Job Details

Name of the position: Programme Manager

Location: Mongu, Western Province (With frequent visits to project locations)

Contract duration: 1 year with possibility of extension

Start Date: October 2025

Line Manager: Head of Programmes

Application deadline: The applications will be processed rolling basis

Please note that due to the high volume of applications, candidates may receive feedback up to 2 months from the date of application.

Salary: Candidates will be informed about the salary range in the beginning of the recruitment process

People in Need is a non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 1992 in the Czech Republic on the principles of humanism, freedom, equality, and solidarity. It operates in over 40 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Central America, addressing global issues like climate change, sustainable development, human rights, and social inequality. Its activities are organized into three core programmatic pillars: Emergency Response and Recovery, Climate Resilience, and Civil Society and Inclusive Governance. The Emergency Response and Recovery pillar focuses on providing humanitarian aid, followed by recovery and resilience-building programs. The Climate Resilience pillar aims to enhance the resilience of those vulnerable to climate change through green growth and circular economy principles. The Civil Society and Inclusive Governance pillar works to strengthen civil society’s engagement with governments to promote inclusive public services and participatory democratic processes. In Zambia, People in Need started its operations in 2017 where it implemented projects focusing on nutrition, humanitarian aid, WASH practices, and biogas innovation. The current programmes encompass initiatives to provide clean energy through biogas technology, address acute malnutrition in children and pregnant and/or lactating women, support smallholder farmers through biogas appliances, biochar, and livestock projects and conserving the local ecosystem, restoring biodiversity and creating alternative and climate-resilient livelihood opportunities, especially for the smallholder farmers residing in the Barotse Floodplain of Mongu and Limulunga districts.

We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply .

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Programme Manager – Implementation & Quality Assurance is responsible for leading and overseeing the implementation and quality assurance of projects currently implemented under the PIN Zambia’s country programme. The role ensures timely, efficient, and accountable project delivery in alignment with organizational standards, donor requirements, and the country programme’s programmatic strategy. The Programme manager ensures coherent project cycle management (PCM), budget oversight, team management, donor compliance, MEAL integration, partner coordination, and risk management. The role also guarantees the integration of cross-cutting themes (gender, inclusion, safeguarding) and ensures PIN’s programming is responsive, impactful, and sustainable.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1.       Tasks and Responsibilities

a.       Program design and implementation

• Overall supervision of project cycle management of all projects currently implemented within the country programme

• Ensure through the Project Managers timely execution of Internal Project Review meetings, update of Indicator Tracking Table, Results framework, PowerBI and interim, annual and final project reports encompassing progress, risks and challenges, mitigation measures and lessons learned
• Conduct regular meetings with the Project Managers to discuss progress on workplan and deliverables for the project as well as identify risks and challenges for all projects pertaining to project delivery and put in place mitigation measures to ensure smooth implementation of the project
• Contribute towards strengthening CP’s programme portfolio by providing strategic and technical input into future programming development
• Ensure effective incorporation and implementation of cross-cutting issues such as gender, social inclusion, climate change, and good governance in all projects
• Ensure bridging between project managers and CP management to make sure we align to the implementation of the strategy and the pillars
• Ensure effective line management of the Project Managers and Project Coordinators implementing projects under the pillar
• Participate in the review of the CP strategy, updates and planning
• Familiarize and follow donors’ procedures and requirements, consolidate project reports before HOP approval
• Oversee needs identification and assessments to understand context, needs, capacities, vulnerabilities and risks for target communities and update the needs assessments when the context changes
• Contributes to Logframes and project proposals in line with the Country Strategy, donor and PIN guidelines with support from Country Programme management, Programme Strategy and Impact department.

b.        Technical Quality Assurance

• Ensure quality and timely implementation of the project in line with PIN’s sectoral guidelines, best practices and applicable international standards
• Effectively mainstreams cross-cutting issues in the project, including protection, gender, and environment across project planning, implementation and MEAL
• Lead quarterly or bi-annual learning review meetings with relevant departments to track progress against targets, review project outputs and outcomes, and make necessary adjustments to ensure that the project meets its stated objectives

c.        Financial management

• Ensure efficient budget management for all projects by coordinating with Project Managers who are responsible for developing forecasts, regularly updating the budget vs. forecasts on a monthly basis, and monitoring potential over or under spending
• Collaborate with the finance department to align PIN’s financial guidelines with the donor’s guidelines, ensuring compliance and mitigating any risks of misuse and misappropriation of project funds
• Review and approve contracts in a timely manner to facilitate financial payments to vendors, suppliers, project target groups etc.

