Country Director, South Africa

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of business and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are amazing...when incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they are able to access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off.

**Program Overview**

We have been active in South Africa since 2003 and have worked extensively with small, micro, or medium enterprise (SMMEs), as well as emerging farmers. Our current portfolio of programmes includes the flagship Anglo American Zimele programme through which we support businesses in mine-neighboring communities, in the Limpopo, North West, Northern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces. The programme supports jobs through three complementary and synergistic pillars - supplier development, enterprise development and youth development. TechnoServe has partnered with Anglo American since 2018 to deliver the Zimele programme.

We have partnered with the Citi Foundation in the creation and implementation of the Youth Ideas Development (YID) programmes since 2019. The 12-month Enterprise Development programme aims to cultivate entrepreneurship and create job opportunities for South African youth. Now in its fourth iteration, the programme currently focuses on têxtiles.

In 2021, the Youth and Women Business in Tech, funded by the South African Future Trust was launched. It is an 18-month survival to recovery programme that is aimed at supporting technology businesses in the Gauteng province. The programme equips participants with tools and knowledge in order for them to sustain operations during difficult periods, such as COVID, and beyond.

In 2020, TechnoServe in South Africa supported 556 beneficiaries to gain financial benefits of $17,1M (R250M) and we mobilized finance of $993k (R14,5M). A large proportion of the beneficiaries were SMMEs and 40% percent were women or women-led businesses.
**Job Summary**:
The Country Director is the heart of our organization and must successfully function at many different levels at once. The Country Director is simultaneously a diplomat, networker, sales person, program, finance and people managers, often serving in all of these roles in any one day. It is one of the most difficult roles in our organization, but also one of the most rewarding for its direct impact on making the world a better place.

The Country Director leads all aspects of TechnoServe’s country level strategic branding, fundraising, and operations to achieve sustainable economic development in a cost-effective manner. This position serves as TechnoServe’s in-country legal representative and provides overall management of TechnoServe South Africa including HR, procurement, finance and operations, ensuring efficient and effective and high quality implementation of programs, compliance with all donor and local legal requirements as well as TechnoServe policies and regulations.

The Country Director also serves as an important link between the country office and our headquarters in the US. S/he provides context rich communications and are critical advocates for building and maintaining a culture in line with our strategy and values.

The Country Director generally has knowledge or expertise in one or more of TechnoServe’s technical areas of excellence so that S/he can credibly represent the organization. However, the Country Director often focuses his/her time much more on business development, program management, and people management than on serving as a technical advisor.
**Primary Functions & Responsibilities**:
The Country Director is expected to effectively manage all aspects of country operations including:

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Program Oversight:_** Coaching and supervising leaders and managers of programs for successful delivery of results; ensuring timely submission of internal reports and corporate measurement; ensuring timely submission of high quality donor reports with support of the divisional back-stopping team; supporting country-level adaptation and use of program management tools; and working with program staff to identify and address technical assistance needs.
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Zimele Program Management:_** Lead the Zimele regional market linkages strategy for supplier development and enterprise development (non Anglo American