- Commission-Based Model
- Remote/Global/Executive Leadership role
- 10hrs a week
About Project Yananai
Project Yananai is a global non-profit headquartered in the United Kingdom, with Affiliate Entities and Management Teams in India, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Our mission is to inspire and empower individuals and communities by fostering enduring relationships, enhancing sustainable skills, and delivering compassionate humanitarian aid. We are dedicated to nurturing resilient societies that are self-sufficient, spiritually fulfilled, and equipped to break cycles of poverty.
Strengthen Leadership. Enable Mission Continuity. Drive Global Impact.
Project Yananai is entering an exciting phase of growth. Registered in the UK, with operations across India, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, we are building an organisation focused on empowering individuals and communities, strengthening sustainable livelihoods and delivering compassionate humanitarian support.
We are now seeking an exceptional Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) to join our Global Executive Leadership Team and work in close partnership with the CEO.
This is a newly created role for a senior leader who can operate comfortably at both strategic and operational level - someone who can help turn ambition into execution, bring clarity across a growing organisation and provide confident leadership when the CEO is unavailable.
You will be much more than a traditional deputy. You will be a trusted partner to the CEO, a strategic integrator across the executive team and an ambassador for Project Yananai externally.
The opportunity
As DCEO, you will provide the leadership capacity and organisational resilience needed to support Project Yananai through its next stage of development.
You will partner with the CEO to translate our Strategic Growth and Impact Plan into clear priorities, ensure that those priorities are delivered across the organisation and help connect our executive functions around shared goals.
When required, you will step into the CEO's responsibilities, providing continuity of leadership and representing the organisation with confidence to donors, partners, government bodies, media and other key stakeholders.
This is an opportunity to have genuine organisational influence at a pivotal moment - helping shape how a growing international non-profit operates, leads and delivers impact.
What you will do
- Act as the CEO's senior deputy and assume executive responsibility during periods of absence, including strategic decision-making, external representation, oversight of programmes, finance and compliance, and leadership of the Global Executive Leadership Team.
- Turn strategy into execution
- Work alongside the CEO to translate organisational vision into practical priorities, milestones and actions - ensuring that strategic commitments become measurable results.
- Drive alignment across the executive leadership team, working across Advancement, People & Governance, Finance, Mission Operations and Communications to remove silos and ensure teams are working towards common objectives.
- Monitor organisational performance against KPIs and strategic objectives, identify bottlenecks and risks, and help ensure that plans are delivered effectively, on time and within budget.
- Represent Project Yananai with major donors, partners, government stakeholders and other external audiences. Build trusted relationships that strengthen our mission, reputation and fundraising potential.
- Work alongside the Chief People & Governance Officer and Global General Counsel to support strong governance, risk management and compliance across our international operations.
- Help create a culture of collaboration, accountability and innovation. Mentor senior leaders, support succession planning and champion diversity, equity and inclusion across the organisation.
Who we are looking for
We are looking for a seasoned executive, rather than simply an experienced functional leader.
You will ideally bring 10-15+ years of senior leadership experience within the non-profit, international development or humanitarian sector, together with a track record of leading organisations through growth, transformation or complexity.
You will be able to demonstrate:
- Experience operating at executive or enterprise leadership level.
- A proven ability to deputise for a CEO or assume full executive responsibility when required.
- Experience leading across multiple countries and cultures, ideally with exposure to Africa and/or South Asia.
- Strong strategic and operational leadership, with the ability to move seamlessly between big-picture thinking and execution.
- A sophisticated understanding of governance, risk and compliance within an international non-profit environment.
- Strong fundraising and partnership instincts, with the credibility to engage senior donors and high-value partners.
- Strong financial and commercial acumen, including experience overseeing budgets of £5m+.
- Exceptional communication, influencing and stakeholder-management skills.
- The emotional intelligence and resilience to lead through uncertainty, change and organisational growth.
- Experience with French, Portuguese or relevant local languages would be advantageous.
The leadership qualities that matter
- Beyond experience and credentials, we are looking for someone who brings judgement, humility and integrity.
- You will be comfortable making difficult decisions, calm when circumstances are challenging and able to bring people with you through change.
- You will be a natural mentor and coach - someone who invests in developing other leaders rather than simply directing them.
- Most importantly, you will have a genuine commitment to community-led development, breaking cycles of poverty and creating lasting peace and prosperity, together with alignment with Project Yananai's values and mission.
- A bachelor's degree is required; an advanced degree such as an MBA, MPA, MPhil or equivalent is desirable.
Why Project Yananai?
This is not an opportunity to simply inherit an established structure. You will help build it!
You will join at a pivotal stage in Project Yananai's development, working directly with the CEO, Global Executive Leadership Team and Board to strengthen the organisation and prepare it for its next phase of growth.
You will have the opportunity to:
- Shape organisational strategy and its execution.
- Work across an international, multi-country organisation.
- Influence the development of a growing executive leadership team.
- Represent Project Yananai with significant external stakeholders.
- Strengthen organisational resilience, governance and performance.
- Contribute directly to programmes and initiatives designed to create lasting social impact.
- Work remotely with international travel as required.
- Develop your own executive leadership experience within a growing global organisation.
Project Yananai is an equal opportunity organisation. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all colleagues. Project Yananai encourages applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures. Project Yananai is a UK registered charity number .
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