Program Manager, Elections at The Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth & Advancement (YIAGA)

Job Summary

• Yiaga Africa is seeking a highly experienced and visionary Program Manager, Elections to lead its strategic initiatives and projects focused on electoral integrity, election observation, electoral reform, voter education, and democratic participation.
• This position offers an exciting opportunity to work on the frontlines of electoral strengthening and democratic development in Nigeria and across Africa.
• The successful candidate will possess deep knowledge of governance and political systems, exceptional program management skills, and the ability to drive impactful engagement with citizens, institutions, and policymakers.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and technical oversight for all election-related programs, including election observation, electoral reform advocacy, voter education, and election integrity initiatives.
• Lead the planning, implementation, and evaluation of election projects to ensure alignment with organizational priorities, electoral timelines, and donor requirements.
• Design, manage, and oversee election observation methodologies, including the deployment and implementation of Process and Results Verification for Transparency (PRVT) to support credible, data-driven election assessments.
• Develop and manage project workplans, budgets, risk frameworks, and performance indicators for election programs.
• Supervise and mentor program staff and election field teams to ensure high-quality, timely, and compliant delivery of activities.
• Coordinate partnerships with electoral management bodies, government agencies, civil society organizations, observer groups, and development partners.
• Represent the organization in election stakeholder meetings, technical working groups, media engagements, and public forums.
• Oversee the production and dissemination of election-related research, observation reports, policy briefs, and technical publications.
• Support fundraising and sustainability efforts by contributing to proposal writing, donor engagement, and concept development for election-focused initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with internal policies, donor regulations, and electoral observation standards in all program activities and reporting.

• Identify emerging electoral risks, trends, and innovations, and design adaptive program strategies to strengthen electoral integrity and democratic participation.

Required Skills and Experience

• Advanced degree in Political Science, Public Policy, Law, International Relations, or a related field.
• A minimum of 10 years of experience working on democracy and governance issues, with at least 5 years in a managerial role.
• Experience managing multi-donor funded projects with demonstrated impact.
• Strong understanding of elections, legislative engagement, civic innovation, and/or digital democracy.
• Demonstrated leadership in managing teams and building partnerships.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and project management tools.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Proficiency in French and/or another Nigerian language is an advantage.

Competencies:

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity and models the values of Yiaga Africa.
• Promotes the vision and mission of the organization.
• Embraces diversity and inclusion.

Functional Competencies:

• Strong understanding of Nigeria’s political and governance context.
• Excellent knowledge of global and regional democracy and governance trends.
• Ability to influence policy and facilitate multi-stakeholder engagements.

Managerial Competencies:

• Proven track record in managing people, budgets, and donor-funded projects.
• Strong analytical and strategic planning skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.