SCOPE OF WORKAFRICA TRADE AND INVESTMENT ACTIVITY Position Title: Senior Director for Continental Operations PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE ON/ABOUT (FROM-TO) Date of Approval End of contract Level of Effort: Full time Contract Name: USAID Africa Trade and Investment Activity Contract No: 7200AA21C00056 Place of Performance: Nairobi, Kenya BACKGROUNDThe USAID Africa Trade and Investment (ATI) Activity is a continental-level procurement mechanism for the U.S Government.It's USAID's flagship effort in support of Prosper Africa, a Presidential-level national security initiative to strengthen strategic and economic partnership between the U.S. and African countries.
ATI works closely with USAID Missions across the African continent to design activities that unlock business opportunities for local and regional private-sector actors that drive trade and investment to, from, and within African markets.In line with USAID priorities, ATI's goal is to boost jobs, sales, and exports from African countries, with positive impact on incomes, women's empowerment, and overall economic growth, while decisively enabling U.S. firms invest into priority sectors, all while reducing malign influence on the continent.
POSITION DESCRIPTIONThe Senior Director for Continental Operations will lead the implementation of ATI's activities across Africa; this includes activities funded by Prosper Africa, USAID Washington (AFR and Operating Units), as well as USAID missions on continent.For this purpose, the Senior Director for Continental Operations will supervise the Regional Directors for Southern Africa, East Africa, West Africa, North Africa and US.
The focus of this role is to provide technical leadership to the teams overseeing the implementation of development interventions, ensuring seamless, efficient, compliant and outstanding service delivery, by ensuring that ATIs partners, both subcontractors and grantees, implement activities as agreed with ATI and produce tangible results.
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Leading annual work-planning and activity design; supporting buy-in development and scoping based on effective models to maximize impact; lead strategies to engage new and underutilized partners; supporting activity design and resources discussions in existing buy-ins and ensure compliant activity implementation.
Identifying and developing priority partnerships to create synergies between ATI and other ongoing trade- and investment-related activities in Africa, in close coordination with the Regional Directors.Serving as a senior representative for ATI in meetings with officials from USAID, other USG agencies and partners, governments, corporations, capital partners, and other key stakeholders across Africa.Managing and overseeing the work of the Regional Directors for Southern, East, West and North Africa and the pool of Activity Managers and Associates operating in ATI's regional offices.Leading cross-learning, engagement and collaboration between teams in the continent to leverage on expertise and experience honed from managing the different buy-ins/activities.Ensuring that the services delivered to USG and private sector partners are of the highest quality, that the organizational culture leads to high performance and that human resources are allocated and deployed in an efficient fashion.
Coordinating with other ATI departments to ensure that the delivery team has the support of the entire organization.Ensuring compliance, both among the staff under his/her supervision, as well as private sector partners.
REPORTING: This position is based in Kenya and reports to the ATI Chief of Party.
QUALIFICATIONS Master's degree and 10 years of experience, or bachelor's degree and 15 years of experience.In-depth knowledge of USAID's strategic priorities, policies and regulations.Minimum 7 years of experience working to develop and maintain strategic partnerships with US Government agencies, African government institutions, international and regional economic bodies in Africa, trade service providers, and other key ATI stakeholders.Experience providing targeted advisory assistance to the high-profile USG strategic priorities, demonstrating the acumen and awareness to work effectively in a deadline-driven and highly nuanced political environment.Experience and knowledge of trade and investment issues and how they link to US.
Government priorities, with the ability to identify trends and strategically adapt activities to improve impact.
Excellent interpersonal, diplomacy, and leadership skills, including the ability to manage relationships at the highest levels of government.
Demonstrated ability to motivate and lead a dynamic team of professionals across large geographies.
Application instructions: About DAI:DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide.
We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability.
DAI works on the frontlines of global development.
Transforming ideas into action—action into impact.
We are committed to shaping a more livable world.DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work.DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.DAI upholds the highest ethical standards.
We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches.
All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.