*Managing Director, needed at Helen Keller’ programs and initiatives Central and West Africa*

Managing Director, Central and West Africa

(Global position – flexible to be based where Helen Keller can support employment)

Guided by the remarkable legacy of our founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl

partners with communities striving to overcome longstanding cycles of poverty. By

delivering the essential building blocks of good health, sound nutrition, and clear

vision, we help millions of people create lasting change in their own lives. Working in

more than 20 countries – across Africa, Asia, Europe and in the United States – and

together with a global community of supporters, we are ensuring every person has the

opportunity – as Helen did – to reach their true potential.

As we continue to grow and impact lives, we are seeking a dynamic and visionary

Managing Director to provide strategic leadership to our portfolio of programs and

projects in Central and West Africa. The Managing Director is an executive-level

leader who is responsible for overseeing the overall operations and strategic direction

of Helen Keller’s operations in the assigned regions. This includes developing and

executing long-term business plans, ensuring growth targets are met; ensuring the

organization meets its financial, operational, and implementation goals; and

maintaining strong relationships of influence. The Managing Director leads a senior

management team, fosters a positive organizational culture, and drives business

development efforts and expand program quality and impact. S/he strengthens

relationships, advocacy and influence of Helen Keller throughout the region and

oversees meaningful contribution of the region to organizational learning and

evidence targets.

Additionally, the Managing Director is accountable for financial oversight, resource

allocation, and risk management for his or her country business unit(s). S/he

maintains strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders such as other

departments, executive leaders, funders, clients, governments, and colleagues.

Guided by Helen Keller’s core values of Compassion, Courage, Integrity and Rigor,

the Managing Director promotes an organizational culture of mutual respect with a

thoughtful talent management environment and a commitment to fairness and

belonging. The role requires strong leadership, decision-making, and communication

skills to ensure Helen Keller’s success and the growth of its influence and impact in a

competitive marketplace. The Managing Director, together with other leaders, will also

build organization-wide commitment to employee engagement and a high-performing

culture.

Functional Relationships

The Managing Director reports to the President & CEO and is a member of the

Executive Leadership Team. The Managing Director will partner with the Executive

Leadership Team to align the operations of his or her business unit with organizational

goals and collaborate with others to ensure a robust and dynamic portfolio of activities

that generate meaningful change in the lives of people, as well as build a reputation of

excellence for Helen Keller. S/he supervises country leaders to ensure that our global

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approach to generating impact, and the employee experience positions Helen Keller

as a leader among international non-profits.

The Managing Director is a key partner to shape, sell and deliver on Helen Keller’s

core programs of Eye Health, Neglected Tropical Diseases and Nutrition. Central to

their role is informing, influencing and implementing effective organizational policies

and systems in consistent, agile ways using data-based decision-making and

processes with clear decision making. S/he will work closely with the Executive Vice

President, Program & Partnerships and the leaders in the Center for Program Quality

and Strategic Partnerships to deliver on these aims.

The Managing Director will lead and mentor a dedicated team of Country Directors

and a team of technical professionals, fostering a culture of excellence and mutual

support. S/he will lead direct reports and/or shared staff to deliver technical advice and

support and the operational backbone of the region in financial management, human

resources, safeguarding, legal and compliance matters, risk management, business

development, and excellence in program delivery. They will build and maintain

relationships with external experts and governments to position Helen Keller to

effectively implement high-quality programs, best practices, and innovations. The

Managing Director will occasionally give presentations externally or to the Board of

Trustees to provide advice, support and resources for their portfolio or the organization

as a whole.

Specific Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: In alignment with the organizational strategy and

agreements on organizational health, develops and implements the long-term

vision, goals, and strategies for the business units they lead. Serves as a

member of the Executive team to provide strategic direction to the

organization. Leads a senior management team in setting localized

organizational priorities aligned to the organization-wide strategy. Ensuring

alignment between countries, other departments and organizational goals.

Promotes agile decision making and adaptability in the deployment of

resources. Drives the execution of organizational strategy in their regions and

serves as a member of the executive to lead organization-wide approaches

and initiatives. Evaluates the organization’s performance against set goals and

benchmarks and makes required management adjustments. Takes ownership

and accountability for achieving the strategic and operational goals of Helen

Keller, ensuring adherence to ethical standards and organizational values.

