Regional Director

Regional Director, East Africa

Background

Itad is a global consultancy united by a strong set of values and a common purpose: to help build a more equitable and sustainable world for all. We do this by providing expert monitoring, evaluation, learning and strategy services that help organisations create positive lasting social, economic and environmental change.

For 40-years, we have collaborated with governments, foundations, businesses and global alliances to generate the evidence needed to understand the impact of their work and improve their performance. Our clients include (FCDO, Gates Foundation, CIFF, Mastercard, WFP, UN Agencies). In all our work, we are committed to equity, inclusiveness and technical excellence to meet the highest professional and ethical standards. We have a double bottom line, focused on driving positive change for people and for the planet, whilst remaining commercially sustainable.

Itad currently has offices in Brighton, UK, and in Washington DC, and delivers its services through a combination of internal staff and external experts, and by partnership with an array of suppliers.  We are a multi-sectoral organisation and manage our technical delivery through three practices: Human Development, Inclusive Growth and Climate Change, and Fragile and Conflict Affected Settings.

After a period of rapid growth, Itad is seeking to strengthen its offer to its existing client base and diversify from Itad’s traditional markets to develop new business in East Africa. To do so, the Regional Director will help us deepen strong and equitable partnerships with regional actors who can help Itad provide quality services to its clients. They will also develop  Itad Kenya’s operational and technical capability to provide competitive MERL services across the region. The Regional Director will lead this strategy supported by Itad’s leadership, and its business development team.

This is a unique opportunity within Itad and provides an exciting opportunity to be part of shaping Itad’s future, and its 2030 strategy.

Location: Nairobi, Kenya/Hybrid

Contract: Permanent, full time

Hours: 37.5

Salary: Competitive

Key Responsibilities:

Strategy

Working closely with Itad leadership, you will take the lead for the development and implementation of Itad’s new East African Strategy, coordinating support for the strategy from Itad’s practices and business units.

Trusted Advisor

You will be able to build meaningful relationships with new and existing clients. You will have a deep understanding of Itad clients, the way they work and their priorities, and your clients will value their relationship with you.  You will contribute to Itad’s strong track record generating and maintaining a strong pipeline of new projects, by responding to tenders with competitive and high quality proposals, and by generating new business through active sales to new and existing clients, in these ways:

Sales: In collaboration with Itad’s business development and communications’ experts, you will execute a sales strategy, maintaining an adaptive landscape analysis based on intelligence from across Itad’s networks, executing a regional marketing and communication plan, developing knowledge products for the regional market, and co-leading regional client accounts.

Proposals: You will also support the development of proposals and bids for new projects which relate to our work in the region, working closely with Itad’s business development team throughout each step of the business development  process to ensure collaboration and effective practices. Typical business development processes encompass gathering business intelligence on upcoming opportunities to leading capture efforts and managing proposal development as a prime or sub-contractor.

Equitable partnerships

You will be equipped to leverage Itad’s networks of contacts within the Kenya market, including external consultants and partners, to create added value for clients and support Itad’s regional strategy.  As an effective and experienced networker, you will have an existing network of relevant contacts in East Africa, and preferably the wider African market, and a proven ability to develop strong working relationships with diverse actors to achieve common strategic goals. You will build and maintain strong and equitable relationships with clients, partners, and stakeholders, represent Itad at regional forums, conferences, and meetings, and identify and pursue new business opportunities to expand Itad’s presence in the region.

Leadership, delivery and operational management:

You will have led an entity or team through rapid growth.  You will be able to operate autonomously, with support from leadership based in the UK and US, in a ‘start-up’ environment, being self-motivated, entrepreneurial and dynamic in your approach to development of Itad Kenya.  You will have experience recruiting and managing staff to provide business support services and technical expertise. You are able to draw on a range of leadership styles to ensure the effective development of others through line management, mentoring and coaching.

You will lead the establishment and growth of Itad’s presence in Kenya and the wider region. You will manage regional budgets, financial performance, and resource allocation; you will be able to integrate Itad Kenya into Itad Group systems and processes, and you will also ensure compliance with local regulations and Itad’s policies, such as around safeguarding, fraud, whistle blowing and data protection.

Technical Excellence and innovation

You will be able to support the development of our evidence-focused service offering and business model to meet the requirements of the regional market. You will preferably have experience of project delivery in the consultancy sector with a diverse set of clients. You will be equipped to manage a large complex portfolio of projects and teams, and have a track record successfully leading the delivery of high-quality projects and their final delivery.  You are able to find win-wins solutions to deliver according to client needs and meet commercial targets. You will also be a recognised thought leader in one or more technical areas covered by Itad, with an understanding of international development and the regional market.

Specific Qualifications and Experience:

• Masters or equivalent academic qualification.
• Significant experience in organisational leadership and operational management of at least a small to medium-sized enterprise, including regulatory compliance.
• Proven track record in business development, sales, and marketing in a comparable professional environment, including overseeing large, complex bid work and developing strategic and tactical methodologies, systems, and processes; including demonstrable track record converting sales opportunities into high value contracts.
• Strong understanding of the role of evidence in development initiatives.
• Proven people management skills with experience in recruiting, mentoring, coaching, leading, developing, and evaluating direct and indirect reports, peers, and colleagues; including building and scaling high performing teams, possibly in a ‘start-up’ setting.
• Strong client orientation and service delivery approach, with the ability to influence and negotiate with internal and external stakeholders across all levels of seniority.
• Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to flex style according to need to deliver maximum impact.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, including the ability to interpret and make recommendations/decisions based on data.
• Sound problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment, with sensitivity to cross-cultural issues and differences.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment.
• Fluency in English; knowledge of regional languages is an advantage.

Personal Attributes:

• Strategic thinker with strong analytical skills.
• Entrepreneurial approach to business development.
• Results-oriented and proactive.
• Team player, able to adeptly collaborate with remote teams.
• Attention to detail, able to manage multiple processes.
• Adaptable and able to autonomously manage multiple priorities.
• Committed to Itad’s values of integrity, excellence, and collaboration.

Qualifications and Experience:

If you’re enthusiastic about this opportunity but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway and demonstrate how your experience is transferrable.  You may be just the right candidate.

The deadline for applications is 14 February 2025, but please note we will be interviewing candidates on a rolling basis.

We also know that there are great candidates who will not fit everything we have described above, or who have important skills we have not mentioned. If that is you, please do not hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

We are committed to equality and inclusion to empower people both within our organisation and through our work. We know that employees with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences make us a more effective and innovative company and we therefore welcome and encourage applications from interested candidates regardless of age, sex, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion, or belief