Sierra Leone Hub Director at Restless… · Freetown

Apply by 2nd August 2026.

About Restless Development Sierra Leone

Restless Development Sierra Leone is the leading development agency championing youth leadership nationally. We started working in Sierra Leone in 2005 and, since then, our Hub has evolved into an organisation with true national reach and international networking.

Restless Development Sierra Leone’s mission is to work with young people towards youth-led development to ensure that their voices are heard in the decisions that affect their lives, bodies, health and wellbeing, livelihoods, and communities. For us, youth-led development means unleashing the leadership of young people as assets towards solving Sierra Leone’s challenges.

Our Approach to Safeguarding

Restless Development Sierra Leone considers the welfare and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults to be an organisational imperative with primacy over the success of programmes or strategic objectives. We recognise that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and we expect all of our staff, volunteers and partners to ensure we protect the communities in which we operate from harm and abide by our Safeguarding Policy.

About the role

Job title: Hub Director, Restless Development Sierra Leone

Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone

Salary:

Preferred start date: January 2027

Length of contract: 2 years

Reports to: CEO

Direct Reports: Senior Finance & Administration Manager, Head of Programmes & Partnerships, and People & Safeguarding Coordinator

Expected travel: Regular travel within Sierra Leone plus 2-3 weeks’ international travel as required.

We invite applications from Sierra Leone nationals only

KEY PRIORITIES

You will take leadership of the Sierra Leone Hub operations, setting strategic direction, building partnerships and driving performance across all Units in the hub. Working closely with the Advisory Board and under the supervision of Restless Development’s CEO, you will provide support and oversight to your Leadership Team to ensure financial, programmatic, quality, people and performance functions are implemented to a high standard. The Sierra Leone Hub Director also contributes to the Global Restless Development network leadership, which Restless Development Sierra Leone is part of.

In this context, the Hub Director is expected to deliver the following:

1. Strategic Leadership (30%)

• Provide strategic leadership and direction to the Sierra Leone Hub, ensuring that the Hub remains the go-to agency on youth-led change
• Uphold the Hub reputation, positioning it to be well-known and well-respected in the country
• Ensure the Hub maintains good relationships with the Government, donors and partners
• Serving as a representative and public spokesperson for Restless Development Sierra Leone’s youth-led model, values and policies for all internal and external stakeholders.
• Accountable for the overall sustainable, effective delivery and impact of the Hub.
• Bring Restless Development Sierra Leone’s national strategy to life, evaluating the relevance of the strategy and reviewing/revising it as needs be
• Strategic planning: working with the Sierra Leone Leadership Team to conduct annual planning and implement the Hub’s strategic vision.
• Lead the hub through the necessary transitions and adaptations, as the hub adapts to internal and external changes in the operational environment, planning for and responding to shifts in the political and legal landscape
• Global leadership: as part of the Restless Development global network, participate in leadership and strategy decision-making processes.

2. Resource Mobilisation, Partnerships and Grant Management (40%)

• Drive the Hub’s fundraising efforts, guiding, supervising and coordinating the Leadership Team to deliver quality proposals and cultivate successful relationships
• Ensure the Hub is well networked with donors and partners, local and international alike
• Ensure that strong communication is in place to support impact, influencing and fundraising ambitions
• Develop the Hub’s fundraising strategy, providing oversight of the health and cultivation of the Hub’s funding, partnership and grant portfolio in line with the Hub’s strategic ambitions – ensuring that the Hub is able to fully fund its operations, innovation and growth in the country, regionally and as part of the global network.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships, partnerships and alliances with relevant institutions and organisations, for learning, advocacy, fundraising and influencing.
• Use leadership, networking, negotiation, influencing and relationship-building skills to secure significant funding from diverse in-country and external income streams including regional investments and partnership opportunities.
• Oversee strong systems for effective grant management, through the Leadership Team

3. Programme Impact Performance (10%)

• Through the Sierra Leone Leadership Team, hold ultimate responsibility for the Hub’s performance and delivery, ensuring key performance and quality indicators are achieved.
• Ensure the Hub is sought out for our expertise
• Drive a culture of programme innovation, learning, evidence building and influencing – ensuring that Restless Development Sierra Leone’s programming portfolio remains at the forefront of driving transformative change for young people across the country and beyond
• Ensure Innovative programmes are developed, for high impact – demonstrating impact and communicating on it.
• Ensuring that the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning function performs well, to make sure that the Hub implements impactful programmes and is able to showcase its impact

4. Financial Management and Performance (10%)

• Ultimate oversight for financial management including budgeting and financial governance, ensuring strong accountability and value for money.
• Working closely with the Finance and Administration Manager to ensure strong financial management systems are in place
• Ensure financial sustainability of the hub
• Manage funds so as to make the most of the financial resources we have

5. People Management and Performance (5%)

• Oversee the management of Sierra Leone’s Leadership Team, including fostering collective ownership of key organisational processes and systems
• Work with the people team to develop an organogram that is fit for purpose
• Lead the team in a way that thrives for performance in a nurturing manner, managing people to draw the best out of them, making the most of people and expertise we have
• Upholds support for youth leadership development in staff
• Lead on all manager-level appointments, ensuring that staffing within the organisation is appropriate, trained, and motivated for the delivery of the global Strategy.
• Line manage and support the professional development of direct reports and ensure strong staff performance management and staff development is provided to all staff.

