Country Director, Tanzania

Job Title: Country Director Tanzania

Contract Type: 2 years; with option of renewal

Overview:

Since 1979, in Tanzania Swisscontact has been working to contribute to the inclusive economic growth of the country and strengthening of the private sector to create better lives for youth. Skills for Employment Tanzania (SET, funded by SDC) – a skill system development programme for improved youth employability in Tanzania – is one of the key programmes in the country portfolio. The overall goal of SET is to improve prospects of gainful youth (self-) employment through supporting the transformation of the TVET sector in Tanzania. SET is a 12-year programme, currently in its 2nd phase of 4-year implementation.

Swisscontact is looking for a Country Director to lead this specific programme and the country operation in Tanzania. We are looking for a leader with proven track record in delivering projects through private sector engagement for youth employability. This leadership role requires a good understanding of operationalizing public-private partnership in the context of human capital and workforce development along with excellent capability of talent and operations management.

The initial duration of the assignment is two years starting from January 2025, with the option of renewal for another four years. Your place of work will be Dar-es-Salam or Morogoro, with frequent travelling within the country.

Eligibility Criteria:

Educational Qualification: A Master’s (postgraduate) Degree in International Relations, Business Administration, Economics, Social Sciences or similar

Experience:

• At least 12 years of experience working in various countries, preferably in sub-Saharan Africa
• Demonstrable experience in leadership and people management of at least 3 years
• Experience in private sector engagement is a must; experience applying a market system development approach is an added advantage.
• Experience with youth employment and education (LMI, curriculum development, training centre management etc.); sound knowledge of the TVET context in the region is an advantage
• Understanding and experience of SDC funded project management is a plus

Skills and Competencies:

• An experienced and empathic leader who knows how to motivate people and think strategically
• A savvy project leader with experience managing budgets of at least $1.5 Mio. a year
• An adept and culturally sensitive communicator with excellent oral and written English skills (level C1 or above)
• A solution-oriented, adaptable personality with an entrepreneurial mindset
• A person committed to learning, development and improvement in pursuit of own objectives and those of the team and organization

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Implement the programme: Lead the planning and execution of an ambitious youth employability programme activities applying the learnings and insights from the ground, ensure programme outcomes are achieved within budget and in compliance with donor and Swisscontact corporate requirements.
• Manage stakeholders: Engage in strategic relationships with main stakeholders such as SDC, private sector and Government of Tanzania; manage the coordination of platforms and working groups linked to the successful delivery of programmes; ensure client satisfaction.
• Manage and develop talent: Develop the future leaders of Swisscontact Tanzania; coach and mentor staff in achieving their professional goals; nurture an entrepreneurial and learning environment at the workplace.
• Institutional development of Swisscontact: Build Swisscontact as a resilient institution in Tanzania, develop and execute a mid-term organisational development strategy and influence the CESAF regional strategy as part of the regional senior leadership team

Additional Information:

Swisscontact offers attractive working conditions in an international and multicultural context. We see our work as a joint effort in an agile organizational culture: mutual respect, trust and teamwork. If you’re an experienced, highly motivated, and client-focused professional with a passion for inclusive economic development, we’d love to have you on board.

We look forward to receiving your online application with the following documents in English: letter of motivation (please highlight two specific areas where you can offer greatest value addition) , curriculum vitae, relevant diplomas, references and salary expectation. Please apply exclusively via the online application portal or click the link below.