Rwanda Program Director at Landesa: (Deadline 27 March 2023)

Position Title: Rwanda Program Director

Status: Full Time, Regular

Location: Kigali, Rwanda

Contract Duration: Two years, renewable subject to availability of funds   

Classification: Exempt (Not Eligible for Overtime Pay)

Annual Salary: $36,090-$52,000 USD 

Job Summary: The Rwanda Program Director (RPD) collaborates with Landesa’s Global Leadership and Directors to ensure clarity of Landesa’s vision, shape strategic program objectives, develop and oversee the implementation of the country strategy, and lead the attainment, development, and management of the human and financial resources to advance those objectives. In coordination with the relevant programs, the RPD is responsible for the design and implementation oversight of Landesa projects in Rwanda. The RPD leads, directs, and coordinates country staff and consultants while collaborating with Landesa teams globally. The RPD is an active member of the Global Advisory Team, Regional Leaders Team, and participates on various global teams. The RPD is responsible, both directly and indirectly through country staff, for fostering and strengthening key partnerships with government, civil society partners, the private sector, donors, researchers, community representatives and other relevant stakeholders.

Reporting and relationships: The RPD reports to the Africa Region Director.  The RPD manages country staff, interns, volunteers, and consultants.

Availability: The RPD is expected to work a standard work week of 40 hours plus additional hours as necessary. The RPD is expected to manage risks and handle any in-country emergencies that involve Landesa staff, consultants, interns, and volunteers.  This position requires regular domestic travel and up to 60 days of travel per year for regional and occasionally international. Due to time-zone differences between Rwanda and Landesa offices in other geographies including Seattle and Washington DC, flexibility in working hours will be required from time to time. 

Essential job functions:

Strategic leadership

• Advise Landesa’s Executive Leadership as a member of Landesa’s Global Advisory Team and Landesa’s Regional Leaders Team.
• Maintain a real time view of the issues in the ecosystem in which the Rwanda Program operates and how Landesa can engage.
• Lead an inclusive process to develop the Rwanda Program’s strategic objectives and annual goals ensuring that they are consistent with Landesa’s overall organizational strategy, that they appropriately and proactively integrate with the strategies of Landesa’s geographic and global teams, and that they advance Rwanda’s priorities in line with the cooperation agreement.
• Lead development of program work plans, metrics, and milestones in timely manner.
• Approve or make the case for pursuing opportunities that align with Landesa’s and the Rwanda Program’s strategies.
• Ensure that the team is aware of and aligned with Landesa’s and the Rwanda Program’s strategies.
• Determine partnerships needed. Serve as primary point of contact with governmental authorities.  Initiate and foster relationships with key national and local government stakeholders, civil society and donors.  Support Landesa staff, as needed, with key government and partner relationships.
• Actively contribute to the design and staffing of interventions in the portfolio and approve material adjustments to these interventions as needed.
• Directly contribute to execution of project deliverables, including research, analysis, writing and briefing partners, as appropriate.
• Ensure the quality and strategic alignment of work products in the portfolio and leverage them to advance program goals. This may require conducting site visits to observe the work.
• Determine funding needed for the Rwanda Program’s portfolio and work with Program leadership and Landesa’s Revenue Development Department to cultivate relationships and to secure funding.
• In coordination with Program leadership and the Communications team, oversee the Program’s communication strategy, including external affairs, organizational image and communication of program priorities, objectives and accomplishments; and make decisions on speaking engagements – which ones to pursue, with which objectives and who will engage.

General management

• Ensure governance functions are met.
• Build and maintain an accountable, high-functioning, diverse, inclusive and collaborative team.
• Develop and maintain an appropriate corporate culture built on Landesa’s core values, leading by example in the demonstration of the core values.
• Manage direct reports by promoting their professional development including through coaching, mentoring, and delivering critical feedback on an ongoing basis; cultivate mutually supportive team dynamics; and ensure sustainable and balanced workloads.
• Manage human and financial resources to effectively meet program, project, financial and operational objectives in a timely manner, ensuring all stakeholders are appropriately informed.
• Provide high-level oversight to the implementation of projects in the program portfolio.
• Ensure that local offices comply with local laws and Landesa’s internal policies.
• Ensure that organizational deliverable benchmarks are satisfied in a timely and accurate manner that meets client expectations and budget goals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required knowledge, skills and abilities

• A deep commitment to the mission of building a better, safer future for the world’s poorest people through secure land rights.
• Strong leadership, general management and team building skills with the ability to set and communicate vision and strategy, build consensus, and operate with cross-cultural sensitivity, tact and poise.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a range of people at all levels, including government officials, non-governmental organizations and other counterparts, clients, and funders.
• A strong commitment to empowering women by supporting gender inclusive and gender responsive strategies and practices.
• Knowledge of public policy, legal, economic, sociological, political, institutional, geographic, and anthropological concepts necessary for managing Landesa projects.
• Strong working knowledge of budgets and financials, including ability to manage budget processes, profit and loss, expense reporting and accounting, labor reporting and accounting, correspondence, and other administrative tasks in accordance with Landesa standards and expectations.
• Exceptional written and oral communications skills to communicate clearly and persuasively in English and Kinyarwanda.
• Excellent organization, delegation, performance management, administration, analytical, negotiation and time management skills. Self-motivated with the ability to set standards and meet goals.    

Education and experience:

• Advanced Degree in land management, land administration, agriculture, rural development, economics, social science, law, or a closely related field.
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant senior level international experience required, including 8 years of experience managing people and complex projects in developing countries; experience living or working in Rwanda; and a passion for international public interest work, preferably in land tenure, agriculture, rural development, gender issues, social science research or international development projects. 

Work Environment and Working Conditions:  

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to working conditions and hazards that are prevalent for the location and/or country of assignment.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.  Work is primarily performed indoors with some potential for exposure to safety and health hazards related to electronics work.  

Other: The above job description is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, exhaustive of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job.  Reasonable accommodations will be made in appropriate circumstances to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job. Applicant must be legally eligible to work in Rwanda.

To apply: Qualified candidates should complete an online application on Landesa’s career page.  The deadline for application is 27 March 2023. Rwanda nationals and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.  No phone calls please.  Landesa is an Equal Opportunity Employer.