Executive Director

Our client, a leading and highly respected not-for-profit organization in Tanzania’s health sector, is seeking an exceptional Executive Director to provide visionary leadership and drive its next phase of growth, impact, and sustainability.

Reporting to the Board of Directors and based in Dar es Salaam, the Executive Director will be responsible for setting the organization’s strategic direction, ensuring operational excellence, and delivering its mission and long-term objectives.

The role will lead efforts to strengthen the organization’s position as a centre of excellence in health programme implementation, policy advocacy, technical assistance, research, knowledge generation, and capacity building across Tanzania and the region.

The successful candidate will provide strategic leadership in stakeholder engagement, resource mobilization, institutional development, and organizational performance, while fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, and high performance. They will also demonstrate a strong ability to engage effectively with the Government of Tanzania, development partners, donors, and other key stakeholders to advance national health priorities and achieve sustainable impact.

Key roles and responsibilities

1. Strategic leadership and direction within the health sector

• Provide visionary leadership to implement the organization’s Strategic Plan in alignment with national and global health priorities.
• Translate Board decisions into actionable strategies, annual operational plans, and measurable performance outcomes.
• Drive and strengthen the organization’s technical excellence, institutional growth, innovation, policy influence, and transformation agenda, reinforcing its position as a leading and trusted national and regional provider of technical assistance in advancing health and social welfare outcomes.

2. Financial stewardship and sustainability

• Provide executive oversight of organizational sustainability, financial performance, resource allocation, and long-term viability.
• Ensure a robust and diversified funding and portfolio base through strategic partnerships, grants, investments, and innovative income-generating initiatives.
• Promote financial prudence, accountability, transparency, sound risk management, business continuity, and protection of the organization’s assets.
• Ensure availability of quality financial information to support Executive Management and Board oversight.

3. Research, innovation and knowledge leadership

• Provide strategic oversight of the organization’s research and innovation agenda to ensure quality, relevance, and measurable public health impact.
• Drive institutional modernization through digital transformation, technology adoption, research commercialization, and strategic capital and infrastructure development aligned with the organization’s growth agenda.

4. Resource mobilization and fundraising

• Develop and sustain strategic partnerships with donors, development partners, governments, philanthropic institutions, the private sector, and funding agencies to mobilize resources, expand impact, and advance the organization’s strategic ambitions.
• Lead the identification, pursuit, and acquisition of new funding opportunities, including grants, contracts, endowments, and innovative financing mechanisms.
• Lead the diversification of revenue streams and strategic partnerships to reduce funding concentration risks and enhance financial resilience.
• Oversee the development of compelling funding proposals, investment cases, and partnership frameworks that align with the organization’s strategic priorities and impact agenda.

5. People leadership and organizational culture

• Lead, inspire, and develop the Senior Management Team, and build a motivated, capable, and inclusive workforce that values learning, collaboration, and performance excellence.
• Champion leadership development, succession planning, fair and merit-based systems, and staff wellbeing across all levels of the organization.

6. Governance, compliance and risk management

• Ensure compliance with the organization’s governance framework, statutory obligations, standard operating procedures, and organizational policies.
• Uphold integrity and maintain zero tolerance for misconduct.

7. External relations, partnerships and policy influence

• Represent the organization nationally, regionally, and internationally as the principal ambassador, strengthening relationships with government, donors, development partners, academic and research institutions, and philanthropies.
• Position the organization as a trusted policy advisor and technical partner.

Academic Qualifications & Experience

• Masters Degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Medicine, Life Sciences, Health Economics, or a related discipline from reputable University and other higher learning institutions. A PhD will be an added advantage.
• At least Fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible leadership experience preferably in public health, five (5) of which must be at the executive level.
• Proven experience leading complex organizations, preferably within health programs, academia, health research, large health related NGOs.
• Demonstrated strength in organizational governance, financial oversight, and the development of strategic partnerships.
• Proven track record of adaptation and resilience during public health financial turbulence.
• Strong understanding of Tanzania’s health systems along the health building blocks, with experience in working with multilateral donors and international partners.
• Recognized record of advancing organizational transformation, performance excellence, and long-term strategic impact.
• Fund raising strategist with ability of resource mobilization from different funding sources.

• Provide visionary leadership to implement the organization’s Strategic Plan in alignment with national and global health priorities.
• Translate Board decisions into actionable strategies, annual operational plans, and measurable performance outcomes.
• Drive and strengthen the organization’s technical excellence, institutional growth, innovation, policy influence, and transformation agenda, reinforcing its position as a leading and trusted national and regional provider of technical assistance in advancing health and social welfare outcomes.
• Provide executive oversight of organizational sustainability, financial performance, resource allocation, and long-term viability.
• Ensure a robust and diversified funding and portfolio base through strategic partnerships, grants, investments, and innovative income-generating initiatives.
• Promote financial prudence, accountability, transparency, sound risk management, business continuity, and protection of the organization’s assets.
• Ensure availability of quality financial information to support Executive Management and Board oversight.
• Provide strategic oversight of the organization’s research and innovation agenda to ensure quality, relevance, and measurable public health impact.
• Drive institutional modernization through digital transformation, technology adoption, research commercialization, and strategic capital and infrastructure development aligned with the organization’s growth agenda.
• Develop and sustain strategic partnerships with donors, development partners, governments, philanthropic institutions, the private sector, and funding agencies to mobilize resources, expand impact, and advance the organization’s strategic ambitions.
• Lead the identification, pursuit, and acquisition of new funding opportunities, including grants, contracts, endowments, and innovative financing mechanisms.
• Lead the diversification of revenue streams and strategic partnerships to reduce funding concentration risks and enhance financial resilience.
• Oversee the development of compelling funding proposals, investment cases, and partnership frameworks that align with the organization’s strategic priorities and impact agenda.
• Lead, inspire, and develop the Senior Management Team, and build a motivated, capable, and inclusive workforce that values learning, collaboration, and performance excellence.
• Champion leadership development, succession planning, fair and merit-based systems, and staff wellbeing across all levels of the organization.
• Ensure compliance with the organization’s governance framework, statutory obligations, standard operating procedures, and organizational policies.
• Uphold integrity and maintain zero tolerance for misconduct.
• Represent the organization nationally, regionally, and internationally as the principal ambassador, strengthening relationships with government, donors, development partners, academic and research institutions, and philanthropies.
• Position the organization as a trusted policy advisor and technical partner.

• Strategic leadership
• Financial stewardship
• Resource mobilization
• Fundraising
• Stakeholder engagement
• Organizational development
• Policy advocacy
• Research and innovation
• People leadership
• Governance, compliance, and risk management
• External relations
• Adaptation and resilience
• Understanding of Tanzania's health systems
• Working with multilateral donors and international partners

• Masters Degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Medicine, Life Sciences, Health Economics, or a related discipline from reputable University and other higher learning institutions. A PhD will be an added advantage.
• At least Fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible leadership experience preferably in public health, five (5) of which must be at the executive level.
• Proven experience leading complex organizations, preferably within health programs, academia, health research, large health related NGOs.
• Demonstrated strength in organizational governance, financial oversight, and the development of strategic partnerships.
• Proven track record of adaptation and resilience during public health financial turbulence.
• Strong understanding of Tanzania’s health systems along the health building blocks, with experience in working with multilateral donors and international partners.
• Recognized record of advancing organizational transformation, performance excellence, and long-term strategic impact.
• Fund raising strategist with ability of resource mobilization from different funding sources.