Neema Ndunguru

Tanzania

Occupational Information

Job Title: Development Project Advisor

Professional History

Neema Ndunguru is a Project Management Professional (PMP) with 15 years of experience in overseeing implementation of national transformation and public sector reform programmes. As a Pan-African Development Practitioner, Neema has developed expertise in monitoring and evaluation of social and economic development interventions in sub-Saharan Africa, and has been extensively involved in documenting lessons and reflections in order to inform strategic direction of existing and future interventions.
Neema has led and overseen initiatives of over US$ 55 million aimed at creating conducive business environments across various African countries. She is seasoned in coordinating multi-country teams and high-level knowledge exchange platforms.
In her current role as Programmes Advisor (Independent Consultant), Neema works with development organisations to provide evidence-based advisory support through conducting mid-term assessments, resource mapping, political economic analyses, knowledge management, and strategy development. Clients range from local to international non-profit and philanthropic organizations such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), United Nations (UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme), Gatsby Africa, the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity (Education Commission), and the Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Foundation, amongst others.
Prior to her current role, Neema served as the Director for Business Environment at the President's Delivery Bureau (PDB) in Tanzania, where she led a team that supported implementation of initiatives aimed at creating a conducive business environment through the application of a delivery (results-based) methodology. This methodology puts emphasis on prioritization, discipline of execution, and accountability. Neema collaborated with a large team across a number of Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, and forged relationships of common interest with development partners, private sector, and civil society players.
Neema has also served as a Project Manager with the Investment Climate Facility for Africa (ICF), where she managed a grant portfolio of over 25 investment climate improvement projects implemented by 18 project management teams across Africa. Countries included Cabo Verde, Ethiopia, Liberia, Mozambique, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Key areas of expertise include programme design, monitoring progress made towards key performance indicators and outcomes, evaluation, strategy development, knowledge management, resource mapping, management of sector experts, problem solving, qualitative and quantitative analysis, report writing, and facilitating engagements with public and private sector stakeholders.
Neema is a Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow under the African Leadership Institute. A Social Anthropologist at heart and in training, Neema holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Development Studies degree from the University of Cape Town and an MPhil in Monitoring and Evaluation from Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

Qualifications

Master of Philosophy in Development Studies degree from the University of Cape Town.

Program

2016 Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow

 Additional Tags: Philosophy, Project Management, Business, Investment, Banking, Leadership