- Background and Project Purpose
TechnoServe is implementing Oholo, a 3.5-year project funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), running through June 2027. Oholo’s mandate is to catalyze inclusive economic growth in northern Mozambique by strengthening the Business Development Services market system for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Through a carefully sequenced Market Systems Development approach, Oholo will scale up a formalized network of Business Development Service (BDS) providers, roll out nationally-aligned service standards, and unlock new finance and market linkages that directly benefit youth and women entrepreneurs.
Oholo has three complementary sub-objectives:
(1) expand and professionalize RECAE, the regional BDS provider network, enabling it to generate sustainable revenue streams and deliver high-quality, fee-based services;
(2) partner with Government of Mozambique agencies to develop and implement accreditation and quality standards under the new MSME law; and
(3) drive access to tailored financial products and market opportunities by convening financial institutions, Business Development Services Providers and MSMEs.
Success will be measured by the number of BDS providers accredited, with enhanced operational and financial sustainability, and measurable income and job gains among supported youth and women-led MSMEs.
- Description and Responsibilities of the Position
As Oholo’s senior leader, the Senior Program Manager will provide strategic oversight of a multidisciplinary team—ensuring seamless coordination between Oholo’s field operations, local implementing partners, and donor counterparts. This role will shape annual work plans, oversee a US$1.8 million local partner grant fund, and represent Oholo at high-level policy and private-sector forums. The ideal candidate combines deep experience in market-systems development, proven capacity to engage government and corporate stakeholders, and a track record of driving large-scale economic inclusion programs to sustainable impact. He/She will be responsible for the overall project management leadership, ensuring the project team implements project activities within approved plans, budget, and quality standards.
The Senior Program Manager, ensures accurate work planning, management and reporting of activities, budgets, monitoring, external services and any other key areas required to deliver a successful project. He/She will oversee financial control and proactively review, make recommendations, report on programmatic activities, and support the delivery of TechnoServe’s strategic plan for the Oholo program. Key responsibilities include:
Program Management and Implementation:
- Serve as primary liaison to Donors, local and national governmental authorities, local NGOs, community organizations, and other donor organizations.
- Lead design and implementation of all program components and activities, ensuring technical capacity of the team and full delivery of donor indicators
- Facilitate learning and integration of TechnoServe’s regional best practices on enterprise development and the program’s technical areas.
- Oversee budget management and provide overall financial oversight to ensure strict
- Ensure the highest quality of program implementation, monitoring, evaluation, reporting and communications, including TechnoServe’s corporate measurements and Program Quality Assessments
- Ensure compliance with Donor rules and regulations, particularly with respect to financial and grant management.
- Monitoring the context dynamics and adapt the project activities and implementation modalities accordingly.
- Providing technical guidance, advice and assistance in facilitating planning and implementation of strategies and interventions.
- Responsible for the timely submission of high-quality reports, success stories and other documents as per organizational procedure and donor requirements to update management on program progress achieved, program plans, changes in direction and challenges encountered.
- Ensuring the quality monitoring of all projects implemented by partners in the project.
- Identifying and flagging any potential issues or risks that could affect the progression of the project. Work with the Programs Director to identify possible solutions.
Relationship and Stakeholder Management
- Establishing and managing working relations with diverse stakeholders – NGOs, bilateral agencies, government departments, business, and non-profit partners.
- Taking the lead in conceptualizing and organizing state / district level consultations / workshops / conferences as required in the project.
- Responsible for ensuring adherence to technical standards and compliance to technical guidelines and policies in the project.
- Representing TechnoServe at external meetings with partners and local stakeholders when needed.
- Building and maintaining a culture of mutually accountable partnerships with other stakeholders
People Management
- Line manages several direct reports, including supporting work plan development and performance management.
- Leading, managing and motivating the team, creating an environment that enables staff to maximize their potential and facilitates high performing teams.
- Ensuring the recruitment, management and development of a high performing team in line with the demands of the project work plan.
- Provide mentoring and professional development support to project staff, with emphasis on building capacity.
- Supporting the uptake and ensuring staff accountability on the TechnoServe code of conduct.
Qualifications and Competencies
- Bachelor's Degree + 10 years experience, Master's Degree + 7 years experience
- At least 5 years of experience on international development, private sector, or entrepreneurship
- Demonstrable experience in international development, including proven experience in a project management / project leadership role in Mozambique.
- Proven experience in delivering projects on time / on budget, using project management processes and tools including risk management, financial management and quality assurance.
- Training and/or experience in Market Systems Development programs
- Knowledge of DCED Standards for Results Measurement
- Experience working in a public/private partnership environment
- Private Sector experience desirable.
- Management skills, such as project management, personnel management, work plan management, and/or financial management
- An orientation toward communicating effectively and diplomatically with a range of external and internal colleagues including donors, partners and senior and junior team members across diverse cultures
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