Senior Manager, Software Development

Job Description

About Raising the Village

Raising The Village (RTV) is an international development organization dedicated to addressing ultra-poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa. By integrating direct program implementation with advanced data analytics, RTV drives sustainable impact in last-mile communities. Our Applied Learning Unit is pivotal to this mission—ensuring that learning, adaptive strategies, and program quality are continuously enhanced at the organizational, team, and community levels.

RTV’s Venn department, predominantly based in Uganda, is the data and technology backbone of our organization, connecting advanced analytics, and custom software tools with field implementation to ensure data-informed decision-making at every level. This role will work closely with the Venn team, Implementation team and the Senior Leadership Team to shape the future of the Applied Learning Unit at RTV. 

Job Summary

The Senior Manager Software Development will be responsible for overseeing the end-to-end execution of software development projects, ensuring solutions are strategically prioritized, effectively engineered, rigorously tested, and seamlessly deployed. While this role does not lead in defining technical solutions, it plays a crucial role in driving execution, ensuring accountability, and optimizing delivery processes. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker and strong project leader, capable of bridging technology and operations to accelerate RTV’s digital transformation. 

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Strategic Software Execution & Delivery 

• Drive the end-to-end execution of software development initiatives, ensuring solutions are aligned with RTV’s mission and operational needs. 
• Establish a structured project execution framework, defining clear milestones, success metrics, and risk mitigation strategies to ensure timely and cost-effective software delivery. 
• Ensure software projects are prioritized based on impact, scalability, and efficiency, working closely with leadership and key stakeholders.
• Monitor and optimize development lifecycles, balancing speed, quality, and cost efficiency while fostering a culture of continuous improvement. 

Cross-Functional Alignment & Stakeholder Management 

• Act as the strategic liaison between technology teams, Venn, program teams, and external partners, ensuring software solutions are user-centric, scalable, and aligned with organizational priorities. 
• Facilitate solution-seeking discussions, ensuring proposed solutions are actionable, well-structured, and backed by clear execution plans. 
• Oversee vendor partnerships and external technology collaborations, ensuring RTV leverages the right expertise, tools, and solutions for long-term success. 

Quality Assurance, Testing & Compliance 

• Implement a rigorous testing and validation framework to ensure solutions meet operational, security, and compliance standards before deployment. 
• Establish a proactive risk assessment approach, identifying and resolving potential barriers to project success in advance. 
• Ensure all technology solutions align with data security, ethical technology use, and regulatory compliance requirements. 

Optimization, Scalability & Cost Efficiency 

• Develop and drive cost-effective software implementation strategies, ensuring RTV maximizes impact while minimizing resource expenditure. 
• Leverage data-driven insights to optimize technology adoption, system performance, and user engagement across different software applications. 
• Identify opportunities for automation and digital transformation, enhancing operational efficiency and scalability across RTV’s technology ecosystem. 

Educational Qualifications, Skills, & Experience Required

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field. Master’s Degree in a related field (e.g., Software Engineering, Business Administration, or Technology Management) is preferred and considered an asset
• Relevant certifications in Software Engineering, Agile Project Management, or DevOps (e.g., AWS Certified Solutions Architect, PMP, Certified ScrumMaster, or equivalent) are highly desirable.
• Certifications in Business Development or Leadership (e.g., Strategic Leadership, ITIL) are advantageous for a broader strategic role. 
• 10+ years of experience in software development, with a proven track record of managing and delivering complex, high-impact projects in fast-paced environments, including 3-5 years in a senior leadership or management role, responsible for driving the strategy and execution of software initiatives in alignment with organizational goals. 
• Expertise in cloud computing (AWS, Azure, GCP), full-stack development, and DevOps.
• Strong background in software architecture, security, and performance optimization.
• Proven expertise in agile project management, software testing, and deployment strategies. 
• Strong ability to align technology initiatives with business objectives and drive strategic execution. 
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and leadership skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a focus on optimizing software implementation processes. 
• Leadership: Capable of setting a clear vision for software development that aligns with organizational growth and social impact. 
• Resilience and adaptability: Ability to thrive in a dynamic, evolving environment and manage multiple priorities with poise and effectiveness. 
• Commitment to mission: A passion for using technology to drive social impact, particularly in addressing ultra-poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa.