Senior Global Programs Director

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Senior Global Programs Director (SGPD) provides strategic leadership, oversight, and support to Spark’s Country Directors, ensuring high-quality, nationally scalable, and financially sustainable program delivery across all countries of operation. As a key member of the Global Programs Team, the SGPD strengthens program excellence, fosters cross-country learning, ensures strong operational performance, and aligns country strategies with Spark’s global vision and growth plans. This role requires a seasoned leader with deep experience in international development, government relations, scaling programs, multi-country program oversight, team leadership, and operational management.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Programmatic strategy Lead national-scale programs via policy adoption, financing, and program roll-out across Rwanda, Malawi, Ghana, Uganda, and potentially other countries. Maintain and cultivate top-level national government relationships in support of the national program adoption, financing, and execution. Establish in-country financing via the Government, the World Bank, bilateral partners, and co-financing. Develop and implement programmatic strategy in alignment with Spark MicroGrants’ mission and goals. Oversee the design and execution of all programmatic activities to ensure high-quality, impactful, and scalable initiatives.

Provide strategic direction and support to Country Directors to enhance country-specific strategies and operations. Leadership management Direct line management of and support to Country Directors, the Partnership and Systems Manager, and additional senior staff to lead their teams successfully. Overall responsibility for program expansion, timelines, and budget management in line with annual and multi-year organizational strategies while maintaining quality. Recruit, mentor, and support senior program staff, promoting professional growth and development.

Oversee Program implementation risk mitigation Oversee quality assurance and surge support to partner selection, onboarding, and ongoing management. Update partner management system and procedures as required. Ensure program compliance with safeguarding policy and best practice Program design and innovation Support the Program Design team to test and streamline program innovations. Facilitate the integration of learnings into design conversations. Oversee the implementation of the Program Design Standard Operating Procedures Financial Oversight Manage program budgets to ensure consistency with strategic priorities, donor commitments, and available funding.

Ensure the program team makes cost-effective use of resources and adheres to financial policies and procedures. Review program expenditure with an eye towards streamlined costing across programs and optimizing for program ROI. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Qualifications, experience & skills: Minimum…

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