Director of Programmes

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in a relevant field preferred.
  
• 15+ years of progressive professional experience, including a minimum of 5 years in a senior leadership role with direct people management responsibility.
  
• Proven track record in development or strategy consulting, product management, programme delivery, or complex client service environments.
  
• Demonstrated experience designing and delivering large-scale, technology-supported impact programmes across multiple geographies or contexts.
  
• Strong background in enterprise or private sector development programmes and/or large-scale skills development initiatives in Africa.
  
• Deep understanding of SME and MSME ecosystems and development-funded programming across the African market.
  
• Exceptional relationship management skills — equally effective with internal teams, senior clients, and external partners.
  
• Data-driven and process-oriented, with a proven ability to translate analytical insights into practical, scalable action.
  
• Grounding in design thinking and human-centred approaches to programme and product development.
  
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence diverse stakeholders at all levels.
  
• High integrity, personal resilience, and a collaborative, empowering leadership style.
  

Program Delivery Oversight:

• Lead the build out of a scalable pan-African program machine that delivers on impact metrics, within scope and budget - every time:
  
• Provide overall oversight of project performance, ensuring delivery against scope, timelines, budgets, and outcomes.
  
• Develop and refine dashboards and delivery systems to ensure real-time visibility of milestone progress, risks and bottlenecks, delivery quality, and financial performance.
  
• Proactively problem-solve delivery challenges with project teams and escalate risks where needed.
  
• Ensure on-time billing and revenue realization
  

Programme Design & Solutions

• Draw on AMI’s existing products, data and internal knowledge to design tailored Solutions for clients and learners.
  
• Convene AMI’s technical experts to inform the design process, driving a collaborative process with ultimate accountability for outcomes.
  
• Serve as an SME and skilling sector expert to help programme teams make rapid decisions
  
• Work with technical and innovation teams to surface programmatic insights, feeding these insights back into AMI’s model and products
  
• Work with product and innovation teams to assess new programmatic designs/solutions for potential translation into replicable products
  

Implementation Process Design & Governance

• Take AMI’s processes to the next level as we scale. Define and document: delivery governance structures, meeting cadences,escalation pathways,touchpoints with other teams
  
• Embedding of AI tools for efficient program design and delivery
  
• Ensure consistent, high-quality execution across projects while allowing for contextual flexibility.
  
• Embed agile, learning-oriented delivery practices where appropriate.
  

Implementation Team Leadership & Capability Building

• Work with the MD – AMI Impact to define the implementation team structure as we scale
  
• Directly line manage and develop Senior Project Managers (SPM), with oversight of a larger delivery team
  
• Coach and continuously develop the delivery team in:
  
• Finding solutions and designs for SME & skilling programs project management best practices, client communication, risk management, and delivery excellence.
  
• Build a strong delivery culture focused on accountability, learning, and continuous improvement.
  

Client Relationship Management & Renewal

• Co-own senior client relationships with other senior leaders.
  
• Represent AMI at a senior level at client meetings and public events.
  
• Develop a senior client coverage plan to ensure consistent engagement with priority donors and partners.
  
• Meet regularly with a defined portfolio of senior clients to: understand experience and evolving needs, surface risks and opportunities early, and translate insights into action for delivery teams.
  
• Lead efforts to improve client experience and renewal rates, feeding lessons into solution design and delivery processes.
  

Business Development & Donor Engagement Support

• Work with Partnership team to maintain and improve AMI’s excellent renewal rate, expanding partnerships and programme scope for greater impact and growth
  
• Support BD teams on technical scoping and proposal development where required
  
• At times review and/or author key technical sections of proposals, inception reports, and strategic deliverables.