Summary
Description
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
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 garner 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 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 non- presence 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 funder 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 conducive 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 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 relevant 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 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.
• 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.
