Development and External Relationships (20%)
- Champion business development efforts, including donor mapping and fundraising strategies. Ensure alignment with programmatic needs and sustainable growth objectives.
- Working with Business Development, ensure proposal design, development, planning, and budgeting by program staff to enable timely submission of grants and contract agreements.
- Identify and participate in key fora, events, and representation opportunities to raise organizational visibility and facilitate networking / strategic engagements with funders and partners.
- Expand revenue generating and fundraising activities to support existing programs and the growth of the organization; cultivate existing relationships and develop new funder relationships.
- Building and maintaining partnerships with international organizations, governments, and stakeholders.
Finance (10%)
- Work with the VP of International Finance, Grants Manager, and other program staff to coordinate the timing and amount of planned grant payout with the availability of funds.
- Develop the annual operating budget for the department.
- Review monthly reports and address negative variances.
Knowledge Management (10%)
- Develop the necessary systems, processes, and tools to better support the facilitation, collection, and sharing of knowledge that is generated by the programs.
- Develop a dissemination system to share organizational learning with a broad range of communities.
- Ensure that key project outcomes and/or policy, advocacy, and legislation are evaluated and leveraged for maximum programmatic and organizational impact.
- Work collaboratively with the senior management team to integrate cross-program activities and functions.
- Ensuring that program teams have access to relevant research, best practices, and data. Promoting learning and knowledge sharing across the organization.
- Monitoring program impact and adjusting strategies based on evidence.
Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)
Experience needed
- Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., humanities or social sciences, international development, Public Health) or equivalent.
- 10+ years of experience managing NGO operations and programs, in international development or humanitarian operations, including a minimum of 8 years in developing countries.
- Demonstrated experience leading and empowering a diverse, cross-cultural senior management team with an emphasis on collaboration and accountability.
- Demonstrated experience in establishing strategic partnerships and alliances and serving in a senior representation role.
- Proven ability to support resource mobilization efforts and a track record of leading teams in strategy development and implementation, delivery of high-quality programs with demonstrated impact and results.
- Experience and success in management, teambuilding, and consensus building.
- Ability to work as a partner in a multi-cultural environment.
- Strong communication skills, both written and spoken.
- Ability to work under tight time constraints; and · Ability to translate conceptual direction into concrete grant plans.
- Strong analytical and writing skills.
- The ability to think and work strategically with a wide range of senior leaders.
- Capacity to coordinate efforts involving various projects and multiple players.
- Ability to travel up to 30% of the time including upon occasion to remote locations with basic amenities.
- Flexibility to rapidly adjust prioritization of activities to changing contexts and requirements.
Any other provided details (e.g., benefits, work environment, team info, or additional notes)
BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)
Accountability:
- Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Feed the Children values
- Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved
Ambition:
- Sets ambitious and challenging personal and team goals, takes responsibility for own personal development, and encourages teams to do the same
- Widely shares personal vision for Feed the Children, engages and motivates others
- Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.
Collaboration:
- Builds and maintains effective relationships, with team, colleagues, Donors and external partners and supporters ·
- Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
- Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.
Creativity:
- Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
- Willing to take disciplined risks.
Integrity:
- Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity
* Develop and implement a revised regional plan, including an appropriate operational plan and staffing structure to ensure alignment with the vision of the organization and ensure optimum delivery, and organizational impact. * Lead change initiatives in collaboration with regional and country teams, promoting organizational agility and distributed leadership. Drive structural enhancements to optimize operational models. * Provide oversight to program strategy, design, planning, budgeting and MEAL (monitoring, evaluation, assessment & learning) in the region. * Responsible for setting regional program goals, strategies, and performance metrics. * Drive continuous improvement in program quality and support strengthening capacity, operations, and results across the region to ensure ongoing programmatic excellence * Oversee the planning, development, and reporting of all programmatic activities and operations to maximize programmatic and organizational impact. * Manage, develop, coach, and retain high-performance team members, empowering them to elevate their level of responsibility, span of control, and performance. * Work with the staff to develop systems to ensure consistent, high-quality project management. * Provide leadership in the development of inter-team communication and cohesiveness, sustaining culture and supporting staff during organizational growth. * Work with the Country Directors and program teams in the review and presentation of unsolicited proposals. * Work with the program teams in responding to non-routine grant status reports and budget changes. * Work with the Grants Manager to develop and maintain appropriate grant tracking and reporting. * Ensure the effective and timely delivery of all program funder requirements, reports, and