Programmes Manager

Reports to: Head, Oando Foundation

Direct Reports:

• Programme Analyst
• Programme Officer, Monitoring & Evaluation
• Programme Officer, Education
• Programme Officer, Partnerships & Philanthropy 

Job Summary

To oversee the strategic development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of Oando Foundation’s (OF) education programmes and resource mobilization efforts, in order to advance its strategic corporate objectives and ensure the sustainable, high-quality delivery of its programmes.

Key Responsibilities Areas (KRAs) and Initiatives

Programme Strategy & Execution

• Contribute to the formulation of OF's overall strategy by ensuring education programme priorities align with Oando’s broader Environment, Sustainability, and Governance (ESG) targets, in order to keep OF's initiatives integrated with organisational direction and Oando’s corporate sustainability goals.
• Lead the development of OF's education programme strategy and annual action plan by coordinating input from the programmes team, aligning programme design with sector best practices, national education priorities, and OF’s mid-long term strategic objectives, to ensure the Foundation's interventions remain relevant, cohesive, and future-focused.
• Develop and update implementation manuals, modules, and approaches for key projects under the LEARNOVATE strategy, spanning foundational learning, climate literacy, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) Education, and green tech youth pathways, by translating sector research and data-driven evidence into actionable programme models, in order to keep OF's interventions impact-driven and responsive to emerging education and sustainability priorities.
• Champion the full-scale deployment of new and existing projects under the LEARNOVATE strategy and Oando entity-specific social responsibility initiatives, by coordinating cross-functional execution across the programmes and operations teams, in order to drive consistent delivery efficiency and programme impact.
• Facilitate OF’s contribution to Oando Group-level ESG engagements, by presenting programme outcomes and coordinating consolidated ESG and Group sustainability reporting, to strengthen the Foundation's external credibility and its integration within the wider Group sustainability agenda.

Team Leadership and Performance Management

• Manage, coach, and mentor team members through structured feedback, technical upskilling, and career development programs, to close capability gaps, improve execution quality, and ensure consistent delivery of reliable programme outcomes that support.
• Foster collaboration and accountability by facilitating regular team meetings, joint planning sessions, and digital knowledge-sharing platforms, to enable transparent communication, minimize bottlenecks, and strengthen collective problem-solving that enhances project delivery efficiency.
• Assign, delegate, and monitor tasks based on team members’ competencies, experience, and development needs, to ensure workload balance, timely completion of deliverables, and reduced risk of rework or implementation delays.
• Define and communicate clear performance goals that link programme outputs to OF’s strategic priorities, to promote ownership, reinforce alignment with corporate objectives, and build stakeholder confidence in delivery capacity.
• Track and evaluate team performance using KPIs, dashboards, and performance reviews, to identify and address underperformance early and maintain a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement

Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Management

• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, partners, and government agencies through structured engagement plans and regular interactions across programmatic areas, in order to strengthen institutional relationships, stakeholder collaboration, and programme sustainability.
• Monitor national and sub-national education policy development and reviews by tracking regulatory and sector changes, to update engagement strategies, identify implications for ongoing and proposed programmes and adjust strategy proactively.
• Maintain a robust stakeholder database and communication log using tracking tools, so that all engagements are documented and institutional memory is preserved, reducing the risk of missed obligations or conflicting messages.
• Facilitate stakeholder feedback loops by capturing concerns and positions during engagements and relaying them to leadership, so that strategies are responsive and relationships remain constructive.
• Lead the sourcing, selection, and management of capable implementing partners by applying rigorous assessment criteria, to ensure OF's education and environment programmes are delivered by credible, high-performing partners.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning

• Oversee the design and implementation of the Foundation's Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Framework by ensuring consistent integration and utilization of relevant monitoring tools and standards, in order to maintain data quality, strengthen project integrity, and comparability across all OF projects.
• Lead the monitoring and evaluation of ongoing projects by tracking performance against agreed targets and indicators, identifying and addressing underperformance early, to ensure programmes remain on course to deliver their intended outcomes.
• Ensure Foundation and donor M&E requirements are fulfilled in a timely manner by coordinating reporting timelines with programmes and finance teams, in order to maintain compliance and preserve donor confidence.
• Support staff and implementing partners in complying with data requirements for internal and external programme reviews by providing guidance and quality checks, in order to ensure accurate and reliable evidence of programme performance.
• Lead knowledge management efforts by capturing and disseminating shared project learning across the organisation, in order to strengthen institutional effectiveness and inform future programme design.

Governance, Risk, and Compliance Management

• Lead the development, implementation, and periodic review of programme policies, procedures, and controls by ensuring alignment with applicable standards and organisational requirements, in order to strengthen the Foundation's governance framework and procedural integrity.
• Design Requests for Proposal ("RFPs") and response specification documents for relevant projects by defining clear technical and financial requirements, in order to attract suitable partners and ensure competitive, transparent partner selection.
• Coordinate programme audits and reviews relating to donor funds and partnership agreements by ensuring timely provision of documentation and resolution of audit queries, in order to strengthen compliance, accountability, and transparency.
• Identify, assess, and monitor programme risks and compliance obligations by escalating issues promptly and implementing appropriate mitigation measures, in order to minimise operational, compliance, and reputational risk.
• Assist the Head of Foundation with the production of programme-related governance and reporting requirements by consolidating programme data, to support informed decision-making by executive leadership, partners, and funders.

Financial & Resource Management

• Plan and monitor the budgetary performance of the Foundation's projects by tracking expenditure against approved plans, in order to ensure accountable use of programme resources and alignment with CSR objectives.
• Design and implement cost-optimisation measures, including counterpart contributions, low-cost alternatives, and replication of tested programme models, by identifying opportunities to reduce delivery costs and scale proven approaches, in order to maximise the Foundation's programme reach within available resources.
• Monitor developments among education-focused donor agencies, Non-Governmental Organsations (NGOs), and the wider development community by tracking funding trends and priorities, in order to identify potential funding and technical partnership opportunities for the Foundation.
• Support the Head of Foundation in resource mobilisation by leading the development of technical proposals and expressions of interest to potential partners, providing evidence-based, data-driven programmatic insights, and stakeholder engagement expertise, in order to strengthen OF's competitiveness in resource mobilisation efforts.

Qualifications and Experience Requirements

Minimum Qualification:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in Social Sciences and Humanities, Business Administration or a related discipline.

Required Professional Certifications / Accreditations / Registrations:

• Project management certification (e.g., PMP, PMD Pro, or equivalent).

Minimum Years of Experience and Relevant Areas:

• Minimum of 14 years' project management experience, including at least 5 years designing and implementing education programmes at a managerial level within a development aid agency, non-profit organisation, or corporate foundation.

Proven experience in:

• Leading the strategic design and implementation of education programmes at scale.
• Managing and directing programme teams and implementing partners.
• Overseeing Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) frameworks and donor reporting processes.
• Managing programme budgets and resource optimisation.
• Building and sustaining partnerships with donors, government agencies, and development-sector stakeholders.

Any Additional Qualifications / Certifications or Experience (Desirable but not essential):

• Master’s degree in Development Studies, Non-profit Management, or a related discipline.
• Excellent understanding of the Nigerian education sector, particularly at the basic and secondary levels.
• Strong ability to apply local context to themes of international relevance in global education.
• Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM)