Going Beyond Project Director
Location: Sub-Saharan Africa, preferably Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia or Côte d’Ivoire
Status: Full-time, term contract
Language requirements: English essential, French desirable
Who We Are:
Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) is a Canadian charity with headquarters in Ottawa and operations spanning 12 countries. We have local offices in Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya, Lebanon, Jordan, Canada, and the UK. Our programs also extend to Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Uganda, Malawi, and Zambia through affiliations with youth-led organizations. We are a vibrant youth-driven community of trailblazing social pioneers equipped with the necessary tools, knowledge, and networks to create opportunities and drive transformation within their communities. We strive to foster youth potential, bridge digital gaps across communities, and inspire young individuals to partake in an all-inclusive digital economy. As catalysts of development for over 22 years, our impact extends to over 25 countries.
DOT is now launching a project entitled “Going Beyond – Partnering for a Youth-Led Future.” The “Going Beyond” project aims to scale DOT’s evidence-based and peer-to-peer model within four African countries – Côte d’Ivoire, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia. The “Going Beyond” project will engage youth-led and youth-serving organizations (YLOs and YSOs) in the selected African countries, and DOT’s technical teams in the East Africa region will build their capacity to deliver youth-led, high-quality, gender-responsive, digital livelihoods programming to reach thousands of local young women and men.
The Opportunity:
DOT is seeking an experienced and dynamic professional to join our team as a Project Director. This is a full time role, reporting to DOT’s Vice President of Operations. In a hands-on position, you will:
- Serve as the overall project lead, with responsibility for ensuring the timely, effective, and agile implementation of the project according to approved proposals and budgets;
Digital Opportunity Trust · [email protected] · dotrust.org
- Manage and coordinate the inputs of a wide range of project stakeholders and contributors, including departmental teams, country teams, and implementing partners in the 4 countries;
- Monitor and manage project risk, in collaboration with project and partner staff;
- Ensure timely and effective communications across and throughout the project in relation to project planning, implementation, and reporting including project staff and implementing partners. Lead regular convening of project stakeholders to monitor timelines, track progress, discuss learnings, and identify and manage risks;
- Lead the development and monitoring of project Annual Work Plans in collaboration with other stakeholders, including departmental teams, country teams and implementing partners, and in line with approved project plans and budgets;
- Lead the development of high-quality donor reports, coordinating and synthesizing inputs from functional teams and implementing partners;
- Contribute to the project’s financial management, including supporting the development and adjustment of project budgets, as well as leading the analysis and monitoring of project spending against approved budgets;
- Ensure the integration of the project’s gender equality strategy and DOT’s safeguarding policies into project plans, budgets, and implementation in collaboration with the project’s Gender and Safeguarding Lead;
- Ensure the regular implementation of project management systems and tools across project staff and partners, in collaboration with the project’s Technology Lead;
- Lead the adjustment of project implementation as necessary in response to dynamic conditions and emerging learnings, in order to maximize results;
- Contribute to organizational learning and thought leadership around project themes and objectives;
- Collaborate with the Marketing and Communications Lead to ensure effective project communications in line with approved communications strategies and plans;
- Manage relationships with key project stakeholders, including donors and implementing partners;
- Supervise 5 – 6 project staff including country-based Partnership Leads, and
Project Officer(s);
- Manage project consultants as required;
Essential to your approach would be to represent, champion, and support project staff and partners in realizing the following values and project objectives:
- Youth-led: DOT’s youth-led model is rooted in the assertion that by transforming the individual, the individual can transform their society. Underpinning this model is DOT’s belief in the potential of youth to drive growth and development in their countries. This model positions young people as equal partners, leaders, and agents of change, equipped with the digital skills to scale their impact. Working with DOT requires a commitment to empowering youth and amplifying their voices, particularly young women.
- Collaborative co-design: DOT values ensuring that young people drive the development, iteration and ongoing innovation of programs and content that continue to address their needs and add value to their lives. To ensure sustainability, the “Going Beyond” project will invest in the capacities and resilience of its local youth-focused partners to offer more innovative and impactful programs. This role requires a commitment to participatory, inclusive, and community based approaches.
- Gender equality: DOT uses a gender equity approach in its work to support youth economic inclusion and resilience, tackling the systemic barriers that limit opportunities for youth (especially young women) who face increased vulnerability, and creating opportunities to elevate the leadership of young women in spaces they have traditionally been excluded from. Central to our work is a commitment to gender equality and inclusion.
- Safeguarding: DOT has a robust safeguarding infrastructure to prevent and respond to Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH), grounded in DOT’s comprehensive PSEA Policy and Code of Conduct. DOT has a zero-tolerance policy for breaches of the CoC, and this applies to all employees and contractors of DOT, and all entities and their employees and individuals who have entered into partnership or sub-grant agreements with DOT.
You are a solution-oriented individual possessing exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, who thrives in a fast-paced, multicultural, entrepreneurial setting. You are self-motivated and team-focused, capable of collaborating with colleagues across the DOT network within various functions. This challenging role offers a unique opportunity to join an inspired international team and contribute to global change!
Qualifications:
- A resident of Sub-Saharan Africa, preferably Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia or Côte d’Ivoire, and legally able to hold employment in the country of residence;
- Should have a university degree in international development, social innovation/entrepreneurship, technology for development or a related field, a master’s degree is strongly preferred;
- At least 10 years experience managing and coordinating large-scale projects in Africa, preferably in one or more of the project countries;
- Strong writing skills with a proven track record of developing quality project reports and documents;
- Experience with project financial management, including monitoring budgets, reviewing cash forecasts, and BVA analyses;
- Proven ability to establish and maintain strong relationships with diverse stakeholders, including funding, strategic, and implementing partners;
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, able to work collaboratively in a cross-cultural environment;
- Excellent people management skills, including managing and motivating direct reports virtually;
- Strong digital skills, including familiarity with data management systems, digital education platforms, and remote collaboration tools;
- Team player with the ability to work in a diverse environment with multiple stakeholders, and coordinate a geographically dispersed team;
- Able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced and shifting environment, and work independently as a self-starter;
- A critical thinker, creatively and innovatively bringing value across the multiple teams of the organization;
- High sense of responsibility and accountability for results;
- Demonstrated commitment to social change and/or community development, including working on issues related to youth, women, or other marginalized groups.
What DOT Offers:
- DOT compensation is competitive with local markets, and rates for this position recognize the importance of the role to both DOT’s operations and its global purpose-driven mission.
- Where DOT does not have a physical office, support will be considered to establish a suitable home office or access to appropriate alternative workspace.
- The privilege to collaborate with an energetic international team dedicated to youth empowerment and systemic change.
- The chance to make a significant difference for youth, and to engage directly with young changemakers.
Application Process:
To apply, please complete this Google form – https://forms.gle/hmfjRoJvDDz2Dy398 by February 26th, 2024. A Google account is required to view this form and upload documents. While we appreciate all applications, only those shortlisted for an interview will be contacted.
DOT celebrates diversity and is dedicated to cultivating an inclusive environment that values cross-cultural understanding. We strongly encourage applications from women, people with disabilities, and those from gender and sexually diverse communities and/or those with intersectional identities. DOT ensures accommodations for individuals with disabilities during the recruitment and selection process. Please indicate any need for accommodations in your application.
