Head Of Delivery, AFIYA

Job Summary

The Accelerating Financial Resilience & Insurance for Young African Women in Agrifood Systems (AFIYA) program is a multi-country initiative that seeks to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable young women smallholder farmers and agri-preneurs across eight African countries. AFIYA complements and amplifies existing Mastercard Foundation country programs by embedding innovative insurance and financial inclusion solutions within established initiatives and trusted delivery channels. AFIYA’s core ambition is to enhance the financial security, climate resilience, and entrepreneurial capacity of young women in agriculture, enabling them to sustainably participate in and benefit from agrifood systems. The Head of Delivery, AFIYA will work closely with the Principal, Innovation for Resilience to design, implement and manage AFIYA project. The Head of Delivery (AFIYA) is the senior operational leader responsible for translating AFIYA’s strategy into effective delivery across countries, partners, and workstreams. As such s/he will be accountable for delivery performance, execution discipline, and adaptive management of the programme portfolio. The role ensures that AFIYA delivers results at scale by driving delivery cadence, managing trade-offs, addressing underperformance, and ensuring that learning informs timely course correction S/he will lead robust programme management processes, including results-based planning, monitoring, and reporting, while ensuring strong financial stewardship, risk management, and compliance with donor and institutional standards. The role will play a key part in tracking performance metrics and outcomes, ensuring that results and learnings are systematically documented and communicated to stakeholders. S/he will coordinate the project knowledge management activities, liaising with the Strategic Communications team and external stakeholders to drive impact through effective influencing, advocacy and communication.

Job Details

Reports to -  Principal, Innovation for Resilience  

Reports Indirectly to -  Director, Adaptation and Resilience 

Direct Reports:

•    Senior Project Manager, AFIYA
•    Manager, Green Loans 
•    Manager, Gender Programmes
•    Manager, Adopt Programmes
•    Consultants engaged on project
Indirect Reports:

•    Manager, Bimalab
•    Manager, TECA
•    Manager, NDSI
•    Manager, Research and Data

Contract type - Full Time  

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLE REQUIREMENTS

1. Programme Strategy & Project Design

Work with the Principal, Innovation for Resilience to develop a portfolio of impactful AFIYA projects in alignment with donor requirements.

• Actively contribute to the development of programme strategy, ensuring thorough understanding of and alignment with the goals of the pillar.
• Collaborate with the AFIYA team to identify and cultivate a portfolio of implementing partners and projects that collectively advance the project’s impact.
• Ensure programme designs are delivery-ready, scalable, and operationally feasible, working with technical and country leads. 
• Take overall ownership of preparing programme documentation—such as concept notes, programme summaries, and proposals—for internal approvals.

2. Project Planning

Conceptualise and develop a portfolio of Implementing Partners and Projects which will collectively be effective in driving impact & systemic change:

• Oversee the development of detailed implementation plans, risk management frameworks, budgets and cash-flow forecasts that will ensure AFIYA project success and address capacity gaps of partners.
• Draft terms of reference for engaging external consultants and resources to support the implementation of AFIYA projects.
• Identify, engage and build relationships with key Implementing Partners (‘IP’s) and other stakeholders who have the capacity to effectively contribute towards the success of AFIYA project. 
• Support the development of IP workplans; ensuring alignment between partners’ plans and AFIYA’s Theory of Change and that the over-all portfolio of projects has the capacity to leverage systemic change
• Ensure that all staff, consultants and implementing partners involved in a project are fully briefed concerning expectations; especially on project milestone targets, quality standards, data collection/ reporting and compliance with risk management/ accountability requirements

3. Project Implementation

Coordinate the roll-out of AFIYA projects so that results are achieved, risks are managed, and quality projects are delivered; ensuring that learning from projects is fully utilised to maximise impact and innovation:

• Work with implementing partners and the Programme managers to assist them in implementing their projects according to the project plan:
  • Organise a regular progress meeting with the Programme Managers and the Implementing partners to ensure projects are on track.
  • Address delivery shortfalls with a coaching style in the first instance
  • Negotiate assertively, with the administration of consequences, in case of persistent failure to deliver
• Develop tools and approaches which will guide the team, implementing partners and stakeholders in implementing best practice in AFIYA development; ensure that IPs are provided with any other necessary capacity-building support
• Support the Principal, Innovation for Resilience, in risk management and results monitoring across the AFIYA project portfolio, ensuring alignment with the pillar’s strategic objectives.
• Review the Monthly and Quarterly impact Report and take appropriate action on the basis of results and analysis:
  • If desired results have been achieved, initiate strategies for widespread awareness-raising and ‘crowding in’
  • If desired results have not been achieved, either manage performance of the implementation team or adjust the strategy/ approach

4. Resource planning & budget management

Ensure effective management of resources/budget for projects under management. Contribute to the management of the AFIYA financial resources; aiming to optimise the impact that is achieved with resources and ensuring compliance with FSD Africa and Donor policies:

• Liaise with the Finance Pillar to maintain oversight over budget and spend for AFIYA projects.
• Work with the Finance Pillar teams to develop resourcing plans and budgets for respective projects; including negotiating budgets with implementing partners as required.
• Liaise with the procurement team to develop and monitor procurement plans for respective projects to ensure effective management of external resources. 
• Ensure programme expenditure translates into delivery progress and outcomes, working closely with Finance to flag underperformance, absorption risks, or misalignment between spend and results.

5. Monitoring and Evaluation

Collaborate with the Development Impact (DI) team to continuously develop broad and deep understanding of AFIYA project.

