Head of Programmes – CAR full-time NEW

DanChurchAid (DCA) is looking for an experienced Head of Programmes to lead its Central African Republic (CAR) programme portfolio. Reporting to the Country Director and serving on the Senior Management Team, you will turn country strategy into well-managed projects, strengthen programme quality and partnerships, and support teams delivering assistance in a demanding operating environment.

Duty station: Bangui, with regular travel to field locations | International, non-accompanied position

Contract: 12 months, with the possibility of extension | Opening date: 22 October 2026 | Closing date: 20 November 2026

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Candidates are encouraged to apply early.

Our programme in CAR

DCA has worked in CAR since 2015, implementing humanitarian, development and peacebuilding activities directly and with national civil society partners. Our work responds to the consequences of conflict and displacement while supporting recovery, community resilience and efforts to reduce violence and exclusion.

The portfolio brings together protection, psychosocial support and assistance to victims of conflict; conflict prevention, peacebuilding and social cohesion; and cash assistance and food security. Humanitarian mine action and explosive ordnance risk awareness also form part of DCA’s experience in CAR. We seek practical links between these areas, informed by communities’ priorities and by conflict-sensitive analysis.

Current projects portfolio includes project funded by the Gov. Of CAR (back donor World Bank) alongside interventions supported by ECHO, INTPA, FPI, the CAR Humanitarian Fund, the UN Peacebuilding Fund, the ICC Trust Fund for Victims and Danish strategic partnership funding. These projects combine different delivery models, partnership arrangements and reporting requirements. The Head of Programmes will maintain a coherent portfolio while ensuring that each project meets its commitments to communities and donors.

Your team and working relationships

You will work with project managers, area coordinators, MEAL colleagues, technical staff and national partners, supported by DCA headquarters advisers. Based in Bangui, you will maintain close contact with field teams and make regular visits to implementation locations.

DCA CAR is strengthening area-based management and clarifying responsibilities between programme and support functions. The Head of Programmes provides programme, MEAL and quality oversight and technical supervision within the authority delegated by the Country Director. Area coordinators retain line management of staff assigned to them, while multi-area project oversight and management remains under the Head of Programmes. You will make these arrangements work in practice through clear priorities, coaching, joint planning and timely escalation of unresolved issues.

Close collaboration with finance, procurement, logistics and HR is essential. Together, you will ensure that activity plans, procurement schedules, staffing, budgets and donor commitments are realistic and aligned.

What you will lead

• Programme strategy and relevance: translate the country strategy into operational priorities; use needs assessments, IPC and MSNA findings, response coverage and community feedback to guide geographic and sector choices; identify and secure opportunities that fit DCA’s capacity and added value.

• Delivery and quality: steer complex projects through integrated project management frameworks; oversee and support implementation against agreed results, budgets and timelines; support project managers and area coordinators to identify delays early, agree corrective actions and follow them through; ensure technical standards, protection mainstreaming and conflict sensitivity across the portfolio.

• People and management: manage staff assigned to you under the country organigram; set clear objectives, delegate effectively and address performance issues; provide technical supervision and coaching to area coordinators and programme colleagues through the agreed management framework.

• MEAL and accountability: strengthen practical monitoring systems, data quality and analysis; create and maintain project and portfolio dashboards covering progress, results, expenditure, procurement, deadlines and risks, and use them to guide management reviews and corrective actions; ensure accessible feedback and complaints mechanisms, including safe referral of sensitive complaints; use findings to improve delivery and demonstrate results.

• Partnerships and localisation: build equitable relationships with national organisations; agree responsibilities, resources and capacity-strengthening priorities jointly; work with support colleagues on proportionate due diligence, partner monitoring and follow-up.

• Project development and funding: lead concept notes, proposals, results frameworks and donor reports with country and HQ colleagues; work with finance and support teams on credible budgets, staffing and procurement plans; maintain a realistic funding pipeline.

