Senior Global Programs Director – Spark Microgrants (Remote)

Administration & Office Support
Africa, Accra
May 29, 2026
Full Time
Urgent

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Job Description

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Senior Global Programs Director (SGPD) provides strategic leadership, oversight, and support to Spark’s Country Directors, ensuring high-quality, nationally scalable, and financially sustainable program delivery across all countries of operation. As a key member of the Global Programs Team, the SGPD strengthens program excellence, fosters cross-country learning, ensures strong operational performance, and aligns country strategies with Spark’s global vision and growth plans.

This role requires a seasoned leader with deep experience in international development, government relations, scaling programs, multi-country program oversight, team leadership, and operational management.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Programmatic strategy

  • Lead national-scale programs via policy adoption, financing, and program roll-out across Rwanda, Malawi, Ghana, Uganda, and potentially other countries.
  • Maintain and cultivate top-level national government relationships in support of the national program adoption, financing, and execution.
  • Establish in-country financing via the Government, the World Bank, bilateral partners, and co-financing.
  • Develop and implement programmatic strategy in alignment with Spark MicroGrants’ mission and goals.
  • Oversee the design and execution of all programmatic activities to ensure high-quality, impactful, and scalable initiatives.
  • Provide strategic direction and support to Country Directors to enhance country-specific strategies and operations.

Leadership management

  • Direct line management of and support to Country Directors, the Partnership and Systems Manager, and additional senior staff to lead their teams successfully.
  • Overall responsibility for program expansion, timelines, and budget management in line with annual and multi-year organizational strategies while maintaining quality.
  • Recruit, mentor, and support senior program staff, promoting professional growth and development.
  • Oversee Program implementation risk mitigation
  • Oversee quality assurance and surge support to partner selection, onboarding, and ongoing management. Update partner management system and procedures as required.
  • Ensure program compliance with safeguarding policy and best practice

Program design and innovation

  • Support the Program Design team to test and streamline program innovations.
  • Facilitate the integration of learnings into design conversations.
  • Oversee the implementation of the Program Design Standard Operating Procedures 

Financial Oversight

  • Manage program budgets to ensure consistency with strategic priorities, donor commitments, and available funding.
  • Ensure the program team makes cost-effective use of resources and adheres to financial policies and procedures.
  • Review program expenditure with an eye towards streamlined costing across programs and optimizing for program ROI.

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Qualifications, experience & skills:

  • Minimum 12 years of relevant experience, such as in partnership management, people management and program implementation;
  • 5+ years managing senior leaders (e.g., Country Directors or equivalent) 
  • Proven track record of government engagement and policy influencing;
  • Demonstrated experience in leading organisations;
  • Strong understanding of monitoring and evaluation, finance and operations and grant management;
  • Masters Degree in the field of International Development, Social Sciences, Economics, Management or related fields;
  • Excellent track record in designing and managing rural development programs;
  • Strong project management skills and attention to detail are required; 
  • Proven track record of leading successful resource mobilization
  • Excellent English written and oral communication

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