Rumbidzai Matemba-Mutasa

Strategic Learning and Adaptive Management Advisor , Open To Work

Mutare, Zimbabwe

Seasoned international development strategic leader with 13+ years managing large-scale donor-funded emergency, food security and resilience programs in Sub-Saharan Africa (education, agriculture, and resilience programming). Proven expertise in fundraising, grants management (USD$60M+), CLA, and MEAL systems. Strong biometrics and research background with CIMMYT, CARE, and international partners.

Contact Rumbidzai Matemba-Mutasa
Area of Expertise:
  • Agriculture, Livelihoods, Microfinance, Rural
  • Capacity Building, Training, Advocacy
  • Fundraising, Business Development, Grants Writer
  • Monitoring, Evaluation, Policy, Research, Analysis
  • Private Sector, Social Enterprise, Corporate Social Responsibility
Professional Experience:

Rumbidzai Matemba-Mutasa is a results-driven international development professional with over 13 years of progressively responsible experience managing large-scale, multi-country programs across Sub-Saharan Africa. Her career spans program leadership, adaptive management, performance improvement, and capacity building, with a strong track record of delivering impact for some of the world's most respected development funders including USAID, the European Union, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation.
Most recently, Rumbidzai served as the Collaboration, Learning and Adaptation (CLA) Lead and USAID Key Personnel on CARE Zimbabwe's TAKUNDA Resilience Food Security Activity — a seven-year, USD 62 million USAID/BHA-funded program reaching nearly 443,000 beneficiaries across four districts in Zimbabwe. As a senior member of the 10-person program management unit, she co-led implementation across 12+ multi-sector interventions spanning food security, nutrition, health, WASH, livelihoods, and climate resilience. She maintained 99% financial compliance on a USD 15 million CLA budget, achieved 98% utilization on a USD 2.6 million annual learning portfolio, and ensured zero major audit findings across all donor reviews. She also led emergency response to the El Niño drought, mobilizing resources to reach over 300,000 affected individuals within 12 weeks.
A key strength throughout her career has been driving organizational performance and learning. At TAKUNDA, she conducted structured performance assessments and KPI analyses across eight technical teams and four geographic regions, implementing improvement actions that increased delivery timelines by 15% and reduced program bottlenecks by 35%. She facilitated over 20 pause-and-reflect sessions, embedded adaptive management practices, and authored more than 30 evidence-based knowledge products that directly informed eight program design modifications.
Rumbidzai is equally accomplished as a capacity builder and people leader. She delivered 288 hours of technical coaching annually to program managers and area coordinators, and strengthened the delivery capabilities of 50+ national, regional, and international NGO partners through more than 235 training sessions. She has also represented her organizations at 33+ coordination forums, managing strategic relationships with key donors, government ministries, and humanitarian clusters.
Prior to CARE, she worked as a Biometrician and Learning Advisor at CIMMYT Zimbabwe, where she co-led the design and adaptive management of eight five-year development programs worth USD 60 million across 13 African countries. She directed MEAL and quality assurance systems, provided technical advisory to over 249 staff and researchers across Africa, and contributed to the release of 60 drought-tolerant maize hybrids benefiting up to 40 million people. She also co-led a fundraising pipeline generating USD 60.2 million in new funding over her career, with an 85% proposal success rate.
Rumbidzai holds an M.Sc. in Research Methods from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and a B.Sc. Honours in Agriculture and Natural Resources from Africa University, Zimbabwe. She is a member of the Project Management Institute and is currently pursuing PMP certification. She is fluent in English and Shona, with working knowledge of Swahili.

Education:

Rumbidzai Matemba-Mutasa has built a robust educational foundation that combines rigorous academic training with extensive professional development, positioning her as a highly qualified expert in agricultural research, development programming, and adaptive management systems.
Her academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Agriculture and Natural Resources from Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe, completed in 2008. This undergraduate program provided comprehensive grounding in agricultural sciences, natural resource management, and sustainable development practices—foundational knowledge that has proven instrumental throughout her career working with smallholder farmers and rural communities across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Building upon this foundation, Rumbidzai pursued advanced graduate studies, earning a Master of Science in Research Methods from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Nairobi, Kenya in 2012. This specialized degree equipped her with sophisticated quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, statistical analysis techniques, and experimental design capabilities. The program's focus on rigorous research methods has been particularly valuable in her roles as a Biometrician and Learning Advisor, where she designed and implemented over 400 experiments, surveys, and participatory assessments, and conducted retrospective analyses of 2,000 phenotypic datasets spanning 19 years of multi-location agricultural trials.
Beyond formal academic credentials, Rumbidzai has demonstrated sustained commitment to professional development through active membership in several prestigious professional organizations. She joined the International Biometrics Society (IBS) in 2012 and the sub-Saharan African Network (SUSAN) Conference of the IBS in 2011, engaging with cutting-edge developments in statistical methods and biometric research applications. Her membership in the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) since 2017 reflects her commitment to advancing women's participation in scientific research and leadership across developing countries.
In 2019, she joined the Zimbabwe Plant Breeders' Association (ZPBA), strengthening her connections within the plant breeding community and staying current with innovations in crop improvement. Most recently, in 2025, she became a member of the Project Management Institute Zimbabwe Chapter, demonstrating her dedication to excellence in program and project management—a natural evolution given her extensive experience managing multi-million dollar development programs.
This combination of formal education and professional affiliations has been complemented by substantial on-the-job learning and capacity building. Throughout her career, Rumbidzai has received training and mentorship from leading international agricultural research organizations including CIMMYT, ICRAF, ILRI, and CIP, as well as academic institutions such as Emory University (USA), Wageningen University and Research (Netherlands), Africa University, and the University of Zimbabwe. She has worked on projects funded by prestigious institutions including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, United States Department of state, European Union, Rockefeller Foundation, and La Agencia Mexicana de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AMEXCID).
This multifaceted educational background—spanning formal degrees, professional certifications, institutional affiliations, and experiential learning across multiple countries and contexts—has enabled Rumbidzai to bridge technical research expertise with practical program implementation, making her uniquely qualified to lead evidence-based development initiatives that generate measurable impact for vulnerable communities.

Available for:

  • Consulting assignments
  • Job opportunities

Years of Experience:

10-15 years

Highest Qualification:

Masters

Languages:

English

Nationality:

Zimbabwe

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