• Program Delivery, Learning and Operational Management: Oversees daily

operations to deliver programs with quality and efficiency. Directs the portfolio

to achieve key performance indicators (KPIs) of funders, governments and the

organization. Actively manages resources to optimize operational performance,

meeting or exceeding financial, operational, and strategic targets for their

business unit. Facilitates a learning culture by fostering collaboration and

knowledge sharing across different departments and teams, the sharing of best

practices and lessons learned, and promoting cross-functional cooperation and

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synergy. Stays updated on industry trends, best practices, and technological

advancements relevant to Helen Keller’ programs and initiatives.

• Business Development and Growth: Creates an integrated, organizationally

consistent approach to increasing Helen Keller’s impact while maintaining

operating viability across the portfolio. Oversees business development efforts

to drive impact and growth. Ensures that new areas of portfolio development

are consistent with organizational perspectives on the appropriate role for

International non-governmental organizations and promote local leadership.

Maintains appropriate and competitive positioning in Helen Keller’s core

program areas throughout the assigned portfolio, setting the organization up

for long-term success. Leads efforts to evolve our business model to expand

Helen Keller’s impact into aligned and adjacent program areas and nonpresence countries.

• Financial Oversight: Manages the country portfolio’s financial performance,

including accurate, timely budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting for all

projects and programs within the portfolio. Through the management of a

professional, responsible for ensuring proper financial and internal controls are

in place to protect organizational assets. Oversees cost management and

drives financial viability for their portfolio of countries through effective resource

allocation.

• Risk Management and Compliance: Ensures the portfolio, and the projects

and programs within it, adhere to all applicable legal and regulatory

requirements. Ensures that Helen Keller’s governance standards are followed

in all countries in the portfolio. Works with other members of the Executive

Leadership Team to maintain corporate ethics and compliance with all funders

and applicable government regulations. Identifies and assesses potential risks

(financial, operational, industry-related) to the portfolio and develops strategies

to mitigate those risks and support the organization’s business continuity.

Makes informed decisions that balance risk and opportunity.

• Influencing, Advocacy and Partnership Development: Ensures robust

representation and collaboration to increase influence and partnerships with

key governments, private sector actors, and partner organizations. Establishes

and maintains alliances with local, national and regional entities to promote

effective programs and scale of effective approaches. Builds and maintains

relationships with key stakeholders, including investors, clients, and partners.

Strengthens communication and understanding of Helen Keller’s core

programs and thought leadership agenda to generate conductive policy

environments, opportunities for collaboration and greater impact.

• Team Leadership and Development: Leads and inspires a management

team, providing direction and support. The team includes a cohort of Country

Directors and Leaders, and a small team of professionals providing project and

program management support, financial forecasting and analysis and business

development expertise to the Managing Director’s assigned portfolio. Fosters a

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positive organizational culture with a high level of employee engagement and

alignment to Helen Keller’s organizational values of Compassion, Courage,

Integrity and Rigor. Oversees the recruitment, development, and retention of

top talent, focusing on accessible leadership and a talent pipeline for the whole

organization. Promotes organizational agility by sharing talent and providing

broad organizational views. Provides a voice for clarity and direction for all staff

in their region(s). With the Executive Leadership Team and in their region,

inspires and leads the organization through times of change, supporting

smooth transitions and minimal disruption during change processes.

Other Duties

This job announcement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of

activities, duties or responsibilities for the position. Duties, responsibilities and

activities may change at any time with or without notice. All positions are required to

perform any additional tasks assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications

For our team to be a great fit for you, the following qualifications should resonate with

you:

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field or similar required; MBA or relevant

Master’s degree preferred; plus a minimum plus 15 years’ experience of directly

reporting senior-level experience working in a complex international organization;

or equivalent combination of education and experience

• Personal commitment to Helen Keller’s mission and goals and the values

embodied by our co-founder: compassion, courage, integrity and rigor.

• Demonstrated experience and a successful track record of:

o Leading and managing large-scale program implementation and

business development efforts;

o Leading and driving successful organizational change, especially as it

relates to agility;

o evolving organizational systems and business models to be fit for

purpose;

o leading teams and managing managers.

• Demonstrated ability to effectively articulate decision points using relevant

frameworks and data analysis

• A commitment to fairness and belonging and experience implementing these

concepts in a living, adapting organization.

