Regional Program Manager CDI NOUVEAU
Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe
Role: Regional program manager
Supervisor: Regional Director (RD)
Department: Regional office, Program support
Location: Dakar, Senegal
Direct reports: 3 regional program positions (with potential evolution)
Additions: This position requires travel in West and Central Africa and the Caribbean
About the role
This is a new role resulting from the global reorganization of DKHs internal structure and will be part of the newly established region of West & Central Africa and the Caribbean. The position will partly take over responsibilities and tasks previously ensured directly from Berlin and will also fill identified gaps.
The main aim of the role is to provide regional programmatic support to the country programs and local and national NGO partners (L/NNGOs) collaborating with DKH. The primary responsibility of the Regional program manager (RPM) is to ensure alignment of programs and projects within the region with the organization’s strategic goals and donor prerequisites. This role provides guidance and technical support to programs and partners, aiming to maximize quality and advocate for a principled approach to humanitarian aid across different country offices. Additionally, the role involves harmonizing program standards, optimizing program delivery, and fostering collaboration and learning processes among the programs.
Specific roles and responsibilities
Donor Guidance and Relationship Management
- Actively identify new potential donors for the programs in both West & Central Africa and the Caribbean
- Stay informed on donor strategies, requirements, standards, deadlines, calls, etc.
- Identify/ define successful strategies and guidance for approaching and maintaining relationships with regional donors such as ECHO and OCHA in collaboration with Country Representatives, RD and Institutional Relations Advisor (IRA)
- Guide country programs and L/NNGOs on donor strategies, requirements, standards, events, etc., throughout the project cycle (project development, monitoring, reporting, evaluation)
- Support decision-making in grant applications towards third-party donors
- Represent DKH towards regional donors and within regional working groups, clusters, networks, etc., in coordination and collaboration with the RD
Strategic Program Guidance
- Remain abreast of strategic discussions related to Charter4Change, (triple) nexus, localization, etc., and lead alignment with programs at regional and country level
- Align project proposals and other country office initiatives with DKH global and regional strategies and priorities
- Guide on and ensure compliance with Sphere standards, CHS, and partnership principles (“eye-level partnerships”)
- Participate in development, revision, monitoring of regional and country strategies; provide contributions towards the DKH global strategy
Program Coordination and Synergy Identification
- Oversee regional project portfolio and work with country offices towards alignment amongst programs and projects on strategic, thematic and technical issues in collaboration with TU
- Ensure coherence of context-adapted approaches amongst assessments (multi-needs, markets, gender, conflict, environmental, risk, etc.), concept notes, proposals, and reports, e.g. regarding targeting, inclusion, mainstreaming protection, locally owned and locally led approaches, inclusion, involvement of public structures and private sectors, anticipatory humanitarian action, greening of aid approaches/ climate sensitive approaches, etc.
- Identify and capitalize on synergies between programs and projects to maximize efficiency and ensure harmonization and learning
- Develop regional projects together with country programs and supervise any regional coordination positions related to such programs
- Manage the regional multi-purpose fund designated for small emergency support, assessments/ evaluations, etc.
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEAL) and Knowledge Management
- Implement MEAL policies and guidelines coherently in collaboration with global MEAL advisor and MEAL staff in country programs
- Support data analysis and processes and ensure real-time lessons are captured, disseminated, and integrated into ongoing and future programming.
- Depending on partner and staff capacities, lead or support in this process and ensure a harmonized and consistent approach to strengthening MEAL capacities across the region
- Support internal and external forms of reflection and learning (evaluations, learning reviews, partner workshops, etc.)
- Ensure learning procedures exist, are known and understood, and monitor their application; contribute to development of such procedures where they do not exist
- Contribute to internal learning processes and documentation /publication of the same from program work in collaboration with responsible staff
- Encourage and foster inter-country learning
- Ensure diffusion of lessons learned and application of recommendations throughout the region and towards DKH Berlin
- Ensure rollout and contextualization of accountability guidelines and standards (feedback and complaints mechanisms) as well as procedures to deal with them effectively and efficiently
- Spearhead technological utilization throughout the project cycle, serving as the central focal point for its implementation, including capacity building to enhance uptake and usage within the region
- Build knowledge management system and champion a culture of learning amongst staff and partners
Quality Assurance and Collaboration
- Ensure maximum quality in the final review of grant applications and internal project proposals for the region; ensure administrative approval process of projects in the DKH project management software
- Support country offices to ensure high levels of accountability, including backstopping and guidance on CRM, CHD etc.
- Collaborate with theTechnical Unit and advisors in Berlin and Regional liaison manager on respective topics
- Exchange and collaborate with equivalent positions in other regions for harmonization and learning purposes
Partnership and capacity strengthening
- Contribute to review of joint partner self-assessments and definition/identification of delivered or required partner capacity-strengthening support
- Develop and deliver (or organize delivery of) workshops for L/NNGOs and DKH country program staff in relation to the responsibilities of the position
- Provide mentoring and feedback to partners on any related task and/or link up L/NNGOs and DKH staff with relevant experience
Other
- Supervise and coordinate regional program positions including regional project coordination staff, technical experts, partner strengthening staff, etc.
- Support the regional program objectives through any other tasks requested by the RD
Education & professional qualifications
- Bachelor or Master’s degree in Humanitarian Action, International Development and Cooperation, Disaster Management, International Relations, Conflict Studies or Peace and Conflict Resolution, Monitoring and Evaluation/ Data Analytics or any other related position relevant for the role
Skills & competencies
- Minimum 5 years’ experience in senior program management in the humanitarian sector
- Extensive experience in proposal writing, developing log frames, etc.
- Ability to initiate and implement activities with minimal oversight and supervision
- Knowledge and experience with AA, BMZ, ECHO, UN, etc.
- Experience working in consortia and on large-scale regional projects and with the (triple) nexus
- Previous exposure to various humanitarian programming sectors (food security and nutrition, protection and PSS, DRR) and various modalities (e.g. CVA)
- Experience/ competence in the use of technology across the project cycle (e.g. Kobo, RedRose, etc.)
- Commitment to equal partnership principles and experience or strong interest in working with L/NNGOs
- Ability to work within a team and independently; willingness to contribute to the construction of a new team
- Strong planning, organizational, and analytical skills
- Knowledge of digital tools (e.g. Kobo, RedRose, etc.); proficiency in MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.)
- Excellent communication & Interpersonal skills – ability to convey complex information clearly and comprehensibly to different target audiences
- Cultural sensitivity
- French and English required
How to apply
APPLICATION
Kindly apply by sending your motivation letter and CV without any further attachments by email [email protected], using the reference “RPM-WaCAR Name_Surname”, in the subject of your email. For additional questions about the role, please direct them to the same address.
Closing date: 24 April 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Diversity is important to us. We welcome applications from people regardless of their ethnic, national, or social background, gender, disability, age, or sexual identity
In line with our strong commitment to localisation and equity, this position is open to both national and international candidates. All staff are offered the same salary range under a local contract, with differentiated benefits applied as needed to equitably address circumstances that may affect international hires.