d.       Human resource management

• Responsible for day-to-day team management such as Leave and Time management of the team (planning, approval of leave requests, time / attendance sheets approval process), handling disciplinary issues in cooperation with HR;
• Directly supervise Project Managers who are responsible for executing, managing, and delivering the implementation plan and activities for the project, ensuring quality delivery of project outputs and outcomes
• In cooperation with relevant colleagues (HR, Head of Systems and Operations – HoSO), responsible for relevant HR processes related to the project team, including recruitment, performance management, professional growth, capacity building and mentoring of national PIN and partners’ staff, including the identification of training needs, development of training plans and ensuring the delivery of appropriate training
• Fosters a positive team spirit and good interpersonal relations
• Appropriately delegates duties to the responsible project staff

e.       Monitoring an Evaluation

• In cooperation with the MEAL team, oversees the development and monthly updating of MEAL plans in the Project Management Plan, including Results Frameworks (RF), Indicator Tracking Tables (ITT), M&E workplan, CFRM database, etc.);
• Ensure quality management of project data through the Project Managers, who are responsible for timely collection using appropriate tools, accurate analysis, consolidation, and regular archiving on SharePoint and ELO
• Ensure the incorporation of the Community Feedback and Response Mechanism (CFRM) in each project and conduct regular monitoring to ensure its implementation at the project level
• Regularly reviews MEAL Reports & recommendations and integrates all feedback and recommendations into the Feedback Tracker;

f.        Logistics and Procurement

• In cooperation with relevant colleagues (Logistics Manager, Project Managers, HoSO, Finance and Logistics Officers) ensures that:

o    project procurement planning is integrated into the project work plan and Country Programme procurement plan, and tracked monthly;

o    all procurement-related documentation is properly processed by the project team and adequately coordinated with the procurement and finance team;

o    all procurement processes are carried out in compliance with PIN’s procurement guidelines, and any donor-specific procurement requirements;

o    project logistical needs are communicated and planned.

g.       Coordination

• Together with the Project Managers, liaise with the implementing partners to ensure delivery of planned activities, outputs and outcomes of the project
• Liaise regularly with all project stakeholders including government agencies at local, district, provincial and national level, non-governmental organizations, private sector, media, academia and others when required
• Establish open and clear communication channels through different platforms to ensure efficient communication between project team members including partners and stakeholders
• Represent PIN at local, district and provincial level with key partners and stakeholders building strong
• networks and working relationships

h.       Communication and Visibility

• Put in place communication and visibility plan for all project with direct coordination with the Project Manager and Communication Officer
• Ensure implementation of the communication and visibility plan through the Project Manager and adherence to PIN Media Policy and donor requirements
• Where necessary, represent PIN at various media and digital platforms at district and provincial level to increase visibility for the project and PIN as organization as a whole

i.         Safety and Security

• Adheres to, and promotes Safety, Security & Risk Policies, standards, plans & procedures;
• Develops & regularly updates project risk register in IPR;
• Reports any incidents which could affect staff wellbeing immediately to CD/Security Focal Point (SFP).
• risks

j.              Accountability and Safeguarding including Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEA-H)

• Carry out the duties in accordance with the PIN Code of Conduct (CoC) and Key policies
• Participate in training and awareness raising (CoC and Key policies, Safeguarding)
• Ensure effective implementation of Safeguarding measures throughout the project cycle including risk analysis related to SEA-H and Child protection at the project/program level and develop a mitigation plan accordingly.
• Create and maintain a fulfilling and protective environment

1.       Required Skills, Experience and Behavioural Competencies:

Education and experience

• At least a Bachelor’s degree related in Project Management, Development Studies or related field. A Master’s Degree is an added advantage

• At least 5 years of experience in project management, or related roles in the development sector with line management role.
• Previous experience managing multisectoral projects with strong focus on ensuring project implementation quality assurance, including oversight of monitoring and evaluation systems, compliance with donor requirements, and continuous improvement of program delivery through adaptive management approaches is essential
• Previous experience and knowledge of MEAL will be considered advantageous
• Experience in managing humanitarian and development projects by different donors is considered advantageous

Skills and competencies

• Ability to work under pressure and within time constraints
• Excellent report writing skills and ability to prepare and archive project documents on regular basis
• Ability to handle emergencies
• Ability to self-motivate, responsible and hardworking
• A team player with an ability to work in a group or alone with limited supervision
• Excellent problem solving, decision making and organizational skills
• Proficiency in relevant software applications (e.g., Microsoft Office, project management tools).
• Demonstrated patience, enthusiasm and strong personal skills with attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work both independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Maintain high ethical standards.
• Commitment to and understanding of PIN’s aims, values and principles.

• Flexibility in adaptive to new environments and willingness to travel in the field and/or project locations with short notice

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS

• 24 annual leave per year

• Contributions of Health Insurance (Nhima) as by Law.

• Accident insurance for all injuries during work time.

• National pension scheme contributions as by law

• Extensive Capacity Building program, both internal and external trainings – Induction training.

• internal online opportunities, such as access to e-learning platform and webinars

• Month contribution for phone tariffs

• Annual Staff retreat

• International environments with opportunities to learn from other country programs

• Paternity leave of 5 days and maternity leave of 14 weeks

• Breastfeeding breaks for nursing colleagues

• Per diem for working and sleeping outside of duty town depending on the location.

• Friendly and fair environment in small collective structure where everyone knows each other.

• We have lunch break with meals available at the office (Mongu Office)

• 2 health breaks per day.

• Salaries are according to People in Need Salary scale and shortlisted candidates to be informed about the salaries.

People in Need is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct and committed to promoting the welfare of children and adults with whom People in Need engages /is in contact with. People in Need expects all staff to perform job duties and responsibilities in accordance with People in Need Code of Conduct and key policies (available at:  ). People in Need Staff will undertake the appropriate level of training.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks.

Are you interested in joining us? Please apply in the link below. Send us your cover letter and CV which includes the contacts on your referees. Ideally, we need the name and email of your two previous line managers and one of HR.