Job context

Hivos is an international development organization guided by humanist values. Together with citizens and their organizations, we aim to contribute towards just, inclusive and life sustaining societies where people have equal access to opportunities, rights and resources. We work in partnership with others in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America on three impact areas: Civic Rights in a Digital Age (CRDA); Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI), and Climate Justice (CJ).

Context and challenge

With a presence and a track record of more than 40 years in Southern Africa, Hivos took the important decision in 1985 to decentralize its work from The Hague (the Netherlands) to regional offices. In 1988, Hivos’ first regional office was opened in Harare, Zimbabwe, with project offices following in Malawi and Zambia.

At this moment, Hivos is executing 10 programs in the region, 5 programs in the area of Gender, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (GEDI), 4 programs in Climate Justice and 1 in Civic Rights in a Digital Age (CRDA).

Like many other organizations in our sector, Hivos is facing challenging times. Human rights are under pressure and resources for our work are becoming increasingly scarce.

The incoming Regional Director is a person who gets inspired with this challenge and is not afraid of driving the necessary change in Hivos’ Southern Africa Region to ensure a viable future for Hivos’ stakeholders, partners and own organization, to keep having impact in fostering social just societies.

Role purpose and key responsibilities

For an initial period of 2 years, Hivos is recruiting for a Regional Director for the Southern Africa Region on the shortest possible moment.

We are looking for candidates who are willing to take on the task of guiding Hivos in this region through challenging times as well as contributing to future of Hivos global. Adaptive management, solid change experience and knowledge of the region are crucial in the upcoming development phase of Hivos’ presence in Southern Africa and in making this role a success.

The Regional Director represents Hivos within the Southern Africa region and sets the example for operational excellence. The Regional Director is – within the framework of Hivos (new) Strategic Compass – responsible for positioning Hivos in the region and building and enhancing networks with donors, governments, partners and other relevant institutions.

The Director ensures pro-active resource mobilization within the South Africa Region and works actively towards identifying and supporting new opportunities, also in the context of the broader African continent. The Regional director collaborates closely with its peers in the global Management Team (other Regional Directors and Global Head of Business Development) to maximize the chances at success in this competitive environment.

The Regional Director oversees the implementation of the Hivos Programs that are executed in or from the Southern Africa region to comply with both Hivos’ quality standards as well as donor expectations. Delivery of impact to our stakeholders is key in this role.  Also, here, collaboration with other regional directors is key when it comes to implementation of global Hivos programs.

The Regional Director manages integral the financial and human resources needed for achieving the agreed upon results in the region and in the program portfolio and reports this transparently during the planning & control cycle moments. The Director is leading its team in an inclusive manner to expected performance levels and walks the talk when it comes to mission, vision, values and integrity in Hivos.

The Regional Director is part of the global Management Team and in that capacity contributes to Hivos global strategy development, global policy development and takes on specific global projects if requested by the Executive Board.

The Regional Director reports to the Executive Board. The position is based in the regional office in Harare (Zimbabwe) and oversees the local offices in Malawi and Zambia. The Regional Director is leading the regional Management Team consisting of the country managers and the regional Human Resources Manager and regional Finance Manager.

Person specifications

The ideal candidate needs to show and proof experience, skills or knowledge in at least 80 % of the following areas:

• Master’s degree in business, law, development, public administration, or an equivalent discipline.
• Relevant experience in Leadership and management, including demonstrated general management of multi-disciplinary teams, people management. and financial management skills in international setting.
• Proven experience in leading successful change trajectories, both in producing results as well as in bringing the team along.
• Adaptive management and people management skills.
• At least 5 years’ experience in program management, or development, with a proven record in strategic thinking and policy analysis in complex operations.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
• Familiarity with donor agencies and their requirements and demonstrated resource mobilization skills.
• Good knowledge of the socio-economic and socio-political situation in the Southern African countries and territories.
• Ability to lead a team in a multi-cultural and gender sensitive environment.
• Fluency in English.
• Notable experience and profile in international networks and multi-stakeholder environment.

What we offer

Hivos offers a challenging position in an international environment.

The Regional office is based in Harare, Zimbabwe. This position will be based in Harare, Zimbabwe) and oversees the local offices in Malawi and Zambia. Hivos welcomes International & Regional applicants but can only offer a position to only those with a valid work permit for Zimbabwe. Hivos can only offer employment on local terms and conditions.

How to apply

Please apply before 16 March 2025. If you meet the above-mentioned qualifications (please look carefully), you can apply to this vacancy by filling in a digital application form and adding a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) explaining your motivation and your CV/ Resume in English. You are welcome to submit your application by clicking on the button below.

APPLY HERE

Candidates are highly encouraged to provide a clear track record of leadership and management results in their CV and to use their cover letter to clearly and concisely address the requirements of the role elaborated above.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal record checks, we may request information from relevant job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual misconduct, including harassment, during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

The organization is an equal opportunity employer committed to promoting a work environment where diversity and inclusion is valued, and people are treated equally irrespective of gender, ethnicity/race, national or social origin, disability, religion, political affiliation, age, family size, marital status, or any other form of personal identity. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

Due to the anticipated volume of applications, we regret that we can only respond to shortlisted candidates.