Job ID: 94942
Job Title: Director of International Programmes
Company: Self Help Africa
Location: Dublin, Ireland : Flexible hours and working from home options are available. The role is based in Ireland. Given the nature of this role and the required interaction with members, this role will require a significant presence in Dublin as required.
Contract type: Permanent, Full Time
Hours: Full time 37.5 hours per week Monday – Friday
Salary: €75,000 – €95,000
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Direct Reports : Country Directors x 7 (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Nigeria)
Organisation Overview:
About Self Help Africa
Self Help Africa is an international NGO dedicated to the vision of sustainable livelihoods and healthy lives for all in a changing climate. Headquartered in Ireland, with offices in the UK, the US, and Sub-Saharan Africa. SHA’s mission is the alleviation of hunger, poverty, social inequality and the impact of climate change through community-led, market-based and enterprise- focused approaches, so that people can have access to nutritious food, clean water, decent employment and incomes, while sustaining natural resources.
Our current five-year organisation strategy defines our mission as the alleviation of hunger, poverty, social inequality and the impact of climate change through community led, market-based and enterprise-focused approaches, so that people can have access to nutritious food, clean water, decent employment and incomes, while sustaining natural resources.
Our three core values are:
Impact: We are accountable, ambitious and committed to systemic change.
Innovation: We are agile, creative and enterprising in an ever-changing World.
Community: We are inclusive, honest and have integrity in our relationships.
Job Purpose:
The Director of International Programmes at Self Help Africa is a key leadership role focused on the effective and efficient delivery of Self Help Africa’s programmes across our countries of operation. The post-holder will ensure country level strategic plans align with global strategy and that resource mobilisation ensures sustainable operations in a changing funding landscape.
This is a pivotal role, acting as a fulcrum in bringing together colleagues from across the organisation to ensure that programmes are impactful, compliant and efficient.
In leading the International Programme Directorate, the Director of International Programmes will foster a culture of excellence, emphasising shared vision and strategic objectives measured by KPIs.
Overall, the post-holder will be instrumental in our work with communities to combat poverty and in ensuring Self Help Africa remains an organisation that makes a positive impact, locally and internationally.
Key Responsibilities:
- Show effective leadership of the International Programmes Directorate, ensuring the delivery of impactful programmes and effective operations.
- Play a key role in the formulation and implementation of global strategy and oversee associated strategy processes at country programme level.
- Ensure programme design is carried out in a participatory way, meets the highest standards, effectively uses cross-organisational resources, and aligns with global and country level strategy.
- Ensure appropriate resourcing and structures at global and country level to deliver impactful, effective and compliant operations.
- Oversee resource mobilisation and donor liaison while exploring new funding opportunities and position the organisation as a partner of choice in our areas of expertise.
- Work closely with colleagues across the organisation to ensure Self Help Africa has the appropriate policies and procedures in place and they are being applied across the International Programmes Directorate. This will help ensure effective budgeting and budget management in country offices, compliance with donor and regulatory requirements, and good stewardship and effective financial management in the use of organisation resources.
- Working with colleagues across the organisation, ensure it is signed up to and compliant with relevant programmatic codes of practice and sectoral standards.
- Oversee robust and effective security management in country offices, ensuring that there is a culture of safety and security across country level leadership.
- Engage effectively in cross-organisational management to drive effective operations and contribute to strategic projects and carry out other tasks identified by line management.
- Through effective leadership and line management, further develop a culture of excellence in the International Programmes Directorate, with a shared vision of working towards strategic objectives measured by KPIs and reflective and adaptive practices.
- Contribute to effective governance and statutory reporting. Attend board meetings as necessary and participate in activities at board level as required.
The appointee may be required to perform other responsibilities as appropriate to the post, from time to time. The JD will be subject to review in the light of changing circumstances. It is not intended to be exhaustive but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the appointed individual will work.
Key Relationships:
Internal:
- Senior Leaders Team
- Global Leaders Team
- Country Directors
- Colleagues in the International Programmes Directorate, wider Global Office and Country offices.
- Group board, subsidiary boards and sub-committees.
External:
- Institutional donors
- International networks
- Alliances and forums
- Other NGOs
- Relevant private sector actors/contractors
Knowledge, Experience and Other Requirements
KNOWLEDGE:
Reporting to the Chief Executive, the Director of International Programmes is a key leadership role focused on the effective and efficient delivery of programmes across Self Help Africa’s countries of operation. The appointee will ensure country level strategic plans align with global strategy and that resource mobilisation ensures sustainable operations in a changing funding landscape. This is a pivotal role, acting as a fulcrum in bringing together colleagues from Operations, Risk and Finance as well as Impact, Strategy and Policy ensuring that programmes are impactful and compliant.
In leading the International Programme Directorate, the appointee will foster a culture of excellence, emphasising shared vision and strategic objectives measured by KPIs. Overall, the Director of International Programmes will be instrumental in ensuring Self Help Africa remains an organisation that works with communities to combat poverty and makes a positive impact locally and internationally.
EXPERIENCE:
- Knowledge and experience of having a senior management role in an NGO, ideally an international development agency, with relevant country experience, ideally Africa.
- Successful track record in delivery at scale, including resource mobilisation, with an ability to shape and oversee structures that deliver compliance, effectiveness and efficiency.
- Superior knowledge of programme design, trends in international development and relevant policy discussions, ideally in an area relevant to SHA’s operations eg Agriculture, Climate, Livelihoods or similar.
- Flexibility and the ability to work in a multi-cultural team.
- Commitment to working within a values-based organisation.
- Self-motivated with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Exceptional leadership skills, with a track record in leading teams in the delivery of strategic success.
- Ability to work under pressure
REQUIREMENTS:
Suitably qualified and interested candidates will be operating at or near director level with a proven track record in the compliant, effective and efficient delivery of impactful programmes across multiple international jurisdictions. Candidates will have exceptional leadership skills together with the vision, communication and problem-solving skills to be successful in this critical role.
A commitment to the mission, vision and values of Self Help Africa will be essential.
Competencies:
- Think strategically, critically and innovatively.
- Deliver impact for communities.
- Lead people by role modelling our values.
- Drive results by working through others.
- Adapt and lead change.
- Collaborate and influence.
How to Apply:
Full Job Description here.
Please upload your CV and Cover Letter outlining your suitability for the role here.
The Deadline for Receiving applications is Friday 3rd July 2026
Self Help Africa is an Equal Opportunities Employer:
All candidates offered a job with Self Help Africa will be expected to sign Self Help Africa’s Safeguarding Policies and Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. Specific roles may require Police/DBS/ vetting.
Important information:
Self Help Africa is an international development charity and is committed to the safeguarding of all those who we come into contact with or through our work. We are committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour relating to our work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and we are committed to promoting the welfare of children and the people we aim to assist with whom Self Help Africa engages. Self Help Africa expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and uphold the values and behaviours outlined in the Code of Conduct and Child and Adult Safeguarding Policy. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us. Recruitment to all roles in Self Help Africa will include, and be subject to, a criminal records self-declaration, references, and other pre-employment checks, which may include police and qualifications checking. Self Help Africa is committed to the principles of the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and will request information from previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse or sexual harassment during employment. By submitting an application, the applicant confirms her/his understanding of these recruitment procedures. Subsequently, working or volunteering with Self Help Africa is subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking.
Research shows that women and those from marginalised ethnic groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single requirement. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align with every criteria described, we encourage you to apply anyway, you could be exactly what we need!
Self Help Africa is an equal opportunities employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