6. Upholding governance and compliance imperatives (5%)

• Serving the Advisory Board as its Secretary and working towards its institutionalisation and strengthening
• Work closely with the Hub’s Advisory Board to ensure effective governance of the Hub.
• Work with the Advisory Board to implement any governance reforms as needed
• Ensure adherence to MOPED’s NGO Policy Framework

7. Other

Other duties as required.

• You may occasionally be required to work on weekends and/or public holidays, for which time off in lieu will be granted.

About You

We are looking for people with the right competencies and skills for the role, and who demonstrate the personal qualities consistent with our Values.

Our value: HEART - We are who we serve. We are brave.

Values-led, Innovation

Embeds a values-led culture. Inspires passion in external partners and all staff. Makes decisions and takes measured risks to achieve the organisational vision

Fosters a climate of innovation and continual improvement. Takes measured risks and solves complex issues with creativity and innovation. Maintains focus on aligning the organisational vision for long-term growth in a changing world.

Our value: HEAD - Delivers Quality. We are 100% professional. We prove that young people can.

Delivers Quality, Decision Making

Ensures organisational excellence in the face of challenges and constraints. Identifies opportunities to advance our mission through the work of others.

Quickly and confidently makes, sometimes tough, strategic decisions, even with incomplete or rapidly changing information. Decisively drives change by analysing complex situations and evaluating long-term impact on the organisation and external partners.

Our value: VOICE - We generate leaders. We are proud to carry the banner for youth-led development

Leadership, People Development

Creates a compelling organisational vision across all teams, ensuring high performance of multiple teams against strategic priorities. Develops leadership in others for future growth of the organisation.

Is committed to long-term personal and professional growth aligned to greater organisational performance. Builds future organisational capacity by creating a culture of continual learning through coaching and mentoring.

Our value: HANDS - We are in it together. We listen and learn.

Effective Communication, Collaboration

Consultatively develops new initiatives and priorities which respond to staff and organisational needs. Persuades, influences and inspires external partners and internal audiences, building commitment to initiatives. Coaches others to communicate strategically.

Leads multiple teams to collaboratively deliver quality against the organisational vision. Is a role model for collaboration at a national and global level, building and maintaining strong, long-lasting relationships with internal teams and external partners.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Be committed to the role of young people in development and Restless Development Sierra Leone’s mission and values.
• Experience of youth programming, and knowledge of relevant national, regional and international policy
• Substantial senior management experience in fundraising and programmes development and implementation in the development sector
• Demonstrated success in raising significant income through fundraising and partnerships development
• Experience in managing finance / operations and of leading teams
• Experience in policy engagement and working with government stakeholders
• Fluent written and spoken English
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
• Strong leadership and management skills

Desirable

• A Master’s degree in a relevant field of study (development studies, social sciences, business administration, public policies) or relevant equivalent work experience
• 10+ years of relevant professional experience
• Experience of working in Sierra Leone (including with Sierra Leonean Government Ministries) and an understanding of the current socio-political environment
• Experience working in challenging operating environments with a rapidly changing policy and legal landscape
• Experience in private sector engagement
• Experience in distance management and working with multiple offices

Restless Development Sierra Leone is an Equal Opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sectors of the community. Restless Development Sierra Leone will ensure that no applicant or staff member receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, marital status, social status, caste, race, ethnic origin, religious belief, age, HIV status, disability, or any other factor that cannot be shown to be relevant to performance.

We strongly encourage young professionals and young women in particular to apply

We are proud to commit to a transparent global salary scale, ensuring a fair system of pay. In addition to salary, we offer pension contributions or housing allowances and flexible working hours.

Work-life Balance

It goes without saying that we work hard at Restless Development Zambia. We also recognise the importance of helping staff to maintain a positive work-life balance by offering:

• 24 days annual leave (in addition to public holidays and with an extra day of annual leave given for each full year of service, up to a maximum of 38 days).
• Birthday Leave
• Access to flexible working.
• Generous study leave, maternity, paternity or adoption leave, and other leave allowances.

Professional Development

Restless Development Sierra Leone is proud to be an employer who recognises potential and invests in the development of its staff. We are committed to the professional development of our staff through:

• Empowering opportunities to work on significant projects which stretch and inspire staff – allowing them to develop on-the-job.
• Regular performance management.
• Training and development opportunities, including supporting our staff to identify mentors both within and outside of the agency.
• Quarterly Staff Workshops for all staff to give and receive agency updates, receive training, and socialise.

Travel and Medical Insurance

When travelling abroad with work, all staff will be covered by Restless Development Sierra Leone’s travel insurance. Any additional insurances/benefits will be shared with the successful applicant and are dependent on the country of hire.

Key Dates

Please send a CV and cover letter through BambooHR by midnight (CAT) on the 2nd August 2026.