Program Manager - Senior Manager/Manager

About Equity Bank Tanzania

Equity Bank Tanzania Limited is a subsidiary of Equity Group Holdings PLC, a Pan African Financial Services Group with operations in six countries: Kenya, Rwanda, DRC, Uganda, Tanzania, and South Sudan. We aim to expand our footprint to six more countries by 2030. Our business encompasses Banking, Insurance, Technology, and Social Enterprise, driven by our Tri-Engine Model focused on Social, Economic, and Sustainability engines to support value chains and communities sustainably.

Our Purpose: “Transforming lives, giving dignity, and expanding opportunities for wealth creation.”

Our Vision: “To be the champion of the socio-economic prosperity of the people of Africa.”

Our mission is guided by our global values: Professionalism, Integrity, Creativity & Innovation, Teamwork, Unity of Purpose, Respect, and Effective Corporate Governance, summarized in the acronym PICTURE. Our strategic ambitions are outlined in the Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan (ARRP).

Role Purpose

The Senior Program Manager will provide strategic leadership in implementing and scaling Food and Agriculture projects across Tanzania. This role is responsible for mobilizing and supporting thousands of smallholder farmers, youth, women, and Ag-MSMEs through transformative interventions, driving financial inclusion, productivity, and market access. The Senior Program Manager will be a key pipeline builder for Equity Bank Tanzania, ensuring robust beneficiary acquisition and integration into sustainable agri-food ecosystems.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic design, implementation, and monitoring of large-scale agribusiness and food systems programs, ensuring alignment with EBTL’s national and regional objectives.
• Mobilize, recruit, and conduct sensitization forums for target participants, partners, and value chain actors, including smallholder farmers and Ag-MSMEs, with a focus on youth and women.
• Oversee the enrollment of targeted beneficiaries into Equity Bank and related financial products, ensuring achievement of project-set targets and timelines.
• Deliver advanced training on financial education, agribusiness management, good agricultural practices, climate-smart agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and adoption of digital technologies and mechanization.
• Support farmers and other value chain actors to improve technical, financial, and entrepreneurial skills, increasing productivity and profitability.
• Facilitate access to Equity Bank’s financial services, handholding beneficiaries to utilize bank products and services according to their financial needs.
• Organize and coordinate regular farmer group meetings, mentoring, and coaching to enhance capacity, track project interventions, and promote ecosystem participation.
• Respond to farmer queries on agribusiness and financial services, supporting informed decision-making and business growth.
• Prepare comprehensive weekly, monthly, and quarterly status reports for senior management, including analytical and critical data for program monitoring and evaluation.
• Organize, coordinate, and execute project activities (e.g., field days, exchange visits, value chain meetings) as per the project work plan and targets.
• Represent EBTL in agriculture, engaging with Equity staff, local partners, and stakeholders at branch and national levels.
• Collaborate with the monitoring and evaluation team to collect high-quality data, track program impact, and ensure timely reporting on commercial and program targets.
• Undertake any other business activities as required by organizational needs.

Core Accountabilities and Deliverables

• Financial: Combined Revenue (deposits, loans, income, client accounts, and Portfolio at Risk (PAR) metrics); Support growth of Food & Agriculture loans and deposit portfolios; Ensure strong and sustainable agribusiness pipeline development; Number of farmers reached/trained, MSMEs reached/ecosystems and partners onboarded/activated; USD in secured grant funding and derisking facilities (blended finance instruments and guarantees); Number of funding and strategic formal partnerships.
• People: Size of Team – staff component of up to 13, up to 5 Direct Reports, 1-3 Matrix Reports.
• Processes: Pillar Procedures and Policies, Audit and Compliance requirements, Adoption and Adherence to ALL EBTL Policies, Procedures and Regulations, Code of Conduct.
ajira
• Systems: ERP, PowerApps.

Customers/Clients

• Smallholder farmers, farmer groups, cooperatives, and Agribusiness MSMEs.
• Anchor partners, off-takers, and value chain actors.

Key Decisions Made by the Job-holder

• Identification of strategic partners and escalation of programme risks.
• Approve weekly Regional Manager activity plans and partner onboarding decisions (weekly).
• Allocate regional budgets across counties and interventions (monthly).
• Authorize field training schedules and demonstration events (bi-weekly).
• Sign off monthly/quarterly regional reports and data submissions to national M&E (monthly/quarterly).

Complexity of the Role

High degree of complexity – multiple internal and external counterparts, several countries, cross-functional responsibilities, team management, program design and execution, stakeholder and partnerships relationship management.

Critical Relationships, Stakeholders, and Contacts

• Internal: Own Team, Commercial Units in the Banking subsidiaries, Shared/support services units, ExCo, Board.
• External: Funding partners, Farmers, MSMEs, Farmer Organization leadership, and other private sector agriculture ecosystems.

Key Technical Skills and Leadership Competencies

• Ability to evaluate and solve complex challenges at an enterprise level.
• Proficiency in data collection, analysis, and reporting using statistical software and agricultural technology (e.g., GPS, GIS, farm management systems).
• Experience in developing and implementing agribusiness development programs that enhance market access and profitability.
• Strong skills in facilitating connections between farmers, processors, distributors, and markets.
• Proven track record in providing business development services to MSMEs, including financial analysis, business planning, and market access facilitation.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience in creating and delivering digital training programs and leveraging digital tools for program delivery.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Experience Requirements

• Minimum 10 years of experience in agribusiness program management, with at least 5 years in senior leadership roles (e.g., leading large-scale projects, managing multi-million USD budgets, or overseeing national and regional program portfolios).
• Extensive practical experience in agricultural production and management, including implementation of sustainable and climate-smart agricultural practices.
• Deep understanding of agronomic principles, seed selection, fertilizer application, irrigation management, and on-farm demonstrations.
• Strong experience in MSME development, including facilitating access to microfinance, credit guarantee schemes, and government grants.
• Experience in managing agricultural development projects, including planning, implementation, and monitoring.

Academic Qualifications and Certifications

• Advanced university degree in Agriculture, Agribusiness Management, Agricultural Economics, or a related field; business/finance courses with agriculture program exposure are an added advantage.

About the Ideal Candidate

A highly motivated and results-oriented professional with at least 10 years of progressive experience in agribusiness, agricultural production, MSME development, and extension services. Demonstrated expertise in agronomic principles, agribusiness management, and market linkages, with a proven ability to drive sustainable growth and innovation. Proven track record in conducting farmer and MSME training, developing business plans, and facilitating access to finance and markets for smallholder farmers and Ag-MSMEs. Committed to empowering rural communities and fostering economic development through sustainable agricultural practices.

Application Information

If interested, please visit our website Equity Group Holdings Careers for further details.

Application Deadline: Monday 8th June, 2026

To apply, submit your application through: TZRecruitment@equitybank.co.tz