Program Officer at Value Female Network Africa

Role Summary

The Program Officer will work under the Director of Programs to coordinate all of VFN's programs. He/She will be responsible for the planning, implementation, review and monitoring of program delivery across VFN's implementing communities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Programme Planning and Implementation

• Coordinate all short-term and long-term projects carried out by the organization, ensuring delivery on time, within budget, and to a high technical standard.
• Lead the design and development of new, innovative projects and programme concepts aligned with VFN's strategic priorities.
• Develop detailed work plans, activity schedules and budgets, and oversee their execution across VFN's implementing states and communities.
• Provide technical leadership on VFN's thematic areas, including SRHR, FGM/GBV elimination, child protection and adolescent empowerment.

Grant Writing, Fundraising and Donor Management

• Coordinate the development of high-quality concept notes, proposals, budgets and expressions of interest to secure funding from donors and partners.
• Manage grant compliance, donor reporting timelines and contractual obligations, ensuring all deliverables are met.
• Contribute to VFN's resource mobilization strategy and identify new funding opportunities.

Team and People Management

• Supervise, mentor and build the capacity of programme staff, field officers, volunteers and interns.
• Lead weekly knowledge-management and capacity-building sessions, and foster a collaborative, accountable and results-oriented team culture.
• Train operations and project staff on programme issues, tools and standards.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL)

• Track and report on programme implementation, results and fund utilization.
• Collect, analyze and present data needed for programme development, decision-making and donor reporting.
• Prepare information for the audit and evaluation of projects, and document lessons learned, good practices and case studies.
• Analyze programme risks and advise management appropriately.

Reporting, Advocacy and Communication

• Draft timely, professional project narratives, full reports and advocacy materials, and submit them to the Head of Programs as required.
• Prepare advocacy reports, statements and other materials on the organization's activities in coordination with other staff.
• Assist in developing and implementing project communication strategies.
• Provide technical support to Board members and submit a monthly report to the Executive Director through the Head of Programs.

Partnerships and Representation

• Build and maintain strong relationships with existing partners, donors, government agencies and like-minded organizations.
• Research and stay familiar with the political and economic landscape of all VFN implementing states, and identify opportunities for VFN programmes.
• Represent VFN at meetings, technical forums and stakeholder engagements as delegated.
• Carry out other responsibilities as assigned by management.

Requirements

• A minimum of a first degree (B.Sc./B.A./HND) in Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Gender Studies or a related field; a Master's degree is an added advantage.
• A minimum of three (3) years' experience in programme or project management, preferably in the NGO or development sector.
• Demonstrated experience in grant/proposal writing and donor reporting.
• Proven experience managing teams and coordinating multiple projects simultaneously.
• Working knowledge of monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) frameworks and tools.
• Understanding of SRHR, gender, child protection, and FGM/GBV or related thematic areas is an added advantage.

Skills and Competencies

• Leadership — proven ability to lead teams, projects and initiatives, and to model VFN's values.
• Ability to work with little or no supervision — self-directed, proactive and dependable in taking ownership of deliverables.
• Ability to meet timelines — strong planning, prioritization and time-management skills, with a consistent track record of delivering to deadline.
• Communication — excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, including report writing, presentation and stakeholder engagement.
• Grant writing and fundraising — skilled in developing winning proposals, budgets and donor reports.
• Team and people management — able to supervise, mentor and motivate staff, volunteers and interns.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills — sound judgment, risk analysis and data-driven decision-making.
• Budgeting and financial management — competent in preparing and monitoring programme budgets.
• Relationship management — strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build partnerships across sectors.
• Digital proficiency — competent in Microsoft Office, project-management tools (Trello, Asana), data collection and analysis tools (KoboToolbox, Google Forms, Excel), and virtual collaboration platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams).
• Integrity and safeguarding — a strong commitment to VFN's mission, safeguarding, and survivor-centered, do-no-harm approaches.

Safeguarding and Equal Opportunity

Value Female Network (VFN) is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all project beneficiaries and the communities it serves, and expects all staff to uphold this commitment. The successful candidate will be required to comply with VFN's safeguarding, PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse), and child-protection policies, and appointment will be subject to satisfactory reference and background checks.

VFN is an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, religion, ethnicity, disability or any other protected characteristic, and we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.