Project Director (GBV Prevention Program) at Global Communities

Location: Dodoma, Tanzania

Reports to: Senior Program Manager, Global Support Team

Timeline: Full time, 18 months

Please Note: This position is contingent upon award and donor approval, with an anticipated start date of September 2026.

Overview

Global Communities champions innovative solutions to complex challenges at the intersection of humanitarian assistance, sustainable development, and financial inclusion. We ensure our approaches are as dynamic and diverse as the communities we serve. We bring together local and global insights to save lives and secure strong futures. We are looking for passionate, dedicated professionals to help us build the world we envision: one of expanded opportunity, where crises give way to resilience and all people thrive.

Global Communities is seeking a Project Director for the anticipated World Bank and Government of Tanzania Evidence-Based Parenting Models Addressing Gender-Based Violence (Bandebereho/Program P). This project is part of the larger Project for Advancing Gender Equality in Tanzania (PAMOJA), which has four main components: 1) Promoting Economic Opportunities for Women through Community-Based Models; 2) Strengthening Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response Services; 3) Innovations and Partnerships; and 4) Project Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation. The objective of the 24-month assignment is to design, adapt, pilot, validate, and support the national rollout of a community-based social norms change and GBV prevention program in Tanzania Mainland, based on the Bandebereho model, a couples-based intervention successfully implemented in Rwanda. The assignment begins with intensive piloting in 2 districts before scaling progressively to a total of 15 councils across Mainland Tanzania.

The Project Director, in close collaboration with the Government of Tanzania through the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups (MoCDGWSG), the Prime Minister’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government (PMO-RALG), national and community level stakeholders national, and the PAMOJA Project Implementation Unit will coordinate, integrate and lead delivery of the project across four concurrent technical strands: formative research, program/curriculum adaptation, training of trainers, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL). The Project Director will oversee the design of a culturally adapted community-based social norms change and GBV prevention program; the piloting of the program in 2 selected councils; the progressive, quality-assured scale-up to 15 councils; and the validation of a national GBV prevention protocol intended to be sustained by government structures beyond the life of the project.

Responsibilities

The Project Director is responsible for overall leadership and strategic direction of the program, ensuring collaboration with relevant ministries and Pamoja Project implementation Unit, guiding program implementation across all four technical strands, upholding technical excellence, and driving the achievement of key program outcomes. The Project Director will manage a team of staff, consultants, and partners to ensure the quality, timeliness, and efficiency of all products and activities generated under the project. S/he will work closely with relevant ministries at national, regional, council and community level and with local partner organizations to ensure smooth, aligned, and well-coordinated implementation. Finally, the Project Director will serve as the primary point of contact for coordination with MoCDGWSG and the World Bank, will be responsible for communications with the donor, for publicly representing the project, and for liaising with government and other institutions/stakeholders as necessary.

Specific Responsibilities Include The Following

• Provide program leadership, direction, and supervision across all four technical strands (Formative Research, Programs/Curriculum Adaptation, Training of Trainers, and MEL), including oversight of staff, consultants, and partners.
• Serve as the technical director of the project, ensuring an ongoing commitment to technical excellence and adherence to gender equality, social inclusion, and safeguarding standards and best practices.
• Ensure high-quality implementation of a project focused on community-based violence prevention and social behavior change, with fidelity to the adaptedBandeberehocurriculummaintainedfrom pilot through scale-up.
• Provide strategic direction by leading planning and implementation reviews tofacilitatethe cost-effective andtimelyachievement of contract deliverables, including district-by-district rollout to 15 councils.
• Ensure active coordination across all four technical strands.
• Manage team members, including highly specialized technical staff and embedded district-level personnel, to deliver against the project workplan.
• Ensure project activities maximize impact and are completed in compliance with Global Communities, World Bank rules and regulations, Government of Tanzania laws, policies and guidelines, and donor agreement requirements.
• Meet program targets and deliverables, as well as fiscal integrity of the use of program funds.
• Coordinate with relevant government ministries, includingMoCDGWSGandPMO-RALG,as well as Pamoja Project Implementation Unitand act as primary point of contact with the donor, government counterparts, and other critical in-country stakeholders.
• Represent Global Communities and overall program interests as necessary andappropriate.
• Build andmaintainstrong working relations with key internal and external stakeholders, beneficiaries, prime and subcontractors, suppliers, and partners. Provide effective andtimelyresponses to inquiries and concerns.
• Foster good working relationships with other agencies working on similar or complementary projects, maximizing visibility and learning.
• Ensure that lessons learned aredisseminatedand applied, including through the project's quarterly progress reports and final programreport.
  

Qualifications

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or related discipline.
• A minimum of eight (8) years of experience managing GBV prevention and/or community-based development programs.
• Experience implementing programsand/or researchboth in Tanzania andsignificant work experience inat least twocountriesbeyond Tanzaniathatdemonstrateinternational credentials.
• Experience serving as Team Leader(Project Director)on at least two (2) similar projects involving qualitative and participatory research, particularly in the areas of GBV, social norms change, masculinity, family dynamics, and community-based interventions.
• Proven experience leading Program P orBandeberehoadaptations or similar couples-based models in Tanzania or Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Experience translating formativeresearch into adapted program materials in a community-based GBV preventioncontext, with specific experience in rapid, iterative curriculum adaptation duringpilot phases.
• World Bank or other international donor experience within the last 10 years.
• Must havea track recordof published work. Pleasesubmita list of publications in/with your CV.
• Demonstrated experience and understanding of implementing research studies; experience with randomized control trials (RCTs) preferred.
• Strong understanding of Government of Tanzania structures and processes, including relevant ministries at the national level and Local Government Authorities (LGAs).
• Proven ability to engage and coordinate effectively with government stakeholders, ensuring compliance with national policies and alignment with LGA procedures.
• Ability to develop effective working relationships with government officials, civil society organizations, private sector actors, implementing partners, international donors, and other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and coordinate multiple concurrent technical workstreams (research, curriculum/program design, training systems, and MEL) toward a single integrated delivery timeline.
• Strong teamleadership, emotional intelligence, and adaptive management skills with experience overseeing at least 20 staff in their direct reporting line, includingexperience overseeing geographically dispersed, district-embedded teams.
• Proven ability to communicate a common vision among diverse partners and the ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams is desired.
• Languages: Full Professional Proficiency in spoken and written English; working knowledge of Swahili strongly preferred.
• Acommitment tofurtheringGlobal Communities values in support of our mission.
  

Global Communities positively welcomes and seeks applications from all sections of society. We are committed to a work environment that respects the dignity and worth of everyone and offers equal opportunity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.

Global Communities holds strict safeguarding principles and has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. In the process of recruitment, selection, and appointment, Global Communities will conduct robust reference and background screening checks, including international vetting as a signature of the Global Misconduct Disclosure Scheme to ensure children and vulnerable adults are safeguarded, and abuse is prevented. The incumbent is required to carry out their duties in accordance with Global Communities Safeguarding policy and the Standards of Conduct.