• Lead in the preparation of periodic programme updates to Mastercard on intervention outputs/milestones, including toolkits and lessons learned.
• Ensure that credible performance and learning evidence is available and actively used to inform delivery decisions, adaptation, and scaling
• Ensure that project measurement and achievement trackers are updated quarterly.
• Liaise with the DI and Strategic Communications team to ensure effective dissemination of key learnings. 

6. Influencing & Communications

Lead in the effective utilisation of Strategic communications strategies to drive impact and systemic change:

• Contribute towards stakeholder mapping for the Project, identifying key decision makers / power brokers and participating in developing innovative ideas for influencing them and/or transforming their mindsets
• Contribute to the project’s advocacy and communications activities, supporting thought leadership activities, co-ordinating events, forums etc. within the areas of responsibility.
• Participate in networking events and/or convene stakeholders in order build awareness and influence the thinking around specific AFIYA project areas.
• Coordinate the AFIYA knowledge management activities such as development of toolkits, research notes etc.

7. Team Leadership

Lead the AFIYA team of staff and consultants in a manner that empowers them to add value to the project and deliver high standards of performance:

• Set a strong delivery culture characterised by accountability, pace, learning, and collaboration across countries and functions
• Ensure that each AFIYA team member is provided with clarity concerning goals and expectations of their personal role in achieving results, standards and behaviour
• Plan and organise the work of the AFIYA team to accomplish project strategic & project goals and targets in the most cost-effective and impactful manner possible
• Ensure delivery of an engaging leadership style that motivates team members and results in high performance

Carry out any other duties or special assignments as assigned by the Management.

COMPETENCIES
Competencies describe the key behaviours that drive success in all of FSD Africa’s roles, regardless of technical specialism. They have been derived from systematic research correlating performance with personal attributes. 

Competency Levels 

• Level 1: Basic
• Level 2: Foundation   
• Level 3: Specialist
• Level 4: Senior Specialist      
• Level 5: Leading Expert          
• Level 6: Executive

This position requires competency at Senior Specialist for all the competencies listed below:

ESSENTIAL FOUNDATIONS
Commitment & Alignment
Demonstrates commitment to serving our partners and alignment with the values and vision of FSD Africa
Change & Challenge
Has a strong sense of ownership that leads to learning, self-starting, taking initiative, driving change and leading development
 

ACHIEVEMENT COMPETENCIES
Situational Awareness & Thinking
Thinks clearly and intentionally, analysing information objectively, understanding issues, solving problems, and making decisions
Drive for results
Is keenly motivated to achieve goals & act with accountability to deliver quality results
 

PEOPLE COMPETENCIES
Relationships & Collaboration
Discerns and appreciates the values, viewpoints, or abilities of others; effectively reconciles different interests and displays emotional intelligence
Communication & Influencing
Deliberately adjusts behaviour to accommodate others; communicates clearly, confidently, and appropriately to influence others
 

Requirements

PERSON SPECIFICATIONS

Qualifications and Education

• Master’s degree and 11 years of experience or Bachelor’s degree and 12 years of experience 
• Relevant postgraduate qualifications preferred.
• Excellent skills in written and spoken English.

Essential Experience, Knowledge and Skills

• Minimum 11–15 years’ professional experience, including significant experience in senior programme or portfolio leadership roles on complex, multi-country development programmes.
• Proven track record as a senior delivery leader, with responsibility for translating strategy into execution and holding teams accountable for results.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex delivery portfolios, including intervening decisively in underperforming projects and making trade-offs between pace, risk, and impact.
• Strong understanding of adaptive programme management and market systems approaches, including the ability to manage uncertainty, test and iterate interventions, and pivot strategies based on evidence.
• Experience working with financial instruments and non-grant mechanisms (e.g. facilities, funds, blended finance, guarantees, or risk-sharing mechanisms), and in close collaboration with finance and risk teams.
• Proven ability to manage large, multi-year budgets (USD 30m+), ensuring strong alignment between expenditure, delivery progress, and outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience engaging and influencing senior stakeholders, including donors, regulators, private sector actors, and programme Boards.
• Strong risk management capability, including the ability to identify, assess, and escalate delivery, financial, and reputational risks early.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills, with experience leading multi-disciplinary teams across geographies and cultures.
• Exceptional communication and synthesis skills, with the ability to present complex delivery issues clearly to senior decision-makers.
• High level of professional judgement, resilience, and comfort operating in fast-paced, high-accountability environments.

Desirable

• Experience delivering programmes involving insurance, financial inclusion, climate resilience, or agricultural markets.
• Prior experience working on donor-funded programmes with strong governance and reporting requirements (e.g. FCDO, foundations).
• Experience operating in Africa.
• Fluency in French.

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity: 

FSD Africa is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of equity and inclusivity.  We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Equal Opportunity Employer: 

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status. We will ensure that all applicants are provided a fair chance to compete for available job opportunities.

About Company

FSD Africa

https://fsdafrica.org/

FSD Africa is a specialist development agency working to help make finance work for Africa’s future. Based in Nairobi, FSD Africa’s team of financial sector experts work alongside governments, business leaders, regulators, and policymakers to design and build ambitious programmes that make financial markets work better for everyone. FSD Africa Investments, provides early-stage, risk-bearing, catalytic and patient capital to inventive commercial organisations in order to stimulate capital flows in support of green economic growth benefiting people and planet. Established in 2012, FSD Africa is incorporated as a non-profit company limited by guarantee in Kenya. It is funded by UK aid from the UK government.