HOD: Sustainability, Foundation & P'ship
Role Purpose and Responsibilities
Role purpose:
The Head of Department: Sustainability, Foundation & Partnerships leads Vodacom Tanzania's ESG, Foundation, and Sustainable Business team within External Affairs. The role is responsible for designing and delivering Vodacom Tanzania's Purpose strategy, including the Vodacom Tanzania Foundation's strategy, in support of the Group's purpose ambition and its commitment to responsible business practices.
This includes ensuring that Vodacom:
- Delivers on its purpose agenda against set targets, with measurable impact.
- Leads the Foundation's strategy, governance, and programme portfolio to deliver measurable social impact aligned with business purpose and national development policies.
- Embeds sound, responsible business practices across the organisation.
- Provides transparent ESG reporting and disclosure across board reports, annual reports, corporate websites, and internal and external communication platforms.
- Is positioned as a sustainability leader with key stakeholders, including investors, policymakers, and development partners, including management of agreed ESG ratings assessments.
- Builds and stewards strategic partnerships with government, development agencies, NGOs, and the private sector that extend the reach and impact of its purpose agenda.
The role provides specialist guidance and strategic advice to Vodacom Tanzania leadership, including the Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee, Vodacom Tanzania Foundation Board, Vodacom Group Executive ESG and Reputation Committee and the Board Social and Ethics Committee, and leads VTPLC engagement with the Vodacom Group and Vodafone ESG and Sustainable Business teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Foundation leadership Lead the Vodacom Tanzania Foundation's strategy, governance, and programme portfolio, ensuring measurable social impact aligned with business purpose and national development priorities.
- ESG strategy, governance and disclosure Deliver the 2030 Vision and leadership ambition (within the Vodafone ambition), encompassing ESG governance at executive and board level; define and embed reporting and assurance processes; deepen disclosure and transparency through mandatory and identified voluntary ESG reporting; lead engagement with targeted external stakeholders, including ESG ratings agencies; and work with Vodafone to establish a future-fit Vodacom ESG operating model.
- Purpose programmes and partnerships Implement programmes with commercial business lines and support functions on priority sustainability issues, the UN SDGs, and the Group's purpose. Identify, negotiate, and manage strategic partnerships that amplify social impact and support differentiation and sustainability leadership.
- Team leadership and centre of excellence Lead and develop a team of Sustainability and Foundation experts; serve as the Purpose centre of excellence, providing strategic, tactical, and operational guidance and building capacity to support ESG delivery across the business.
- ESG framework review and risk management Own the ongoing review and adaptation of the ESG framework and approach, responding to internal developments, the evolving external landscape, and the findings of external assessments, including commissioned independent assessments, civil society/NGO reports, and ESG ratings.
Professional Qualification, Core Competencies, Knowledge and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree at a minimum.
- People leadership experience.
- Experience working in a matrixed, multi-national, pan-African organisation is advantageous.
- Ability to communicate in Swahili and English languages would be advantageous.
- Strategic thinking with the ability to translate strategy into executable tactics.
- Leadership with influence and presence, internally and externally; strong collaboration and interpersonal skills, working across functions, countries, and cultures up to Board level.
- Strong prioritisation, sound judgement, decision-making, and problem-solving.
- Proven ability to build, develop, and delegate to high-performing teams.
- Expert ESG knowledge, including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the UN Global Compact as a minimum. Knowledge of the GHG Protocol, SASB standards, and TCFD is advantageous.