SR. DIRECTOR – VSLA CARE USA

JOB SUMMARY:

The Senior Director, VSLA is responsible for leading CARE’s global VSLA Scaling Strategy, one of three Globally Scaled Priorities for CARE USA. This role will provide strategic leadership to collaboratively develop a transformative vision across CARE International, while also leading an international team and portfolio managed by CARE USA. The team will oversee a portfolio of over 70 projects in 35+ countries valued in excess of $USD 200 million by 2030. S/he must strategically identify and deploy diverse funding resources to best support the staffing and funding for the VSLA Scaling Strategy. This position leads a team of 15 staff and provides programming leadership as well as strategic technical support to programs, thought leadership to elevate the role of savings groups programming with donors, partners, and the community of practice including in support of advocacy efforts and fundraising.

The Senior Director also represents CARE at high-level international forums on issues related to savings groups, financial inclusion and gender equity. S/he will engage and nurture strategic partnerships and donor relations with key donors including but not restricted to USAID, professional foundations (e.g. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) and high net worth individuals.

The Senior Director is part of a larger Program, Strategy and Impact (PSI) team and will collaborate, partner and support other Senior Directors and Program teams to engage in organization-wide efforts on program quality and learning as well as holistic/integrated programming, as well as lead CUSA WEJ’s program impact and quality.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Global strategic leadership

• Provide global leadership to the VSLA team, specifically to guide the strategic direction of VSLA Scaling efforts to reach 62m people by 2030. Given the breadth and depth of CARE’s work with VSLAs as a platform for integrated programming, this role will provide strategic global leadership to CARE’s programing in the areas of (1) CARE’s direct programming with VSLAs to reach 9m people by 2030; (2) scaling VSLAs through National Government programs to reach 11m people by 2030; (3) adapting the VSLA model in crisis settings to reach 3-5m people by 2030 and (4) to deepen integration of VSLAs in supply chains and agribusiness programs.
• The position also provides strategic leadership to CARE International confederation on economic justice, a key outcome area for CARE International in its Vision 2030 agenda. Through this platform, the position will work with various CI members to integrate VSLA+ approaches in programs implemented by individual CI members.
• This team provides oversight and leadership for the VSLA programming portfolio funded from US sources and is responsible for leading on VSLA related discussions and strategies within CARE USA.

CARE US Team leadership and Program management

• Mentor, coach and support the CARE US VSLA team (roughly 15 staff) to support program quality and accountability by developing new solutions, insights, tools and guidance to replicate and scale VSLAs through CARE and third-party scalers.
• The Sr. Director will build a team of experts to support program quality in CARE country offices. S/he serves as the primary point of contact (PoC) with donors for VSLA program management, new business development, and representation to the donor community. S/he will oversee an annual portfolio of $40-50m in over 35 countries and maintain a robust pipeline of strategic initiatives that support VSLA Scaling priorities.

Global partnerships, External positioning and Advocacy/influencing

• Develop partnerships to design and implement replicable models and new solutions, including digital solutions.
• Provide CARE global representation at international and national forums.
• Advance CARE’s profile in VSLA programming in the US and advocate for the integration of VSLA+ approaches, building on the evidence of CARE’s work.

Fundraising/Resource Mobilization

• Engage with donors, develop innovative program designs, and build/manage consortium of partners.
• Support the partnership of Fundraising/Resource Mobilization teams and VSLA Team members to track strategic and relevant funding opportunities.

Learning & Innovations

• Help create and facilitate a VSLA learning agenda that cuts across sectors and programming.
• Leverage learnings, insights and knowledge and lead the development of tools, models, guidance and research to support VSLA scaling efforts globally.
• Ensure data driven information supports decision-making across PSI, and specifically to deliver impactful VSLA programming.

WEJ Program Strategy Lead

• Help set and lead WEJ’s program strategy goals, including impact, earn-save-invest objectives, program quality goals and gender marker goals.
• Help identify new approaches to integrated programming including developing and testing models for layered and sequenced interventions across impact areas.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree or higher in public health, social sciences or international development.
• 10-15 years in international development, and/or in CARE programming.
• 5+ years MANAGING AND LEADING a technical team.
• STRATEGIC planning, program design, implementation and evaluation of programs.
• Experience fundraising, designing, implementing multi-donor funded programs.
• Significant public speaking and representation experience.

Deadline: 27-Jan-24