Director of Tobacco Control – Africa Region

About the role

Vital Strategies is seeking a Director of Tobacco Control for the Africa Region to lead the implementation of its Tobacco Control Accelerator (TCA) Fund. Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Tobacco Control, the director will shape policy, grant‑making and technical assistance across 13 low‑ and middle‑income countries.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee the TCA Fund’s multimillion‑dollar budget and ensure effective grant distribution.
• Develop and strengthen government relations and public‑health policy frameworks in target African nations.
• Provide technical support to governments and NGOs to adopt best‑practice tobacco‑control measures.
• Lead strategic communication campaigns that advance tobacco‑control objectives.
• Monitor and evaluate program impact, reporting outcomes to senior leadership.

Required profile

• Extensive experience in tobacco control, non‑communicable disease (NCD) policy, and public‑health advocacy within Africa.
• Proven track record of managing large‑scale grant programmes and multi‑stakeholder partnerships.
• Strong understanding of government relations and policy‑making processes.
• Ability to work across diverse cultural contexts and lead multidisciplinary teams.

Required skills

• Expertise in tobacco‑control policy development and implementation.
• Experience with grant management and technical assistance delivery.
• Strategic communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

What we offer

• Highly competitive compensation aligned with local market rates.
• Comprehensive benefits package.
• Opportunity to influence public‑health outcomes across multiple African countries.