Southern Africa Director

Position Title: Southern Africa Director

Location: Johannesburg-Pretoria or Cape Town preferred, other capital cities in the Southern Africa region will be considered

Reports to: Amie Batson, Executive Director

Hours per week (average): 40 (full time)

Our Vision and Mission – WomenLift Health is committed to expanding the power and influence of talented women in global health and catalyzing systemic change to achieve gender equality in leadership. Leadership matters. We are taking action to create a world where diverse, accomplished leaders collectively transform health outcomes.     

Our Work – Established in 2019, we work to advance equality in health leadership through actions at the individual, institutional, and societal levels. We currently work in East Africa, North America, South Asia (India) and are expanding to Southern Africa. Our work includes investing in mid-career women leaders through a “Leadership Journey,” which focuses on giving them the tools, along with peer, mentor and coach support, to successfully use their voice, expertise and leadership for health impact. It also includes increasing the commitment of leaders of health institutions to establish more gender equitable policies and cultures and contribute to a societal movement to “reimagine” what good leadership looks, sounds, and acts like. Ultimately our goal is to encourage and support concrete action by women, male allies, institutional leaders, governments, partners and high-level champions to change the face of leadership in health, both globally and nationally – at the individual, institutional and societal level. We firmly believe that investing in leadership is the key to moving us from talk to action for better health outcomes.

Our Culture and Values – We are building a diverse, entrepreneurial team of people who bring unique cultural and technical perspectives and experiences. We welcome results-oriented problem-solvers of any nationality, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, and disability. We are a growing organization that is committed to building a culture with our partners that values: 

• Collaborative leadership that celebrates diverse perspectives and experiences and ensures everyone contributes to their full potential. 
• Partnership grounded in humility, respect, empathy, and inclusion. 
• Transformative change based upon bold, strategic thinking combined with adaptability and pragmatic action. 
• Spirit of learning that ensures we are open, forward-looking, constructive, and committed to growing collectively and individually. 
• Achieving impact by improving global health and gender equality. 

Position Summary

WomenLift Health is seeking an experienced, innovative, strategic, and dynamic Southern Africa Director to design, lead, grow, and implement the WomenLift Health strategy in the southern Africa region (Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Kingdom of Eswatini, Zambia and Zimbabwe). The Southern Africa Director leads the engagement of partner institutions and high-level champions to expand the voice and influence of women leaders in health in the southern Africa region, to influence systemic change in organizations and contribute to a movement toward gender equality. The Southern Africa Director must have excellent skills engaging and building partnerships with a deep understanding of the southern African context, at both regional and national levels. The Director must be highly strategic, thrive in a dynamic and creative work environment, be a self-starter and be a passionate change agent for advancing women’s leadership in global health.

Responsibilities and Tasks

Management and Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership for the Southern Africa Regional Hub, including establishing and growing WomenLift Health’s presence and partnerships in southern Africa, setting up an appropriate structure, overseeing the budget and operations, and hiring staff.
• Working in a matrix structure, build, sustain and lead an inspired, high performing, inclusive and diverse team and contribute to sustaining the WomenLift Health culture.
• As a member of the WomenLift Health Senior Leadership Team (SLT), actively participate in management decisions regarding the growth, strategy and priorities of WomenLift Health and provide guidance to the Executive Director and senior leaders on strategic opportunities.
• In collaboration with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Director, oversee monitoring and evaluation in southern Africa, ensuring accurate data for purposes of reporting, program improvement and donor accountability.
• Serve as the WomenLift Health spokesperson for southern Africa and other regions as appropriate in interviews, panels, events, and other forums.

Strategy Development and Implementation: Programs, Partners, and Brand

• Build and lead a southern Africa regional team to develop, implement and monitor the contextualized WomenLift Health strategy and program implementation plan. This will include:
  • building scalable platforms to roll-out contextualized programs and activities in southern African countries addressing training for women leaders
  • engaging and influencing institutional leaders
  • contributing to societal acceptance of women’s leadership and gender equality
    • The program strategy will both align with and contribute to global and cross-regional plans.
• Develop partnerships with key leaders and regional, national and sub-national organizations in southern Africa to advance women’s leadership and gender equality in health.  
• Oversee the development and implementation of a strategic communication plan that will promote key messaging on women’s leadership in health, provide platforms to raise the visibility of women leaders and male allies, and establish the WomenLift Health brand.
• Work with fellow regional Directors and functional teams to design new programs and projects, share learning, engage and manage implementing partners, and build shared capacity.

Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Ability   

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree highly preferred
• Minimum 15 years' work experience with 10 years of related regional or global experience in independently developing and executing projects of comparable size/complexity, including managing a team
• Experience working in multiple countries in the southern Africa region
• Background and experience in global health, gender equity or leadership development
• Demonstrated impact in designing and implementing a complex regional strategy
• Established network of personal and institutional relationships in health in southern Africa
• Strong influencing, negotiating and relationship management skills, including proven capacity to engage with high-level leaders and partners
• Depth of global experience, cultural-sensitivity, judgment, and confidence befitting a senior leadership position
• Proven ability to grow, manage, leverage, and sustain a diverse, multi-cultural, best-in-class team
• Proven ability to thrive in an entrepreneurial environment that requires initiative, flexibility, ingenuity, resilience and commitment
• Outstanding communications skills, including the ability to work across cultures and geographies at all levels and for all audiences

Valued and Non-Essential Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Ability

• Additional language, especially French

How to Apply 

To apply, submit resume and cover letter through Jobsoid link.  Please also include 3 professional references and desired annual salary in USD. 

Hiring Statement

WomenLift Health is a project of New Venture Fund (NVF), a 501(c)(3) public charity that incubates new and innovative public-interest projects and grant-making programs. NVF is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential. NVF’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.

WomenLift Health intends to hire the selected candidate employment via a PEO (Professional Employer Organization)/host partner in South Africa or other southern Africa country.  Candidate must live and be authorized to work in one of these southern African countries listed: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Kingdom of Eswatini, Zambia and Zimbabwe.