• Grant and risk management: maintain oversight of reporting deadlines, contractual commitments and programme risks; work with finance colleagues on budget reviews, forecasts and partner expenditure; ensure that changes requiring donor approval are identified and addressed in time.

• Cash working group Co-lead: Act as the Cash Working Group co lead; providing support to the WFP / OCHA led structure and ensuring adequate support to the group.

• Senior management and representation: contribute to country-level decisions, organisational priorities and risk reviews; represent DCA with donors, clusters, authorities, civil society and peer agencies; promote cooperation across departments and support agreed SMT decisions.

The challenges you will help us address

You will join a programme that needs both strategic direction and consistent management follow-through. Priorities include keeping a diverse portfolio on track, strengthening the connection between field delivery and Bangui oversight, and improving the use of monitoring and financial information in decisions. The World Bank-funded NDOYE project adds a substantial implementation and contractual workload alongside humanitarian and peacebuilding grants.

Success will require early procurement and staffing planning, clear ownership of actions, strong programme–support collaboration and constructive engagement with partners. You will balance immediate delivery pressures with team development and sustainable systems, adapting plans to access and security constraints while protecting programme quality and accountability to communities.

What you bring

• At least three years of experience managing a multi-project programme portfolio, including responsibility for staff, programme quality, donor engagement and delivery in a complex humanitarian or fragile setting.

• Strong knowledge of CAR or comparable Central African contexts, and the ability to translate political, conflict and humanitarian analysis into practical programme decisions. Previous experience in CAR is a strong asset.

• Previous substantive experience in at least two of the following three areas is required: cash programming; food security; and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, including Accountability to Affected Populations. Experience in protection, conflict prevention or peacebuilding is an additional asset.

• Demonstrated people-management skills: setting priorities, coaching managers, delegating, resolving disagreements and holding teams accountable while maintaining respectful working relationships.

• Proven experience developing successful proposals and producing clear donor reports. Familiarity with ECHO, pooled humanitarian funds, UN funding or institutional development financing is an advantage; World Bank-funded project experience is particularly relevant.

• Demonstrated experience steering complex projects involving multiple locations, partners, funding requirements or interdependent workstreams. You can translate contractual commitments into integrated workplans, track milestones and dependencies, and lead corrective action across programme and support teams.

• Hands-on experience designing and using project or portfolio dashboards that bring together activities, results, expenditure, procurement, reporting deadlines and risks. You can establish reliable data flows, assign responsibility for updates, and use dashboards in management reviews to drive decisions and follow-up.

• Experience strengthening community accountability and equitable partnerships with national organisations, including capacity development and management of implementation risks. Strong judgement under pressure, experience working in insecure environments, and a commitment to safeguarding, inclusion and responsible risk management. Recent HEAT or equivalent training is desirable.

• Fluency in written and spoken French and a good working knowledge of English are required. You must be able to lead teams and engage with partners in French, and work effectively with English-language donor documents, reporting and headquarters communications.

What we offer

• A 12-month contract with the possibility of extension and a competitive salary package.

• 30 days of paid annual leave and three R&R cycles per year, subject to DCA’s Staff Welfare Policy for Bangui as a duty station.

• Insurance as per industry standards.

• A substantive leadership role with opportunities to shape programme quality, develop colleagues and strengthen national partnerships, with support from country and headquarters teams.

How to apply

Please submit your CV and cover letter through DCA’s online recruitment system by 20 November 2026. Explain how your experience relates to the portfolio, management responsibilities and challenges described above. Only applications submitted through the recruitment system will be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Applications open on 23 October 2026 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the three-week publication period. Shortlisting and interviews may begin before the closing date, so early applications are encouraged.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, abilities or ethnic affiliation are encouraged to apply. DCA conducts an anti-terror check as part of the recruitment process. It is a prerequisite that you can pass this check and maintain this status throughout your employment. Everyone applying for a job with DCA must be ready to comply with our Staff Policy on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment and our Child Safeguarding Policy.

How to apply
Head of Programmes – CAR I DanchurchAid