East Africa Director

Job Description

Location: Nairobi, Kenya preferred; Kampala, Uganda or Dar es Salaam, Tanzania may be considered.

Type: Fully remote with travel to in-person meetings and events

Reports to: President

Hours per week (average): 40 (full time)

Our Vision and Mission – WomenLift Health envisions a world where diverse, accomplished leaders collectively transform health outcomes. To realize that vision, we seek to expand the power and influence of talented mid-career women in health and engage with senior institutional and societal leaders to catalyze systemic change in health leadership. We work in 20 countries across East Africa, Southern Africa, North America and in India and Nigeria and continue to explore outreach to other regions. 

Our Work – Established in 2019, we work to advance equality in health leadership through a range of actions at the individual, institutional, and societal levels. This includes a portfolio of leadership development programs which equip mid-career women with tools, along with peer, mentor and coach support, to successfully use their voice, expertise and leadership for impact. It includes engaging in partnerships with senior leaders in health institutions and supporting/convening global, regional and national conversations about the importance of women’s leadership, amplifying the voices of health leaders.  

Our Culture and Values 

We are an entrepreneurial team of people who bring diverse cultural and technical perspectives and experiences. We welcome results-oriented problem-solvers of any nationality, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, and disability. We are a growing organization that is committed to achieving impact in global health and gender equality by: 

• Being trustworthy, compassionate and accountable to ourselves, our partners, and the women we serve.
• Fostering a spirit of learning to grow individually and collectively by creating space for curiosity and failing forward.
• Investing in a diverse and collaborative culture that celebrates boldness, inclusion, and respect.
• Pioneering evidence-based action that is locally grounded and globally shared.

Position Summary

WomenLift Health is seeking an experienced, strategic, innovative, and dynamic Director to design, lead, grow, and implement the WomenLift Health strategy in the East Africa region serving Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and expanding to serve Ethiopia. The East Africa Director will be responsible for leading the strategy to elevate the voice and influence of women leaders in health in the East Africa region, to influence systemic change in organizations and to contribute to advancing women leaders in the health sector to improve health outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Management and Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership for the East Africa Regional Hub, including establishing and growing WomenLift Health’s presence and partnerships in East Africa and developing and implementing the East Africa strategy including overseeing the budget and operations.
• Working in a matrix structure, lead an inspired, high performing, inclusive and diverse team of 5-7 people and contribute to sustaining the WomenLift Health culture.
• actively participate in global management decisions regarding the growth, strategy and priorities of WomenLift Health and provide guidance to the President and other senior leaders on strategic opportunities.
• In alignment with the WomenLift Health Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning strategy, oversee monitoring and evaluation in East Africa, ensuring accurate data for purposes of reporting, program improvement and donor accountability.
• Serve as the WomenLift Health’s representative for East Africa and other regions as appropriate in interviews, panels, events, and other forums.
• Work collaboratively with other hubs and regions to ensure alignment of strategic goals and activities. 

Strategy Development and Implementation: Programs, Partners, and Brand

• Lead the East Africa regional team to refine, implement and monitor the contextualized WomenLift Health strategy and program implementation plan.
  • The program strategy will both align with and contribute to global and cross-regional plans.
• Contribute to societal acceptance of women’s leadership and gender equality.
• Develop partnerships with key leaders and regional, national, and sub-national organizations in East Africa to advance women’s leadership and gender equality in health.
• With support from the Communications and Engagement Director, oversee the development and implementation of a strategic communication plan that will promote key messaging on women’s leadership in health in the region.
• Design and implement platforms to raise the visibility of women leaders and male allies and establish the WomenLift Health brand.
• Partner with fellow regional Directors and functional teams to design new programs and projects, share learning, engage, and manage implementing partners, and build shared capacity.

Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Ability

• Minimum 15 years’ work experience in the health or development sector, or leadership field including 10 years of regional or global experience leading the development of strategy for and execution of projects of comparable size/complexity.
• Master’s degree required. Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree and 17 years of progressively responsible experience will also be considered.
• Minimum of 10 years leading and managing a team.
• Experience working across multiple countries in the East Africa region.
• Demonstrated impact designing and implementing a complex regional strategy.
• Established network of personal and institutional relationships in health in East Africa.
• Strong influencing, negotiating and relationship management (diplomatic?) skills, including successfully engaging and influencing high-level leaders and partners.
• Proven ability to grow, manage, leverage, and sustain a diverse and multi-cultural team.
• Proven ability to thrive in an entrepreneurial environment that requires initiative, flexibility, ingenuity, and resilience.
• Outstanding communications skills, including the ability to work across cultures and geographies at all levels and for all audiences.

Valued and Non-Essential Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Ability

• Additional language, especially French.

How to Apply

To apply, submit resume and cover letter to the career page. Please also include 3 professional references and desired annual salary in USD.

Hiring Statement

WomenLift Health is a project of New Venture Fund (NVF), a 501(c)(3) public charity that incubates new and innovative public-interest projects and grant-making programs. NVF is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential. NVF’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.

WomenLift Health intends to hire the selected candidate employment via a PEO (Professional Employer Organization)/host partner in Kenya or other East African country. The candidate must live and be authorized to work in the countries specified.

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