• Relevant organizational experience with the ability to work effectively across

cultures and with different groups as evidenced by excellent listening and

communication skills, balanced and reasoned approaches to problems, ability

to inspire trust and confidence, respect and understanding of backgrounds and

cultures, and flexibility and openness to differing points of view.

• Knowledge of and experience in implementing change management initiatives

using industry best practices to build trust and understanding among

employees.

• The ability to make decisions in a dynamic environment, with an appreciation

for how future needs may affect those decisions: a willingness to iterate a

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strategy and approach, with the ability to recognize the need to course-correct

as necessary.

• Demonstrated understanding of the synergy between the programmatic,

operational, and financial components of development initiatives.

• Knowledge of country office operations and donor requirements and a track

record of delivery.

• Strong project management and communication skills with a track record of

deploying them to execute organizational design and human resource strategy.

• Demonstrated ability to undertake high-level representation, including the

ability to make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations in English

on complex topics to top management, public groups, and/or boards of

directors.

• Excellent oral and written English required. Ability to read, analyze and

interpret complex documents and to summarize information succinctly – both

verbally and in writing—using an engaging style. French language skills are a

strong advantage.

• Well-established and practiced organizational and planning skills.

• Lived experience working and living in the contexts where Helen Keller works

strongly preferred.

• An ability to work in challenging and changing environments, to find solutions

to emerging challenges, and maintain balance when under stress.

• Collaborative, flexible and solution-oriented.

• Ability and willingness to:

o flex work hours to accommodate multiple time zones, as needed.

o travel at least 30% of time.

Compensation

The full-time annualized midpoint of the salary range for this position is $210,000.

Actual salary will vary based upon, but not limited to, relevant experience, salary of

internal peers, and functional specialty. Helen Keller offers a comprehensive benefits

package that includes first-day eligibility for medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, and life insurance coverage, along with an Employee Assistance

Program, a retirement savings plan with an employer match, paid vacation leave, sick

& wellness leave, parental/adoption leave, and opportunities for learning and

development. Specific offerings may vary by country in accordance with local laws.

Fairness, Belonging and Zero Tolerance to Abuse

As a member of the Helen Keller Family, each employee is expected to:

• Help to develop and maintain an environment that welcomes and develops a

multi-cultural workforce with varied lived experiences and identities.

• Foster a work environment where everyone feels valued and included.

• Support employees’ evaluation and promotion processes based on skills and

performance.

• Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all members of Helen

Keller family, stakeholders in general, and particularly for the communities we

serve.

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• Follow Helen Keller Code of Conduct helping to prevent any type of abuse

including workplace harassment, sexual abuse and exploitation, and trafficking

in persons.

• Adhere to the Organizational Core Values

The deadline to apply is June 6th, 2025. Internal applicants are encouraged to

apply.

To Apply

Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to

HKI.Recruitment@hki.org. Note position title in subject line of email.

In the spirit of the extraordinary ability and vision of our founder, Helen Keller Intl

fosters an environment of fairness and belonging for our workforce.

Helen Keller Intl is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to the principles

of equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment.

Managing Director, East and Southern Africa and Asia

(Global position – flexible to be based where Helen Keller can support employment)

Guided by the remarkable legacy of our founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl

partners with communities striving to overcome longstanding cycles of poverty. By

delivering the essential building blocks of good health, sound nutrition, and clear

vision, we help millions of people create lasting change in their own lives. Working in

more than 20 countries – across Africa, Asia, Europe and in the United States – and

together with a global community of supporters, we are ensuring every person has the

opportunity – as Helen did – to reach their true potential.

As we continue to grow and impact lives, we are seeking a dynamic and visionary

Managing Director to provide strategic leadership to our portfolio of programs and

projects in East and Southern Africa and Asia. The Managing Director is an executive level leader who is responsible for overseeing the overall operations and strategic

direction of Helen Keller’s operations in the assigned regions. This includes

developing and executing long-term business plans, ensuring growth targets are met;

ensuring the organization meets its financial, operational, and implementation goals;

and maintaining strong relationships of influence. The Managing Director leads a

senior management team, fosters a positive organizational culture, and drives

business development efforts and expand program quality and impact. S/he

strengthens relationships, advocacy and influence of Helen Keller throughout the

region and oversees meaningful contribution of the region to organizational learning

and evidence targets.