Overview
Executive Director / Director of the Secretariat Jobs in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria at Ike Foundation for Autism
Title: Executive Director / Director of the Secretariat
Company: Ike Foundation for Autism
Location: Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria
Position Overview
Reports to: Board of Directors
Location: Rotating host member country (every five years), with regional travel required
Contract Type: Full-time
Language Requirements: English (required); French, Arabic, Portuguese, or Swahili an advantage
About the Africa Autism Consortium
The Africa Autism Consortium (AAC) is a pan-African body established to unite autism-focused organisations, institutions, professionals, and advocates across the continent. AAC promotes collaborative action, knowledge sharing, and inclusive service provision for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) throughout Africa. The Consortium’s vision is a continent where individuals with ASD are included, valued, and supported to attain their full potential.
Role Summary
The Executive Director (also referred to as Director of the Secretariat) serves as the chief executive of AAC and the head of the Secretariat — the operational hub of the Consortium. The Executive Director is responsible for the day-to-day management and implementation of AAC’s programmes, strategic leadership in advancing the Consortium’s mission across Africa, and accountability to the Board of Directors and General Assembly. This is a founding leadership role that will shape the organisational culture, operational systems, and continental impact of AAC.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Organisational Management
• Lead the implementation of AAC’s strategic plan in alignment with its mission, vision, and principles.
• Provide visionary leadership that reflects AAC’s commitment to inclusion, evidence-based action, cultural sensitivity, and collaboration.
• Develop and maintain AAC’s operational systems, policies, and internal governance processes.
• Support the Board of Directors in strategic planning, decision-making, and accountability reporting.
• Present regular progress reports to the Board and annual reports to the General Assembly.
Programme Coordination & Implementation
• Oversee the day-to-day coordination and implementation of all AAC programmes and activities.
• Provide technical support to the Consortium’s Working Groups (Research and Data; Training and Capacity Building; Advocacy and Awareness; Family and Community Support; Transition and Lifespan Support; Governance and Membership; Resource Mobilisation and Finance).
• Support the production and dissemination of the Annual State of Autism in Africa Report.
• Coordinate regional clusters and promote cross-country learning and collaboration.
• Champion AAC’s research agenda, facilitating studies on ASD prevalence, professional capacity, family needs, lifespan support, and policy evidence.
Membership Management & Communications
• Manage all aspects of the AAC membership lifecycle — outreach, application review support, induction, renewal, and engagement.
• Maintain effective communication channels with members across all categories (institutional, academic, professional, family/self-advocate).
• Ensure AAC’s multilingual communication commitments are upheld, promoting participation in English, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Swahili, and local languages where feasible.
• Liaise with the Governance and Membership Subcommittee to uphold membership criteria and respond to grievances.
Resource Mobilization & Partnerships
• Lead fundraising and resource mobilisation efforts, including grant writing, donor stewardship, and partnership development.
• Cultivate and manage relationships with national governments, the African Union, WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO, philanthropic foundations, academic institutions, and the private sector.
• Develop and manage AAC’s annual budget, ensuring financial transparency and compliance with donor requirements.
• Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting to the Board, including preparation for annual independent audits.
• Identify and pursue revenue opportunities through AAC-branded events, training programmes, and publications.
Advocacy & External Representation
• Represent AAC as the continental voice on autism in high-level regional and global forums.
• Advocate for country-level and regional investment in ASD services and integration into national health and development agendas.
• Build and maintain AAC’s visibility and credibility among African governments, regional bodies, and international stakeholders.
• Support advocacy campaigns to eliminate stigma and discrimination against individuals with ASD across Africa.
Safeguarding, Ethics & Risk Management
• Uphold and enforce AAC’s safeguarding and ethics standards, ensuring the safety, dignity, and rights of all persons — particularly children and adults with disabilities.
• Handle safeguarding concerns confidentially and in line with international best practices.
• Lead risk identification, mitigation, and reporting processes across operational, financial, and reputational domains.
• Ensure compliance with data protection laws and ethical standards across all AAC activities.
Qualifications & Experience
Required
• Advanced degree (Master’s or equivalent) in public health, social sciences, education, psychology, international development, disability studies, or a related field.
• Minimum of 8–10 years of senior leadership experience in a non-profit, international development, or public health organisation, preferably with an Africa-wide or multi-country mandate.
• Demonstrated experience in programme management, strategic planning, and organisational development.
• Proven track record in resource mobilisation, including successful grant acquisition from international donors and foundations.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement, partnership building, and representing an organisation at high-level forums.
• Strong understanding of autism, disability rights, and inclusive development in the African context.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
Preferred
• Lived experience with autism — as a person with ASD, family member, or long-term advocate.
• Proficiency in additional AAC working languages: French, Arabic, Portuguese, or Swahili.
• Experience working within or alongside pan-African or regional bodies (e.g., African Union, ECOWAS, EAC).
• Familiarity with monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) frameworks in international development settings.
• Established networks within the autism, disability, or global health community across Africa.
Core Competencies
• Visionary leadership with the ability to inspire and mobilise a diverse, multi-country membership.
• Deep commitment to inclusion, neurodiversity, and the rights of persons with disabilities.
• Strategic thinking balanced with operational discipline.
• Cultural sensitivity and the ability to work effectively across linguistic, regional, and professional boundaries.
• High integrity and accountability consistent with AAC’s governance principles.
• Collaborative orientation that values partnership and shared ownership.
AAC Guiding Principles
The Executive Director is expected to embody and champion AAC’s core principles in all work:
• Inclusion — respecting neurodiversity and promoting the full participation of persons with autism and their families.
• Collaboration — valuing partnerships among stakeholders across sectors and countries.
• Evidence-based Action — promoting interventions backed by research and practice-based learning.
• Accountability — ensuring transparency, integrity, and responsiveness in all Consortium activities.
• Cultural Sensitivity — respecting local contexts while promoting continental unity.
Applications from individuals with lived experience of autism, as well as candidates from historically underrepresented regions of Africa, are strongly encouraged.
