Ipas is recruiting a Program Support Director – Francophone & Lusophone Africa, a senior leadership opportunity for an experienced international development or nonprofit professional with extensive programme management, team leadership and regional experience.
The position is 100% remote and candidates may work from eligible countries across Africa, including Burundi, Chad, Benin, Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya/Alliance locations, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia. Candidates based in West Africa are preferred.
The full-time position offers an opportunity for an experienced professional to provide strategic leadership and programme support to multiple regional and country programmes within the Ipas network.
About the Ipas Program Support Director Position
The Program Support Director (PSD) is a senior leadership role within Ipas’s Global Program Support Team.
The successful candidate will serve as a strategic thought partner to Regional Directors, Country Directors and other leaders across the organization. The position will help strengthen organizational effectiveness, programme quality, risk management and leadership capacity across approximately four to five regional or country programmes.
The PSD will supervise approximately three to five direct reports, including Country Directors, Regional Directors and Senior Program Managers who are part of the global Program Support Team.
Reporting to the Deputy Chief Operating Officer, the Program Support Director will help ensure that programmes remain aligned with Ipas’s strategy and quality standards while meeting donor requirements and managing organizational risks.
The role will also serve as an important bridge between Ipas’s global teams and its regional and country offices.
Key Responsibilities
The Program Support Director will have broad responsibilities covering strategic leadership, programme quality, staff management, donor compliance, safeguarding and organizational learning.
Key duties will include:
- Partnering with regional and country leadership to advance organizational priorities.
- Supporting strategic decision-making and adaptive management.
- Monitoring organizational, programme and financial performance.
- Identifying and addressing emerging risks and opportunities.
- Providing strategic guidance to regional and country teams.
- Supporting programme quality and compliance with Ipas standards.
- Advising Country Directors and Regional Directors on leadership effectiveness.
- Supporting the development and implementation of country and regional strategic plans.
- Providing input into annual work plans, budgets and reports.
- Supporting programme start-up, scale-up and close-out activities.
- Coaching and developing high-performing teams.
- Strengthening organizational learning and cross-country collaboration.
- Supporting donor engagement and resource mobilization.
- Contributing to proposal development and donor briefings.
- Promoting strong monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning practices.
- Supporting safeguarding and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse.
- Identifying and mitigating programme, operational and reputational risks.
- Strengthening internal controls to reduce fraud, mismanagement and conflicts of interest.
Regional and Country Programme Support
A central component of the position will be providing trusted advice and thought partnership to regional and country leaders.
The successful candidate will work across geographically dispersed teams and help leaders address implementation challenges, strengthen risk management and improve programme performance.
The role will also promote communication and cross-learning between Ipas technical teams, support units and country programmes.
Candidates should therefore be comfortable working across different cultural and organizational contexts and managing complex professional relationships remotely.
Staff Leadership and Capacity Building
The position requires a strong commitment to shared leadership, accountability, learning, trust and inclusion.
The Program Support Director will supervise direct reports and help strengthen the capacity of regional and country teams in areas such as programme management, donor compliance and risk management.
The successful candidate will be expected to foster a positive work culture in which employees are empowered to contribute their expertise, exercise leadership and make informed decisions.
Donor Compliance and Risk Management
The PSD will support leaders managing complex donor-funded portfolios and help ensure that programmes comply with donor requirements and organizational policies.
Responsibilities include supporting:
- Donor-funded programme management.
- Budget oversight.
- Compliance monitoring.
- Proposal development.
- Strategic partnerships.
- Donor meetings and technical forums.
- Internal control systems.
- Audit follow-up.
- Safeguarding.
- Ethical programming.
- Fraud and mismanagement risk reduction.
The position therefore requires substantial experience with international development funding and organizational risk management.
Who Can Apply?
Ipas is seeking an experienced senior leader with significant international NGO or nonprofit experience.
Applicants should meet the following essential requirements:
- At least 15 years of increasing responsibility in nonprofit leadership and programme management in the international development or NGO sector.
- At least 7 years of senior programme leadership experience overseeing multiple country programmes.
- A relevant postgraduate degree, such as an MBA, MIA or MPH.
- Strong experience managing donor-funded programmes and budgets.
- Experience in organizational risk management, compliance monitoring and internal controls.
- Experience leading geographically dispersed teams.
- Strong strategic planning and problem-solving abilities.
- Experience working with governments, donors and partner organizations.
- Ability to work effectively across cultures and remotely.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.
- Fluency in French is required.
- Portuguese language skills are an added advantage.
- Knowledge of other local African languages is considered an asset.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word and SharePoint.
Candidates should also demonstrate a strong commitment to sexual and reproductive health and rights, particularly safe abortion and access to contraception.
Experience working with NGOs in Africa is required, with experience in an Ipas implementing country in West Africa being particularly desirable.
Remote Work and Eligible Countries
The position is 100% remote, allowing successful candidates to work from designated countries.
Eligible locations listed by Ipas include:
- Burundi
- Chad
- Benin
- Madagascar
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Ethiopia
- Kenya/Alliance locations
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- South Africa
- Zambia
Candidates in West Africa are preferred.
Although the role is remote, the successful candidate should expect approximately 20–25% travel to regional and country programmes as well as regional and global meetings.
Salary and Compensation
Ipas states that compensation will be determined according to the prevailing market rate in the employee’s country, applicable statutory laws and Ipas’s compensation philosophy.
Other factors, including the candidate’s level of experience and expertise, will also be considered when determining compensation.
How to Apply
Qualified candidates interested in this senior remote NGO position should review the complete vacancy announcement and submit their application through the official Ipas recruitment platform.
The position is listed as:
Program Support Director – Francophone and Lusophone Africa
Job Requisition: R1436
Employment Type: Full time
Work Arrangement: 100% remote
Interested applicants can view the official job description and apply through Ipas’s Workday recruitment portal.
Applicants should ensure that their CV and supporting application materials clearly demonstrate their senior leadership experience, African regional expertise, French-language proficiency, donor management experience and commitment to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Global South Opportunities is not the recruiting organization and cannot provide hiring support. Applicants should direct questions about the recruitment process to Ipas through the official application platform.
Why This Opportunity Stands Out
For senior African NGO and international development professionals, the Ipas Program Support Director role offers the opportunity to combine remote work with high-level regional leadership.
The position is particularly relevant to professionals who have managed multiple country programmes, worked with international donors, led diverse teams and have substantial experience navigating complex development and organizational environments across Africa.
With West African candidates preferred and French fluency required, professionals who meet these criteria are encouraged to review the requirements carefully and submit their applications through the official Ipas recruitment system.