agreements. * Actively participate in the Senior Management Team, providing strategic program and field perspective and contributing to the development and implementation of shared global strategies and priorities. * Ensure program operations comply with organizational standards for safety and security, child protection, and the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. * Champion business development efforts, including donor mapping and fundraising strategies. Ensure alignment with programmatic needs and sustainable growth objectives. * Working with Business Development, ensure proposal design, development, planning, and budgeting by program staff to enable timely submission of grants and contract agreements. * Identify and participate in key fora, events, and representation opportunities to raise organizational visibility and facilitate networking / strategic engagements with funders and partners. * Expand revenue generating and fundraising activities to support existing programs and the growth of the organization; cultivate existing relationships and develop new funder relationships. * Building and maintaining partnerships with international organizations, governments, and stakeholders. * Work with the VP of International Finance, Grants Manager, and other program staff to coordinate the timing and amount of planned grant payout with the availability of funds. * Develop the annual operating budget for the department. * Review monthly reports and address negative variances. * Develop the necessary systems, processes, and tools to better support the facilitation, collection, and sharing of knowledge that is generated by the programs. * Develop a dissemination system to share organizational learning with a broad range of communities. * Ensure that key project outcomes and/or policy, advocacy, and legislation are evaluated and leveraged for maximum programmatic and organizational impact. * Work collaboratively with the senior management team to integrate cross-program activities and functions. * Ensuring that program teams have access to relevant research, best practices, and data. Promoting learning and knowledge sharing across the organization. * Monitoring program impact and adjusting strategies based on evidence.
* Strategic planning * Operational management * Team leadership * Change management * Program strategy development * Budgeting * MEAL (monitoring, evaluation, assessment & learning) * Performance metrics setting * Capacity building * Project management * Team development and coaching * Inter-team communication * Proposal development * Grant management * Funder reporting * Senior Management Team participation * Safety and security protocols * Child protection * Prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse * Business development * Donor mapping * Fundraising strategies * Proposal design * Networking * Partnership building * Financial coordination * Budget development * Variance analysis * Knowledge management systems * Knowledge sharing * Dissemination systems * Policy evaluation * Advocacy * Legislation evaluation * Cross-program integration * Research utilization * Best practice implementation * Data analysis * Strategic thinking * Analytical skills * Writing skills * Communication skills (written and spoken) * Consensus building * Multicultural collaboration * Time management * Prioritization * Flexibility
* Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., humanities or social sciences, international development, Public Health) or equivalent. * 10+ years of experience managing NGO operations and programs, in international development or humanitarian operations, including a minimum of 8 years in developing countries. * Demonstrated experience leading and empowering a diverse, cross-cultural senior management team with an emphasis on collaboration and accountability. * Demonstrated experience in establishing strategic partnerships and alliances and serving in a senior representation role. * Proven ability to support resource mobilization efforts and a track record of leading teams in strategy development and implementation, delivery of high-quality programs with demonstrated impact and results. * Experience and success in management, teambuilding, and consensus building. * Ability to work as a partner in a multi-cultural environment. * Strong communication skills, both written and spoken. * Ability to work under tight time constraints. * Ability to translate conceptual direction into concrete grant plans. * Strong analytical and writing skills. * The ability to think and work strategically with a wide range of senior leaders. * Capacity to coordinate efforts involving various projects and multiple players. * Ability to travel up to 30% of the time including upon occasion to remote locations with basic amenities. * Flexibility to rapidly adjust prioritization of activities to changing contexts and requirements.
JOB-69a94e6fd91ac
Vacancy title:
Regional Director Africa
[Type: FULL_TIME, Industry: Nonprofit, and NGO, Category: Management, Business Operations, Social Services & Nonprofit]
Jobs at:
Feed the Children
Deadline of this Job:
Sunday, March 15 2026
Duty Station:
Lusaka | Lusaka
Summary
Date Posted: Thursday, March 5 2026, Base Salary: Not Disclosed
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JOB DETAILS:
The Regional Director position provides overall direction and leadership to the Africa program teams. The incumbent will have strategic and operational responsibility for formulating, supervising, and managing the regional programs and for playing a major role in developing the department’s policies. The position will be a part of the Senior Management team that drives the strategy for the organization and represents Feed International on a global basis.
This role reports to the President of Feed International.
Responsibilities or duties
Program Leadership & Management (60%)
- Develop and implement a revised regional plan, including an appropriate operational plan and staffing structure to ensure alignment with the vision of the organization and ensure optimum delivery, and organizational impact.
- Lead change initiatives in collaboration with regional and country teams, promoting organizational agility and distributed leadership. Drive structural enhancements to optimize operational models.
