Senior Global Programs Director

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Senior Global Programs Director (SGPD) provides strategic leadership, oversight, and support to Spark’s Country Directors, ensuring high-quality, nationally scalable, and financially sustainable program delivery across all countries of operation. As a key member of the Global Programs Team, the SGPD strengthens program excellence, fosters cross-country learning, ensures strong operational performance, and aligns country strategies with Spark’s global vision and growth plans.

This role requires a seasoned leader with deep experience in international development, government relations, scaling programs, multi-country program oversight, team leadership, and operational management.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Programmatic strategy

Lead national-scale programs via policy adoption, financing, and program roll-out across Rwanda, Malawi, Ghana, Uganda, and potentially other countries.

Maintain and cultivate top-level national government relationships in support of the national program adoption, financing, and execution.

Establish in-country financing via the Government, the World Bank, bilateral partners, and co-financing.

Develop and implement programmatic strategy in alignment with Spark MicroGrants’ mission and goals.

Oversee the design and execution of all programmatic activities to ensure high-quality, impactful, and scalable initiatives.

Provide strategic direction and support to Country Directors to enhance country-specific strategies and operations.

Leadership management

Direct line management of and support to Country Directors, the Partnership and Systems Manager, and additional senior staff to lead their teams successfully.

Overall responsibility for program expansion, timelines, and budget management in line with annual and multi-year organizational strategies while maintaining quality.

Recruit, mentor, and support senior program staff, promoting professional growth and development.

Oversee Program implementation risk mitigation

Oversee quality assurance and surge support to partner selection, onboarding, and ongoing management. Update partner management system and procedures as required.

Ensure program compliance with safeguarding policy and best practice

Program design and innovation

Support the Program Design team to test and streamline program innovations.

Facilitate the integration of learnings into design conversations.

Oversee the implementation of the Program Design Standard Operating Procedures

Financial Oversight

Manage program budgets to ensure consistency with strategic priorities, donor commitments, and available funding.

Ensure the program team makes cost-effective use of resources and adheres to financial policies and procedures.

Review program expenditure with an eye towards streamlined costing across programs and optimizing for program ROI.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Qualifications, experience & skills:

Minimum 12 years of relevant experience, such as in partnership management, people management and program implementation;

5+ years managing senior leaders (e.g., Country Directors or equivalent)

Proven track record of government engagement and policy influencing;

Demonstrated experience in leading organisations;

Strong understanding of monitoring and evaluation, finance and operations and grant management;

Masters Degree in the field of International Development, Social Sciences, Economics, Management or related fields;

Excellent track record in designing and managing rural development programs;

Strong project management skills and attention to detail are required;

Proven track record of leading successful resource mobilization

Excellent English written and oral communication

Other information

Job Location: Kigali, Rwanda; Lilongwe, Malawi; Accra, Ghana ( other remote location within East and Southern Arica may be considered)

Application Closing Date: Rolling Basis

Follow the link to apply: https://sparkmicrogrants.bamboohr.com/careers/166