Deputy Director, Program Advocacy and Communications, Africa - Economic Opportunity

You will be joining the Africa Team at an exciting time to shape and deliver an ambitious impact agenda. As Deputy Director, Program Advocacy and Communications, Africa – Economic Opportunity you will provide strategic advice, technical expertise, and thought leadership to current and future economic growth programs in SSA.  

This role will collaborate closely with the Deputy Directors (DDs) for Global Advocacy in the foundation’s headquarters, who lead global efforts in Agriculture and Climate Advocacy, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Inclusive Financial Systems (IFS), and Gender Equality Advocacy with a focus on women’s Economic Empowerment and Leadership. These global DDs drive the foundation’s advocacy efforts across their respective areas. The postholder will work closely with them, ensuring alignment and implementation of global strategies in Africa. Additionally, this role will play a key function in building and managing staff on global advocacy streams based on the continent, ensuring strong local expertise and operational excellence in advocacy efforts across Africa, including both in coordination with our country offices as well as regionally. The role will also work closely with the Director, Economic Opportunity, Africa, and the Global Director for Program, Advocacy and Communications covering Growth, Opportunity and Empowerment.

This role requires a track record of managing diverse teams and processes in highly matrixed environments. The successful candidate will have extensive experience and expertise in global development policy and economic growth programs at a senior level, with an in-depth understanding of Sub-Saharan Africa’s political economy.  

The candidate must have experience building and managing partnerships with private sector actors, philanthropic organizations, and multilateral financial institutions. Strong skills in diplomacy, negotiation, and policy dialogue are required, along with a track record of advancing advocacy and development goals through strategic collaboration. Knowledge of resource mobilization and public-private partnerships, and an understanding of how key stakeholders shape economic opportunity in Africa, are essential.

The postholder will guide foundation teams in the management of their investment portfolio in SSA, and work with external partners to drive progress. As part of this responsibility, you will manage relationships with country officials, grantees, contractors and key partners, to achieve the foundation's desired impact, provide project briefings and updates to foundation leadership.  

The role will be based in Nairobi, and report to the Director, Policy, Government Relations and Partnerships, Africa.  

What You’ll Do

• Economic Policy and Strategy Development: Lead the development and execution of economic, agriculture, climate, and gender equality-inclusive advocacy strategies in SSA, ensuring alignment with the foundation’s global economic opportunity and sustainability agenda.
• Collaboration with Global Advocacy Leaders: Work closely with DDs for Global Advocacy in agriculture and climate, DPI-IFS, and GE/women’s economic empowerment to adapt global strategies to Africa’s context and drive regional impact.
• Building and Managing Staff on Global Advocacy Streams: Develop and oversee staff working on global advocacy priorities based in Africa, ensuring the integration of regional expertise into global strategies and strengthening the foundation’s presence on the continent.
• Financial Inclusion Advocacy: Drive engagement with policymakers to promote policies that expand access to digital financial services, particularly for marginalized populations, women, and smallholder farmers.
• Digital Public Infrastructure: Advocate for the adoption of inclusive, interoperable, and secure DPI across African nations to enhance service delivery and financial access.
• Agriculture Development & Climate Resilience: Support advocacy efforts for policies that strengthen agricultural markets, increase productivity, enhance climate adaptation strategies, and improve rural economies.
• Gender Equality/Women’s Economic Empowerment: Advocate for policies that address barriers and enablers of economic participation for women in SSA, with a focus on facilitating increased access to affordable productive credit and bridging the financing gap, enabling women to transition from informal microenterprises into growth-oriented commercial businesses.
• Addressing Gender-Specific Credit Barriers: Promote policies that encourage financial institutions to provide targeted credit products for women entrepreneurs, ensuring their mobility up the income ladder while leveraging development finance to incentivize private sector investment.
• Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain high-impact relationships with African governments, regional institutions, donors, philanthropies, private sector actors, and civil society organizations.
• Coordination with Global Teams: Adapt and implement global economic opportunity, agriculture, climate, and women’s economic empowerment strategies within the African context, ensuring cross-team collaboration.
• Grant Portfolio Leadership: Provide strategic oversight and technical guidance on economic, agriculture, climate, and gender-inclusive advocacy grants, ensuring impact measurement and effective implementation.
• Policy and Finance Mobilization: Advocate for increased domestic and international investment in Africa’s economic and agricultural growth, leveraging data-driven policy recommendations and financing mechanisms.
• Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and support team members, fostering a culture of high performance and collaboration.

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