- Provide oversight to program strategy, design, planning, budgeting and MEAL (monitoring, evaluation, assessment & learning) in the region.
- Responsible for setting regional program goals, strategies, and performance metrics.
- Drive continuous improvement in program quality and support strengthening capacity, operations, and results across the region to ensure ongoing programmatic excellence
- Oversee the planning, development, and reporting of all programmatic activities and operations to maximize programmatic and organizational impact.
- Manage, develop, coach, and retain high-performance team members, empowering them to elevate their level of responsibility, span of control, and performance.
- Work with the staff to develop systems to ensure consistent, high-quality project management.
- Provide leadership in the development of inter-team communication and cohesiveness, sustaining culture and supporting staff during organizational growth.
- Work with the Country Directors and program teams in the review and presentation of unsolicited proposals.
- Work with the program teams in responding to non-routine grant status reports and budget changes.
- Work with the Grants Manager to develop and maintain appropriate grant tracking and reporting.
- Ensure the effective and timely delivery of all program funder requirements, reports, and agreements.
- Actively participate in the Senior Management Team, providing strategic program and field perspective and contributing to the development and implementation of shared global strategies and priorities.
- Ensure program operations comply with organizational standards for safety and security, child protection, and the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.
Business Development and External Relationships (20%)
- Champion business development efforts, including donor mapping and fundraising strategies. Ensure alignment with programmatic needs and sustainable growth objectives.
- Working with Business Development, ensure proposal design, development, planning, and budgeting by program staff to enable timely submission of grants and contract agreements.
- Identify and participate in key fora, events, and representation opportunities to raise organizational visibility and facilitate networking / strategic engagements with funders and partners.
- Expand revenue generating and fundraising activities to support existing programs and the growth of the organization; cultivate existing relationships and develop new funder relationships.
- Building and maintaining partnerships with international organizations, governments, and stakeholders.
Finance (10%)
- Work with the VP of International Finance, Grants Manager, and other program staff to coordinate the timing and amount of planned grant payout with the availability of funds.
- Develop the annual operating budget for the department.
- Review monthly reports and address negative variances.
Knowledge Management (10%)
- Develop the necessary systems, processes, and tools to better support the facilitation, collection, and sharing of knowledge that is generated by the programs.
- Develop a dissemination system to share organizational learning with a broad range of communities.
- Ensure that key project outcomes and/or policy, advocacy, and legislation are evaluated and leveraged for maximum programmatic and organizational impact.
- Work collaboratively with the senior management team to integrate cross-program activities and functions.
- Ensuring that program teams have access to relevant research, best practices, and data. Promoting learning and knowledge sharing across the organization.
- Monitoring program impact and adjusting strategies based on evidence.
Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)
Experience needed
- Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., humanities or social sciences, international development, Public Health) or equivalent.
- 10+ years of experience managing NGO operations and programs, in international development or humanitarian operations, including a minimum of 8 years in developing countries.
- Demonstrated experience leading and empowering a diverse, cross-cultural senior management team with an emphasis on collaboration and accountability.
- Demonstrated experience in establishing strategic partnerships and alliances and serving in a senior representation role.
- Proven ability to support resource mobilization efforts and a track record of leading teams in strategy development and implementation, delivery of high-quality programs with demonstrated impact and results.
- Experience and success in management, teambuilding, and consensus building.
- Ability to work as a partner in a multi-cultural environment.
- Strong communication skills, both written and spoken.
- Ability to work under tight time constraints; and · Ability to translate conceptual direction into concrete grant plans.
- Strong analytical and writing skills.
- The ability to think and work strategically with a wide range of senior leaders.
- Capacity to coordinate efforts involving various projects and multiple players.
- Ability to travel up to 30% of the time including upon occasion to remote locations with basic amenities.
- Flexibility to rapidly adjust prioritization of activities to changing contexts and requirements.
Any other provided details (e.g., benefits, work environment, team info, or additional notes)
BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)
Accountability:
- Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Feed the Children values
- Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved
Ambition:
- Sets ambitious and challenging personal and team goals, takes responsibility for own personal development, and encourages teams to do the same
- Widely shares personal vision for Feed the Children, engages and motivates others
- Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.
Collaboration:
- Builds and maintains effective relationships, with team, colleagues, Donors and external partners and supporters ·
- Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
- Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.
Creativity:
- Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
- Willing to take disciplined risks.
Integrity:
- Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity
Work Hours: 8
Experience in Months: 120
Level of Education: postgraduate degree
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