About the role
We are seeking an inspiring leader with demonstrable expertise in last mile distribution, business development, and stakeholder relationship management. The Head of GDC will grow and guide the GDC through its next phase, deliver value for our members, and help ensure that beneficial products can be made affordable and available to all.
The GDC is in an excellent position, with a strong track record of delivery and impact, a solid funding pipeline, and a clear 2026-30 strategy. As Head of the GDC you will be responsible for bringing your vision into the 2026-30 GDC strategy and ensuring impactful outcomes through team leadership, multi-stakeholder engagement, fundraising, and programme delivery. We have a dynamic and highly collaborative team working on the GDC programme within Practical Action (six staff) as well as at our strategic/implementing partner Bopinc, and a few long and short-term consultants.
About Practical Action and the GDC
Practical Action is an international development organisation putting ingenious ideas to work so people in poverty can change their world. For the past eight years, Practical Action has been hosting and building the Global Distributors Collective (GDC): a collective of 300 last mile distribution companies that cumulatively reach over 60 million of the poorest consumers in the world with beneficial products like solar lanterns, PUE appliances, water filters and improved cookstoves.
The GDC provides a collective voice for distributors to ensure their priorities are heard; drives research and innovation across the sector; facilitates the exchange of information, insight, and expertise; and provides critical services that leverage economies of scale.
Moving into our 2026-30 strategy phase, we are proactively shifting from creating and setting up advisory services and tools that support last mile distributors to embedding and scaling these initiatives. Specifically, we will focus on four key strategic levers:
- Unlocking finance: Prepare more last mile distributors (LMDs) for investment and help to unlock country-level financing mechanisms and create LMD-focussed debt facilities.
- Strengthening business performance: Deliver training, shared services, and data tools that reduce business costs and improve efficiency, in scalable formats.
- Scaling innovation: Identify, test, and replicate high-value business innovations and remove eco-system barriers.
- Shaping systems and local leadership: Build local chapters and influence global and national agendas so LMDs are visible, valued and represented.
About you
We are looking for a go-getting, ambitious and proactive leader who is ready to take the GDC to the next level. To succeed in this role, you must be an exceptional strategic thinker, as well as having robust project management, interpersonal and communication skills, and be willing to “muck in” in our relatively small team. You will have the ability to multitask, work independently and adapt in a fast-paced environment. As well as being a confident external influencer, convenor, collaborator, and champion of all things last mile distribution, you will need to be a thoughtful leader with the ability and inclination to support and coach team members to achieve their full potential.
Why join us?
This is the opportunity to lead a globally recognized initiative driving innovation and impact in last-mile distribution. At Practical Action, you will be part of a values-driven organisation committed to reducing poverty and inequality through sustainable, practical solutions. You will work alongside passionate colleagues and partners, contributing to meaningful change for communities around the world. We offer a collaborative and inclusive working environment that supports learning, innovation, and personal growth.
We treat all applications for employment on their merits and do not take into consideration any factors that are not relevant to the job such as disability, race, age, religion, gender, gender reassignment or sexual orientation. Practical Action is committed to safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults and as such candidates will be subject to pre-employment checks including criminal checks and terrorist financing.
Additional information
We are seeking candidates based in any country in which Practical Action has an office (Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, Sudan and Zimbabwe). The successful applicant must have the pre-existing right to both live and work in the country from which they will be based. Please note this is being recruited as a 2-year fixed term contract initially.
The final salary for this role is dependent on the country of base.
How to apply
A detailed Job Description can be accessed from the download section.
Interested applicants should send their CV and a motivation letter to [email protected] with subject line “Head of the GDC” to reach Practical Action on or before 1 March 2026.
Applications will be reviewed and shortlisted on a rolling basis. We therefore encourage early applications, as the vacancy may close before the advertised closing date.