IT Director
Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)
Quick Take
Lead IPA's global IT function as a strategic director—setting technology strategy, building governance frameworks, managing a team of six IT professionals, and advising senior leadership on tech risks and investment decisions across a multi-country NGO.
Proven IT Director experience in international NGOs or complex multi-country environments, strong track record building IT strategy and governance frameworks, and ability to manage and develop multidisciplinary technical teams.
High-impact work in global poverty alleviation, senior leadership responsibility with real organisational influence, opportunity to build and mentor a technical team, and exposure to strategic decision-making at board level.
Job Description
Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a leading international research and policy non-profit organisation dedicated to discovering and promoting effective solutions to global poverty. With offices across multiple countries, IPA partners with governments, NGOs, and the private sector to design, rigorously evaluate, and scale programmes that improve the lives of people living in poverty. IPA operates a complex, distributed technology environment supporting researchers, operations teams, and country offices worldwide.
The IT Director will lead IPA's global IT function, setting strategy, owning governance, and building a high-performing team capable of delivering reliable, secure, and user-centred technology services across a complex international organisation. This is a senior leadership and management role — the IT Director is responsible for what gets built and how, not for building it directly. The ideal candidate is energised by developing people, translating organisational needs into technology priorities, and creating systems of accountability rather than hands-on implementation.
- Develop and maintain IPA's global IT strategy, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities, resource constraints, compliance obligations, and operational realities across a distributed, multi-country environment.
- Own IPA's IT governance framework — including policies, standards, and controls covering security, access management, data governance, acceptable use, vendor management, and emerging technologies.
- Ensure governance is practical, compliant with regulatory and donor requirements, and proportionate to organisational risk — enforceable and understood across all country offices.
- Advise senior leadership on technology risks, investment decisions, and compliance obligations in clear, non-technical terms.
- Evaluate emerging technologies — including AI and automation — and recommend responsible, mission-aligned adoption pathways.
- Manage, develop, and retain a team of six IT professionals, including systems administrators, data engineers, and support staff, providing clear direction, regular feedback, and growth opportunities.
- Recruit for capability gaps and build a team structure with clear technical domain ownership and accountability.
- Work in close coordination with the Global Operations Senior Director and IPA's Senior Management Team to align IT priorities with organisational goals.
- Proven experience in a senior IT leadership or IT Director role, preferably within an international NGO or complex multi-country organisation.
- Strong track record of developing IT strategy and governance frameworks that are practical, enforceable, and aligned with regulatory or donor requirements.
- Experience managing and growing multidisciplinary IT teams including systems administrators, data engineers, and support staff.
- Ability to communicate complex technology risks and decisions to non-technical senior stakeholders clearly and confidently.
- Familiarity with security frameworks, data governance, access management, and vendor management best practices.
- Knowledge of emerging technologies including AI and automation, with an ability to assess organisational fit and adoption risks.
- Strong organisational, prioritisation, and accountability-building skills suited to a distributed, resource-constrained environment.
Requirements Breakdown
Must Have
- Proven experience as IT Director or senior IT leadership role in international NGO or complex multi-country organisation
- Demonstrated ability to develop IT strategy and governance frameworks aligned with regulatory and donor requirements
- Experience managing and developing IT teams (systems administrators, data engineers, support staff)
- Strong ability to communicate complex technology risks and decisions to non-technical senior stakeholders
- Knowledge of IT governance, security, data governance, vendor management, and compliance frameworks
Nice to Have
- Experience evaluating and responsibly adopting emerging technologies (AI, automation)
- Familiarity with NGO or non-profit sector challenges and donor compliance requirements
- Track record of cost optimisation and IT investment prioritisation in resource-constrained environments
- Experience managing distributed, multi-country IT environments across Africa or similar regions
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Salary Context
Salary not specified—likely competitive for senior IT leadership in Nairobi
IT Director roles in Kenya typically command premium salaries due to scarcity of experienced senior IT leaders. NGO salaries are often modest relative to private sector but offset by mission-driven work, job security, and benefits. Market rates for this seniority in Nairobi range widely depending on organisation size and funding.
About Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)
Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a respected international research and policy non-profit with a presence across multiple countries, dedicated to discovering and scaling effective solutions to global poverty. IPA partners with governments, NGOs, and the private sector to rigorously evaluate and implement programmes that measurably improve lives in low-income communities. Working at IPA offers exposure to high-impact research, a global network of collaborators, and the opportunity to build technology infrastructure that directly enables poverty alleviation work across Africa and beyond.
