Title: Deputy Executive Director

Department: Executive Director Office 

Reporting to: Executive Director

Location:  One of Greenpeace Africa (GPAF) Operational Office ( South Africa,  Cameroon, Senegal, Kenya) with flexibility to work from home as GPAF implements a hybrid work location model

Purpose of the Role 

The Deputy Executive Director (DED) is a senior leader in Greenpeace Africa who will work closely with the Executive Director (ED) to provide strategic, programmatic, and operational leadership. The DED ensures alignment between vision, strategy, and implementation, and serves as a key driver of organizational performance, staff development, and cross-team collaboration. The DED acts as the second-in-command to the ED, representing both of them when required by the ED and plays a critical role in fostering a culture of accountability, inclusion, innovation, and resilience within Greenpeace Africa.

Main duties 

Strategic Leadership & Program Delivery

  • Support the Executive Director in overseeing the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Greenpeace Africa’s strategic plans and organisational development.
  • Oversee the integration of campaigns, engagement, communications,  fundraising, operations and managing activities within assigned budgets to deliver maximum impact.
  • Provide leadership in strategic foresight and scenario planning to anticipate risks and opportunities as required by the Executive Director.
  • Identify potential efficiency improvements and recommend such to the Executive Director.

Organization Management 

  • Oversee day-to-day programmatic and operational functions, ensuring efficiency, transparency, and accountability in close consultation with SMT members.
  • Strengthen internal systems for planning, performance management, and impact measurement.
  • Ensure compliance with governance standards, policies, and donor requirements.
  • Lead cross-functional coordination, ensuring that teams work collaboratively and effectively.

People and Culture

  • Foster a culture of equity, inclusion, wellbeing, and high performance across the organization.
  • Support leadership development and succession planning for managers and senior staff.
  • Promote Greenpeace Africa’s values of integrity, courage, non-violence, independence, and global solidarity.
  • Act as a trusted mentor and coach to staff, encouraging innovation, learning, and growth.

External Representation & Partnerships

  • Represent Greenpeace Africa in high-level external forums, networks, and partnerships as delegated by the Executive Director.
  • Support efforts of strengthening relationships with civil society, community movements, governments, media, and allies in consultation with Senior Management Team (SMT)members.
  • Contribute to resource mobilization efforts by supporting donor engagement and representing organizational impact in collaboration with the Fundraising Director.

Executive Support & Governance

  • Act as the primary deputy to the Executive Director, providing strategic counsel and stepping in as acting Executive Director when required.
  • Support Governance and Legal Advisor by ensuring Board reports are adequately captured and revised by each Director with accurate updates and strategic analyses before submission to the Executive Director for final review.
  • Primary liaison for the governance coordinator in mandating departmental delivery and individual outputs by due dates in meeting their company secretariat functions, such as but not limited to:
    • Ensuring FICA documentation by bank signatories are signed quickly,
    • Policies are implemented consistently thus ensuring organisation wide fairness and risk mitigation,
    • Signed Annual Financial Statements are filed with the registrar no later than 6 months after year-end by tracking the numerous deliverables are met by due dates,
    • Company information such as registered address, details of directors, voting members, and related parties are supplied quickly ensuring the Company Register remains up-to-date at all times, etc.
  • Contribute to building a strong and supportive relationship between staff leadership and governance bodies, representing the best interests of the Executive Director.
  • A “zero tolerance to office politics” stance is maintained and directors attend to disagreements between staff swiftly and decisively with full transparency to everyone involved.

Qualifications and Experience 

  • Master’s degree or equivalent experience in management, environmental studies, social sciences, or related field.
  • At least 10 years’ leadership experience in NGOs, international organizations, or movements, with a minimum of 5 years in Director roles.
  • Demonstrated experience in Africa, with strong networks and knowledge of the socio-political landscape.
  • Track record in cross departmental, external relations, stakeholder, program and effective budget planning and management.
  • Experience working with high level executives and governance structures.
  • Having previously managed a minimum of five Departmental Heads/Senior Managers
  • No criminal record other than related to activist activities.
  • Prior experience at Greenpeace preferred.
  • Deep knowledge of environmental, climate justice, and social justice issues in Africa.
  • Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams across geographies and cultures.

Greenpeace Africa is an equal opportunity organisation committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, irrespective of gender, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic background. 

Interested qualified candidates should email a cover letter & CV to [email protected] with the subject line- Deputy Executive Director as the subject line by the 31st October 2025