Organization: INTERSOS
Code: SR-49-10177
Location: Maiduguri, Borno State (Non-family duty station)
Grade: 13 (Senior Management Team)
Starting Date: 7th May, 2026
Contract Duration: 6 months (with potential for extension)
Application Closing Date: 30th April, 2026
THE STRATEGIC CONTEXT
Conflict in Nigeria’s BAY states (Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe) has left 8.3 million people in need of urgent assistance. INTERSOS is at the forefront of this response, addressing mass displacement, acute malnutrition, and Gender-Based Violence (GBV). We are seeking a visionary Head of Program to spearhead our country-wide program strategy. This role is for a seasoned humanitarian leader capable of navigating complex insecurity while ensuring the technical quality and growth of a multi-million dollar portfolio.
GENERAL PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
The Head of Program is the architect of INTERSOS Nigeria’s operational impact. Reporting directly to the Country Director, you will oversee the overall program strategy, technical standards, and portfolio development. You will supervise a high-performing team of Program Managers, Grants Managers, and Technical Coordinators to ensure that our interventions are innovative, evidence-based, and donor-compliant.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Strategic Vision & Growth
- Strategy Development: Work as a key member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) to update the country strategy in line with Global INTERSOS principles.
- Portfolio Development: Identify funding opportunities, lead rapid-response assessments, and design creative, needs-based programming.
- Proposal Oversight: Lead the design of high-quality concept notes, proposals, and budgets in coordination with technical units and support functions.
2. Technical Governance & Quality Control
- Technical Standards: Supervise the design of standards and processes across Medical, Protection, and Support departments.
- Accountability: Oversee the MEAL department to ensure targets are met and projects adopt the best management frameworks.
- Risk Management: Conduct comprehensive risk assessments of program activities and related processes.
3. High-Level Representation & Advocacy
- Stakeholder Engagement: Establish and maintain strong partnerships with donors (BHA, ECHO, UN agencies), authorities, and other NGOs.
- Advocacy: Contribute to the country advocacy strategy and participate in national/international media representation.
- Acting CD: Upon delegation, act as the Country Director in their absence.
4. People Management
- Leadership: Provide daily supervision, coaching, and motivation to a diverse team of Technical Coordinators and Project Managers.
- Performance: Monitor Task Completion and KPIs, promoting high standards through personal example.
REQUIRED PROFILE
Education
- Essential: BA in a relevant field.
- Preferred: Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) or equivalent.
Experience & Skills
- Seniority: Minimum of 5 years at a Senior Management level in humanitarian contexts.
- Strategic Execution: Proven experience in planning, budgeting, and executing complex departmental strategies.
- Sectors: Direct experience managing multi-departmental teams (Medical, Protection, and Technical).
- Skills: Excellent budget/financial management and high-level negotiation skills.
GENERAL CONDITIONS & BENEFITS
- Salary: Grid 13 (4,023€ – 4,627€ monthly gross).
- Accommodation: Shared Guesthouse in Maiduguri.
- Duty Station: Non-family duty station with standard R&R benefits.
Executive Success Blueprint: Head of Program (INTERSOS)
As the Head of Program (Grid 13), you are the engine of the mission. Success in this role requires a transition from “managing projects” to “leading a vision.”
1. The Financial-Technical Synergy
In the SMT, you must be as comfortable with a Budget Follow-Up (BFU) as you are with a Protection Strategy.
- The Task: You must work closely with the Finance and Logistics Managers to ensure that “Resource Allocation” matches “Technical Ambition.”
- Success Factor: Can you identify when a project is under-spending and proactively redesign activities to meet donor targets without sacrificing quality?
2. High-Stakes Proposal Development
The Head of Program is the primary driver of the mission’s growth.
- Innovation: Donors in the BAY states are moving toward “Nexus” programming (Linking relief, rehabilitation, and development). You must be able to design projects that address immediate cholera outbreaks while building long-term health system resilience.
- The “Grants” Link: You must ensure the Grants & Reporting Managers are not just filing reports, but capturing the “Impact Story” that secures the next round of funding.
3. Technical Supervision (The “Coordinators”)
You supervise experts in Protection and Medicine. You do not need to be a doctor or a lawyer, but you must be a Technical Governor.
- Harmonization: Ensure the Protection Coordinator and Medical Coordinator are not working in silos. Success looks like an integrated nutrition clinic where GBV screening is a standard part of the intake process.
4. Representation as Diplomacy
In Maiduguri, your relationship with the government (Borno State authorities) and the UN Clusters is your “license to operate.”
- Advocacy: You must be able to represent INTERSOS in high-level forums, advocating for access to “red zones” or raising alarms about new protection trends.
5. Interview Preparation for Senior Management
- Strategic Vision: Be prepared to discuss how you would update a country strategy in response to a 20% budget cut or a sudden influx of 50,000 new IDPs.
- Decision Making: Be ready to give examples of “Hard Decisions”—where you had to choose between program quality and donor deadlines.
- People Management: How do you motivate a team of Technical Coordinators who are working under extreme stress in a non-family duty station?
You are the bridge between global INTERSOS values and life-saving field reality. Lead with integrity.
HOW TO APPLY
Interested and qualified candidates should submit their application through the INTERSOS recruitment portal.
INTERSOS: Strategy | Leadership | Accountability | Humanity