Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites applications for a Country Director, Tanzania to join our dedicated and talented MEDA team in our mission to create business solutions to poverty!

MEDA’s work is built on a foundation of Mennonite business roots and faith-based values, within the global context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We believe business solutions are effective interventions to address poverty. Through a market-systems approach and strategic partnerships, MEDA enables access to finance and provides business and technical expertise to build transformative agri-food market systems that create decent jobs, allowing traditionally excluded groups to become active participants in a sustainable economy. MEDA welcomes all who share our values and want to join us in our mission. To find out more about MEDA, please visit our website at www.meda.org. 

PROJECT DESCRIPTION 

The Feminist Entrepreneurs Growing Green Economies is a 6-year, CAD 19.2M project whereby MEDA will contribute to strengthening the Small-and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) sector in Tanzania’s drylands and semi-arid areas.  The project will specifically support women-led and women-serving businesses to improve business capacity, formalize and strengthen supply chain relationships, access finance for growth and adopt climate-smart processes and technologies.  Working with these SMEs, the project will reach small-scale farmers, helping them improve their business skills, adopt climate–smart technology, and increase gender equality and social inclusion.  The project will partner with enabling environment actors, including member-based organizations, business hubs, and incubators, to facilitate a business environment that is more inclusive and supportive of women in business and advances gender equality.

POSITION SUMMARY 

The Country Director (CD) drives MEDA’s strategic, programmatic and business development results at the country level. The CD represents MEDA interests in-country and ensures full legal compliance of MEDA’s operations. Depending on MEDA’s operations in a particular country, the CD is responsible for one large-scale economic development program and/or a portfolio of mid-level initiatives. In the latter case, the Country Director would provide management oversight to a dedicated Country Project Manager(s). The CD leads on operationalizing MEDA’s country strategy, which establishes the long-term economic development impact to which MEDA will contribute, geographic and sector focus, the partnerships that are critical to success of the strategy and specific project opportunities through which the long-term program will be operationalized. The Country Director leads MEDA’s partnership and new business development in the country, building strategic relationships that will be key to delivering sustainable development impact.

• Job Status: Full-time 2-year renewable contract
• Start Date:   June 2021
• Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
• Criteria: Opportunity is available for national and international applicants 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

Strategy, Partnership and Business Development (20%)

• Responsible for executing MEDA’s country strategy and ensuring alignment with regional and/or corporate strategies
• Raise MEDA’s profile in country and contribute to the positioning of MEDA as a leader in building transformative agri-food market systems that create decent work among development stakeholders, including public, private, civil society and INGO actors.
• Identify and foster partnerships with agri-food market actors to co-create long-term impact-focused initiatives that align with MEDA’s overall strategy and with the development aims of the country
• Prepare regular intelligence briefings to inform MEDA’s country strategy and partnership and business development activities in country 

Project Implementation (60%)

• Lead country teams with full accountability for portfolio results
• Prepare and/or review and approve annual workplans and budgets, track and manage performance against targets, actively manage variances, and identify areas for improvement or adaptation.
• Ensure implementation adheres to donor contractual requirements, MEDA’s strategic objectives, and MEDA’s policy and procedures.
• Ensure timely preparation, review and submission of financial and narrative reports
• Provide oversight to project finance systems and processes including the review and authorization of transactions, observing strong financial controls, and minimizing exposure to risk
• Ensuring effective and efficient management of project’s planning, monitoring, evaluation, performance and reporting requirements and timelines
• Active management of client, subcontractor and direct/indirect partner relationships
• Lead and manage the performance of staff ensuring acquisition, retention and development of a strong team
• Communicate the overall objectives of the long-term program so that each staff member aligns her/his work accordingly
• Communicate with program management, technical, human capital, finance and legal staff based in North America to ensure effective project implementation

Representation and Compliance Management (20%)

• Act as MEDA’s in-country representative for financial, legal and key relationship management matters
• Ensure country operations are compliant with local laws, the Project Contribution Agreement, and MEDA’s policies, procedures and standards in coordination with MEDA Finance, Legal and Human Capital
• Implement MEDA security protocols

REQUIREMENTS

Education: University degree (ideally Master’s) in International Development, Business Administration or related field.

Experience: Proven track record of at least ten years of senior-level leadership and management of complex, large-scale, multi-million dollar economic and enterprise development initiatives (or similar private sector experience). Experience in strategic planning, convening multiple stakeholders for collaborative achievement, guiding multiple working groups toward a unified goal.

Technical: Project and professional management experience, staff management experience, overseas and/or international experience relevant to the region, experience with donors, bi- and multi-lateral government agencies, relevant government agencies, non-governmental organizations and other development agencies. 

Project Requirements: Experience/expertise in at least one of MEDA’s areas of technical focus, including market systems, investment, vulnerable populations, financial services, blended finance, SME financial services and environment/climate change.

Additional Qualifications: 

• Appreciation and support of MEDA’s mission, vision and values  
• Understanding and appreciation of business principles, international development and MEDA’s approach of creating business solutions to poverty
• Fluency (written and verbal) in English is required. Working knowledge of Swahili is desirable
• Proven team leadership abilities in a country office environment and demonstrated collaborative relationships with North American-based HQ specialists and management
• Functional experience in marketing, business planning, business growth advisory service or related areas
• Proven ability to mobilize stakeholders into partnerships and alliances, lead and facilitate collaborative processes
• Demonstrated private sector experience is desirable
• Experience with development program start-up is preferred
• Demonstrated donor relations reporting, relationship management and ability to monitor grants
• Excellent report writing and review skills
• Prior work experience in Tanzania or similar country context is preferred
• Legally able to work in Tanzania

APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 20, 2021 @ 4:00 pm EST.

MEDA is an equal opportunity employer and accommodations are available during all phases of the recruitment process. We ask that any applicants requiring accommodation make their needs known in advance.