Likely Interview Questions
- 1
Tell us about a time you developed an IT strategy or governance framework for a complex, multi-country organisation. How did you ensure it was practical and enforceable across distributed teams?
- 2
How would you approach building and scaling an IT team of six professionals? What would be your priorities for the first 100 days in terms of team structure and capability gaps?
- 3
IPA works with donors and governments with strict compliance requirements. Describe your experience translating compliance obligations into IT policies and controls that teams actually follow.
- 4
How do you approach evaluating emerging technologies like AI or automation? Walk us through a recent example where you advised leadership on adoption (or non-adoption) of a new technology.
- 5
What experience do you have managing IT in resource-constrained or non-profit environments, and how would you prioritise limited IT budgets across competing organisational needs?
Application Tips
Lead with quantified examples of IT strategy or governance you've built—mention specific frameworks (security policies, vendor management, data governance) and how they improved compliance or reduced risk.
Highlight your experience managing and developing technical teams, especially in international or distributed settings. Use concrete examples of how you've grown people, filled capability gaps, or improved team retention.
Emphasise your ability to translate tech to non-tech audiences—include examples of risk communication or investment decisions you've advised senior leaders on in simple, business-focused language.
If you have NGO, international development, or donor-compliance experience, front-load this as it directly addresses IPA's context and shows you understand their constraints.
Career Path
Roles that lead here
Where this leads
Skills & Keywords
Honest Assessment
Green Flags
- Clear senior leadership role with real strategic influence—not a hands-on technical role, so focus is on vision, people, and governance rather than implementation.
- Well-defined scope of responsibility (strategy, governance, team development, advisory) that signals mature IT organisation with distinct leadership layers.
- International NGO with significant scale and donor relationships—offers exposure to global best practices, complex compliance environments, and meaningful impact on poverty alleviation research.
- Team of six professionals with distinct roles (systems admins, data engineers, support) suggests structured technical function and opportunity for substantive team development and mentorship.
Watch Out
- Salary not specified for a senior director role—typical for NGOs but should be clarified early; applicants should ask about compensation bands and benefits during screening.
- Posting is truncated (ends mid-sentence at 'non-technical senior stakehold')—full job description may contain important details about budget, reporting structure, or expectations; request the complete job brief before investing time in application.
- No mention of remote work flexibility, work location clarity, or relocation support—given the 'global IT function' mention, clarify whether role is fully in Nairobi or includes travel/hybrid arrangements.
A Day in the Life
Your week begins with a strategy alignment meeting with IPA's Senior Management Team to discuss technology priorities for new research initiatives—you're translating a proposed AI pilot into infrastructure and governance implications. Mid-week, you facilitate a governance review with country office leads (call-in from Kampala, Accra, and Nairobi offices) to discuss security policy compliance and emerging data protection concerns. You also conduct a one-on-one with your data engineering lead to review their growth plan and discuss a vendor security audit in progress. By Friday, you're drafting risk briefing notes for the board on cloud infrastructure decisions and preparing recommendations on whether to adopt a new research data platform, focusing on cost, security, and team capacity rather than technical details.
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifications do I need to be an IT Director at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)?
You need proven experience as an IT Director or senior IT leader in an international NGO or multi-country organisation, strong ability to develop strategy and governance frameworks, team management experience, and the capacity to explain technology risks to non-technical senior leaders. A degree in IT, computer science, or related field is typical but experience and leadership track record are prioritised.
Is the IT Director role at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) remote?
The job posting lists the location as Nairobi, suggesting a Nairobi-based role. However, given IPA's global, distributed structure, there may be flexibility for hybrid or periodic remote work. You should clarify remote work policy and travel expectations during the application process.
How much does an IT Director earn at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)?
The posting does not specify salary, which is common for NGO roles. Based on Nairobi market rates for IT Directors in international organisations, expect a range of approximately KES 280,000–450,000 per month (gross), though NGO salaries vary by funding, organisational size, and benefits packages. Ask about compensation during your first conversation.
What are the career growth opportunities for this role?
This role is a senior leadership position with potential to grow into CTO, CIO, or Chief Operations Officer roles at IPA or similar international non-profits. You'll also build valuable experience in global IT governance, NGO compliance, and managing distributed teams—highly valued in international development and tech leadership sectors.
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