Precision Agriculture for Development

Title: Director of Development

Location and Work Authorization: Worldwide, with preference for India, Kenya, Pakistan 

(visa sponsorship may be offered) 

Salary: Competitive
Line Management: Development team staff

Position: Full-time; option of flexible working

Pension: Country applicable
Annual leave: Country applicable

Posted on: June 17, 2022 

Application deadline: July 18, 2022, 10am EST (applications may be reviewed as they are submitted)

We are looking for an exceptional leader to create a step-change in our approach to development. PxD’s model is to innovate, test, prove and scale high impact services for people living in low and middle income countries, and we need a leader for every stage of that journey.

This is a great role for someone with a growth mindset who is looking for a career-defining opportunity to make a transformational difference to a global non-profit organization that is dedicated to creating lasting change for the world’s poorest and most disadvantaged people.  

This role will lead on the development and delivery of PxD’s income generation activity at a time of change and growing need. 

You will have the support and commitment of the CEO, Board of Directors, Chief of Operations, Chief of Strategy, Partnerships, and Innovation, Director of Finance, and an ambitious and friendly team.

Your immediate priorities will include: 

1. Work with Country Directors and other senior staff as a strategic partner to support in-country financial goals, developing plans to position our work and impact.  
2. Work with the CEO as part of the Leadership Group and to ensure the CEO, Board of Directors, and Advisers play a full role in development, effectively deploying their networks and influence. 
3. Develop a development strategy, in line with the wider organizational strategy, and in collaboration with the CEO, Chief of Operations, Chief of Strategy, Partnerships, and Innovation, and Country Leads.
4. Develop effective, efficient, low friction internal systems to ensure good management of relationships with partners and development activities. 

Role and Responsibilities:

Income generation

• Work with Country Directors and other senior staff as a strategic partner to support in-country financial goals, developing plans to position our work and impact.  
• Support the development of a balanced, innovative, sustainable and diverse range of funding streams, including from governments, non-profits, private businesses, and philanthropies.
• Play a lead role in identifying and securing prospective funding partners, based on their interests and strategies and fit with PxD’s strategy, who might want to work with PxD to finance more, and better, long-term services. Work through our country teams, Board, members of Leadership and advisory group members to understand the funding landscape in each country and design a development strategy tailored to each context. 
• Actively contribute to cultivating and managing relationships with key funding partners to maintain loyalty and maximize impact, and provide coaching to team members on how to effectively use their networks and develop partnerships.
• Ensure ongoing review of our funding portfolio, proactively managing performance and developing cases for future investment.
• Work with staff, Board and Advisers to ensure that income opportunities are maximized, for strategic and impact-driven activities. Identify and maintain a list of potential income opportunities, working in collaboration with Country Leads, Chief of Strategy, Partnerships, and Innovation, and Development staff. 
• Maintain an excellent and current understanding of the external funding environment, in order to maximize opportunities for diversification and impact. 

Internal relationships

• Work with the CEO as part of the Leadership Group and to ensure the CEO, Board and Advisers play a full role in development, effectively deploying their networks and influence.
• Work closely with the Director of Finance to create and manage appropriate budgets that reflect the requirements and costs of country programs and cross-cutting teams, and ensure financial monitoring and efficient financial processes.
• Manage the development team to ensure effective management of internal systems and processes, including effective use of Salesforce.
• Foster collaboration and build consensus across programs, communications, leadership, etc. around developing key relationships to maximize development and visibility opportunities. 
• Ensure that the Leadership Group is abreast of all development activities and projects, and that the team work effectively across the organisation to support development opportunities.
• Attend Board meetings, and work with the Global Chief of Operations to prepare for these meetings and other deliverables as necessary.

Team management and leadership

• Embed a culture of high-performance in which the team is inspired and empowered.
• Proactively analyze performance for ongoing improvement.
• Design, agree and actively monitor KPIs including income, expenditure and ROI.
• Ensure PxD complies with relevant regulations, standards and legislation in relation to our engagement and development activities.
• Ensure the team has appropriate infrastructure to perform at the level required.

Strategic planning and development

• Build alignment across development activities.
• As part of the Leadership Group, work with the CEO in PxD’s strategic planning processes and shared leadership of the organization.
• Provide financial and overall performance reporting, ensuring that income and expenditure are monitored effectively. Work alongside the Director of Finance.
• Act as an ambassador for PxD through compelling communications with potential funding partners.

How to apply: 

To apply, please visit the PxD website and use the online application form to submit a CV, a short statement outlining the motivation for applying, and brief responses to the screening questions. The position may be reviewed on a rolling basis until the application deadline of July 18, 2022, 10am EST.

PxD is committed to building an inclusive and diverse organisation. We don’t make decisions based on gender, gender identity, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation or any other personal characteristics that are unrelated to the role. We understand that everyone has different lifestyles and we accommodate flexible working to make sure you are as productive and happy as you can be. 

We will use any personal data you provide for recruitment purposes only.

About PxD:

Precision Development (PxD) is a global non-profit organization that harnesses technology, data science, and behavioral economics to empower people living in poverty to improve their lives. By providing actionable information to the right people, in the right way and at the right time, PxD empowers people to improve their livelihoods, mitigate risks, advance environmental sustainability, and adapt to a changing climate. A majority of PxDs services deliver customized digital agricultural advice to smallholder farmers via their mobile phones. This pioneering model of agricultural extension is implemented in collaboration with partner organizations to maximize scale, and we continuously experiment, iterate, and gather evidence on impact to improve service delivery and demonstrate our value. PxD currently works in eleven countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and is rapidly expanding as governments and organizations look for innovative ways to utilize new technologies to deliver actionable information to people who need it. At the end of Q4 2021, PxD and our partners were servicing 5.7 million users through a range of initiatives providing tailored digital information on crop optimization, pest management, input utilization, and environmental stewardship. PxD also leverages mobile technology to deliver information in sectors beyond agriculture, including to facilitate math education in Kenya, improving household nutrition, increasing the adoption of crop insurance and other financial services, and other interventions that advance well-being.