Hybrid AVP ECONOMIC GROWTH AND PRIVATE SECTOR ENGAGEMENT at CARE

JOB SUMMARY

CARE is seeking an exceptional leader to serve as the AVP for Economic Growth and Private Sector Engagement (EGPSE). This role will drive CARE’s strategic positioning, partnerships, and programming at the intersection of inclusive economic growth and private sector collaboration. This leader will be responsible for elevating CARE’s thought leadership, scaling impactful initiatives for micro and small enterprises—particularly women-led and youth-driven—and embedding private sector engagement (PSE) as a cornerstone of CARE’s global development agenda. The AVP will also lead the Growth Pillar of the CARE USA Strategy and contribute to the CARE International Economic Growth Impact Area Strategy.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership and Vision

• Define and execute a bold, integrated strategy for economic growth and private sector engagement, aligned with CARE’s mission and long-term programmatic goals. 
• Lead CARE’s Growth Pillar under the CARE USA Strategy. 
• Position CARE as a global leader in inclusive economic growth, with a strong emphasis on microenterprise development, women-centered financial inclusion, and market systems transformation. 
• Build on and translate global development trends—such as impact investing and ESG—to actionable strategies for CARE and its partners. 
• Support the leadership and evolution of CARE International’s Economic Growth Impact Area Strategy.

Programmatic Innovation and Impact

• Guide the design, implementation, and scale-up of high-impact initiatives supporting microenterprises, smallholder entrepreneurs, and youth-led businesses, especially in LMICs. 
• Advance CARE’s innovative service model by working in a matrixed way across other departments in PSI, that integrates: 
• Tailored financial products co-designed with inclusive financial institutions - Skilling in digital, business, and financial literacy 
• Market access, partner networks, and social norms transformation Leverage and scale flagship models (e.g., IGNITE, STRIVE, VSLA Graduation, Cocoa Ecosystem) to drive systemic change and inclusive job creation. 
• Support Country Offices to understand and implement Market Systems Development approaches across all programs.

Private Sector Engagement

• Forge and manage strategic partnerships with corporations, financial service providers, fintech, impact investors, and social enterprises. Develop shared value propositions for collaboration—such as inclusive supply chains, ESG-aligned investments, and gender-equitable entrepreneurship ecosystems. Shape and steward initiatives that integrate microenterprises into corporate and impact investor value chains. Strategic Partnerships in Finance & Investment 
• Build and manage partnerships with: 
  • Climate finance platforms (e.g., Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund) 
  • Development finance institutions (DFIs) 
  • Philanthropic foundations and family offices 
  • Local financial institutions and cooperatives 
• Facilitate co-investment opportunities and joint ventures that align with community priorities and climate goals.
  • Support and lead CARE’s Private Sector Engagement Community of Practice. 
  • Support Country Offices to develop PSE strategies and innovate finance mechanisms. 
  • Look at and capture opportunities in impact investing and innovative finance mechanisms. 
  • Add value in corporate engagement and partnerships to advance CARE’s mission.

Resource Mobilization Donor Engagement and Strategic Partnerships

• Lead business development and fundraising efforts focused on bilateral, multilateral, philanthropic, and corporate sources. Capital Mobilization & Investment Structuring 
• Identify and engage current and potential donors, developing pitches and cultivating and maintaining relationships. Identify and secure funding from impact investors, climate finance institutions, multilateral development banks, and ESG-aligned private sector partners. 
• Design and structure investment vehicles that de-risk community projects while ensuring measurable climate and social impact. 
• Leverage catalytic capital to crowd in private investment for high-impact, locally driven initiatives. 
• Design and pitch multi-stakeholder investment models that blend grant funding with catalytic capital, particularly for the “missing middle” financing gap. 
• Collaborate with CARE country offices to co-develop and secure funding for national and regional economic empowerment strategies. 
• Ensure product and business development by partnering with the Resource Development team across all funding channels (especially foundations, private, and philanthropic sector) to meet the organization's revenue targets. 
• Work closely with the Marketing and Communications team to develop evidence-based content.