Head of Programme Cameroon

Leadership

Overview

Lead and manage programmatic strategy for NRC operations in Cameroon.

You have:

• Minimum 5 years’ experience from a senior management position in a humanitarian/ recovery context
• Fluency in English and French, both written and verbal
• Experience in programme strategy development, Project Cycle Management, and grants management
• Knowledge about the context in Central Africa (Cameroon is an advantage)
• Documented results in programme design and fundraising, including with NRC’s key donors
• Demonstrated knowledge of protection mainstreaming, community engagement, and accountability to affected populations
• Experience in MEAL management, outcome analysis, and capitalization
• Demonstrated experience in representation and advocacy
• Demonstrated experience in developing strategic partnerships
• Handling insecure environments

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is a global humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee.

Join us in assisting millions of people in areas where others cannot, tackling some of the world's most dangerous and difficult crises. Bring your skills and dedication to an organisation recognised for providing high quality aid and for defending the rights of refugees and internally displaced people.

At NRC, we give responsibility to employees at all levels and foster professional growth and innovative teams. You can expect a supportive culture and an open dialogue with management. We are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Together, we save lives and rebuild futures.

Safeguarding is central to NRC’s work. We expect all employees to:

• treat everyone with respect and dignity

• contribute to building a safe environment for all

• never engage in any form of exploitation, harassment and specifically sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment (SEAH)

• always report. NRC has a zero-tolerance approach to inaction against exploitation, abuse and SEAH

About the Context

NRC established its Country Office in 2017 and currently has operations in each of the crisis-affected areas: the Far North, the Northwest, the Southwest, the East and Adamawa regions.

The programme portfolio includes four Core Competencies (CCs): ICLA (Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance), WASH, Shelter, and Education.

NRC offices support integrated multi-sector assistance, addressing emergency needs while facilitating long-term recovery.

In 2024, NRC’s operations in Cameroon were supported by a diverse portfolio of grants from ECHO, ECW, CDCS, BHA, Luxembourg, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, with a total annual budget of USD 10 million.

NRC has played a key coordination role at both national and regional levels, leading and co-leading various clusters and Areas of Responsibility (AoRs). At the national level, NRC co-coordinates the Shelter cluster and coordinates the Housing, Land and Property (HLP) AoR, while at the regional level, NRC contributes to coordination efforts in Food Security, WASH, and HLP.

Additionally, NRC currently hosts the CHINGO Coordination Platform, further strengthening collaboration, coordination, and response efforts in Cameroon.

Find out more about NRC https://www.nrc.no/ and Watch this short video to see NRC in action https://vimeo.com/736782633

What we are looking for

The Head of Programme is responsible for the overall programmatic strategy across NRC’s operations in Cameroon, ensuring timely and adequate technical inputs, contributing to the quality assurance of program implementation across the project cycle management (PCM).

The role provides strategic direction and technical oversight across the project cycle, ensuring that NRC’s programmes are designed, implemented, and evaluated in line with humanitarian standards and NRC’s strategic objectives.

The Head of Programme ensures that NRC’s interventions not only respond effectively to immediate humanitarian needs but also contribute to durable solutions for displacement-affected populations.

As a key member of the Senior Management Team, the HoP plays a central role in cross-cutting programmatic information management, the design and oversight of needs assessments, monitoring and evaluation systems, and ensuring that learning and evidence inform program improvement, grant proposals, and donor reporting.

This position is instrumental in driving strategic development and ensuring adherence to policies, systems, and coordination mechanisms. The HoP ensures that teams work collaboratively and effectively to deliver a coherent and integrated programme approach.

In addition to programme quality and strategy, the HoP shares responsibility for fundraising and donor engagement with the Country Director, and actively represents NRC in external coordination platforms, including CHINGO’s working groups and other relevant forums.

What you will do

• Line management of the Programme Team
• Compliance with and adherence to NRC policies, guidance and procedures
• Providing programme input to Country Strategy and Action Plans
• Developing Core Competency strategies that are aligned to regional and global priorities and strategies (ToC, Macro Logframe, narrative)
• Identifying funding opportunities, developing and roll out funding strategies, developing funding forecast
• Ensuring Grants management, budget allocations, and reporting to donors, including compliance with donor standards
• Quality control, Monitoring Evidence Accountability and Learning (MEAL), and capitalization
• In-country representation
• Promoting the rights of IDPs/returnees in line with the advocacy strategy

Please download the detailed job description to learn more about the position JD-Head of Programme_Cameroon Yaounde_

What you will bring

1. Professional Competencies

• Minimum 5 years’ experience from a senior management position in a humanitarian/ recovery context
• Experience from working in complex and volatile contexts
• Core competency expertise
• Documented results in programme design and fundraising, including with NRC’s key donors
• Knowledge about own leadership skills/profile
• Fluency in English and French, both written and verbal
• Knowledge of the context in Central Africa (Cameroon is an advantage)
• Experience in programme strategy development, Project Cycle Management, and grants management
• Demonstrated experience in developing strategic partnerships
• Experience in MEAL management, outcome analysis, and capitalization
• Demonstrated knowledge of protection mainstreaming, community engagement, and accountability to affected populations
• Demonstrated experience in representation and advocacy

2. Behavioural competencies

• Strategic thinking
• Initiating action and change
• Influencing
• Handling insecure environments
• Managing resources to optimize results

What we offer

• Duty station: Yaounde, Cameroon
• Contract: 12 months
• Salary/benefits: grade 11 on NRC’s salary scale
• NRC is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to diversity without distinction to age, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, and physical ability.
• We think outside the box, encourage ideas, and give responsibility to all employees at all levels. You will have many opportunities to be heard and take the initiative.
• Find out more about the benefits of working for NRC https://www.nrc.no/career/what-we-offer/

Kindly send any questions about the application process to: [email protected]. Applications sent via email will not be accepted. Please check your application status on your NRC application profile.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 10 months ago - Updated 10 months ago - Source: nrc.no