Job, Dalberg Global Development Advisors - Africa Director of Operations

Dalberg is committed to global development and innovation, and offers a variety of advisory services across the international development sector.  Comprised of Dalberg Global Development Advisors, D. Capital, Dalberg Research and Dalberg Global Development Incubator, our platform provides high-level strategic, policy and investment advice to the leadership of key institutions, corporations and governments that are shaping international development. We focus on emerging and frontier markets, tackling topics such as economic development, global health, access to finance, agriculture, energy and the environment, among others. We offer outstanding individuals the opportunity to apply private sector skills to global challenges within an entrepreneurial working environment.

 

Established in 2001 by experienced private sector consultants, Dalberg operates from 14 worldwide locations and has successfully completed over 1000 engagements for more than 400 clients. For more information, please visit www.dalberg.com. 

Position Description

The Director of Operations in Africa position is an opportunity to help Dalberg Global Development Advisors to advance to new levels of impact and influence in global development. The Director is responsible for running the internal operations for Dalberg’s Africa regional business and managing a professional team of 3 members. Current and prior project leaders/managers/principals from management consulting firms who are obsessed with data-driven decision making, have direct experience overseeing accounting and finance functions, thrive in fast-paced environments, and have a track record of  mobilizing teams to achieve wildly ambitious goals will find this role very rewarding.  The position is full-time, though we are open to proposals to making it a ~80% role for someone who is highly productive and efficient and is looking for a flexible work arrangement.  The position reports to the Partner and Regional Director for Africa. The position is based in any of our Africa offices (Dakar, Johannesburg, Lagos or Nairobi) and requires infrequent travel among Dalberg’s Africa offices.    Key Responsibilities:  Oversee the firm’s Africa operational roles Rigorously help the Dalberg leadership team set operational goals, manage implementation efforts and report progress Make Dalberg Global Development Advisors the best place to work for the operations team by overseeing and driving improvements in operational practice, process, and policies Enable our firm to bring out the best in our operations team by supporting and tracking professional development needs of our operations team Play the key role of facilitating information flow between partners and functional operations Lead a team of 3 people to carry out financial, HR and Strategy & Communications roles within Africa Serve as the main liaison with other Dalberg regional offices and Global Shared Services on operational topics Handle all the operational challenges that invariably arise in a global fast-paced, entrepreneurial, and growing organization Manage unforeseen events with grace (and a good sense of humor) under pressure Work well with a diverse set of global colleagues Establish systems, procedures and resources that anticipate and mitigate business risks Note: Employment in all the Dalberg offices is conditional on the candidate having or obtaining the requisite authorization to live and work in that country.

Requirements

Requirements: A deep commitment to realizing social impact, and a track record of translating that commitment into tangible results At least 5 years of work experience preferably in management consulting, finance and/or a very related professional services firm in the social sector  Direct experience in an operational, financial, or managerial role within an established professional services firm is a plus Business acumen, including rigorous problem-solving and direct experience in accounting and financial management Knowledge of Human Resources best practices Strong and an articulate communicator preferably with experience  managing senior stakeholders within the company Sensitivity to interpersonal dynamics and ability to work collaboratively, build trust, facilitate decision-making within a management team, and work well across a wide range of cultures and global contexts Understanding of the challenges as well as opportunities an entrepreneurial organization faces

About Our Clients

Our clients come to us with some of the most difficult global problems, seeking solutions where the obvious ones have failed. We supply new ideas, drawing from a deep base of knowledge that cuts across sectors and geographies and is growing every day. We create value for clients focused on social impact by using on-the-ground research and rigorous business analysis to help governments, foundations, international agencies, NGOs, and corporations develop strategies and assess programs in areas such as access to finance, inclusive growth, global health, and energy and the environment. Some of our recent clients include foundations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, corporations such as Pepsi and Vodafone, multilateral institutions such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, UN Agencies such as UNICEF and the UNEP, and government agencies such as DFID and the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency.