Programme Manager - Impact & Learning

 

 

Job Vacancy 

Programme Manager - Impact & Learning

 

We are hiring to fill a vacancy for the position of Programme Manager - Impact & Learning. To fill this position, we are looking for a highly motivated person who is passionate about women’s rights in Africa, excited about African feminisms and embraces African gender diversity, to join our team. 

Background 

As a Pan-African feminist fund, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) resources, strengthens and upholds women’s rights and feminist organisations and movements across Africa, to make gender justice a reality for all on our continent and worldwide. Over the past 24 years, AWDF has awarded approximately USD100 million to women’s rights and feminist organisations throughout Africa (and in selected Middle Eastern countries through one of our initiatives). Through its grantmaking, programmatic and advocacy work, AWDF has supported work that has led to changes in law and policy, social norms and movement-building for gender justice. 

Building on its strong track record, in 2023 AWDF launched Lemlem, a ten-year strategic framework (2023-2033), which guides its efforts to advance gender equality and gender justice for girls, women and gender-diverse people across Africa.  At its core, the strategy’s focus is on resourcing, nurturing and strengthening those who are best placed to achieve transformative change: African women’s and feminist groups, organisations and movements. 

 

The search has begun!  

Are you experienced in leading the design and implementation of a monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) strategy, ensuring that evidence, learning and reflection strengthen feminist grant making; accountability to movements, donors and stakeholders; and strategic decision-making?

 

Are you experienced in working to drive internal and external learning, impact documentation and contribute to thought leadership grounded in rigorous evidence and grant making experience?

 

Are you ready to lead a dynamic team providing technical MEL expertise, programme leadership, strategic operational leadership and people and relationship management?

 

Job Summary 

The Programme Manager - Impact and Learning leads AWDF’s organisational learning, evidence generation, and feminist impact leadership. The Manager will work to champion a culture of reflection and accountability that strengthens internal practice and amplifies AWDF’s influence across the feminist philanthropic ecosystem. The Manager will work to drive internal and external learning, impact documentation and contribute to thought leadership grounded in rigorous evidence and grant making experience.

Reporting to the Director of Programmes, the Programme Manager - Impact & Learning leads the design and implementation of the AWDF’s monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) strategy, ensuring that evidence, learning and reflection strengthen feminist grant making; accountability to movements, donors and stakeholders; and strategic decision-making. This role combines technical MEL expertise, programme leadership, and people and relationship management.

The role also plays a management role providing strategic operational leadership to the impact and learning functional area.

Summary of Duties 

Strategy Implementation 

• As a member of the Senior Management Team, contribute to driving the vision of the organisation, contributing to strategic development and implementation of AWDF’s mission and participating in collective decision-making and accountability. 
• Participate in the development and implementation of the I&L strategy working closely with the relevant stakeholders to design and develop appropriate I&L approaches and policies. 
• Translate organisational strategy into practical MEL frameworks, tools and processes that are useful, proportionate and grantee centered.
• Lead the development of impact documentation and learning that informs strategy shifts, funding decisions, and organisational priorities. 
• Lead change management strategies and implementation activities aligned to the I&L strategy. 
• Contribute to sector-wide thought leadership on feminist learning, impact and accountability in our sector.

Leadership and people development and management

• Provide oversight, management and supervision of the I&L team including supporting both the professional and personal growth and learning of the team.
• Support the recruitment, selection, retention and succession planning of the I&L team ensuring adherence to AWDF policies.
• Develop a team culture that values collaboration internally, cross functionally, a team of independent thinkers that feel empowered, a team that reflects the feminist principles and values of AWDF.
• Design and oversee qualitative and quantitative MEL systems including theories of change, learning questions, indicators and reflection processes.

Programme Management

• Lead MEL processes and approaches that are non-extractive, context-sensitive and respectful of grantee capacity and safety and ensure ethical data practices including data protection, consent and safeguarding.
• Lead evaluations, learning reviews and sense-making processes, working with external consultants where relevant.
• Produce high-quality learning products (briefs, reports, dashboards, learning notes) tailored to different audiences including staff, Board, donors, partners and feminist movements.
• Convene cross-cluster engagements to promote collective ownership on progress against strategy and impact of AWDF work. 
• Facilitate capacity building activities in MEL across the organisation and partners Coordinate the development of MEL guidelines and instruments for internal and external stakeholders.
• Ensure timely and quality production of data, analysis and information for donor reports.
• Facilitate and/or participate in annual programme and project reviews, planning workshops and report preparation as required.
• Ensure timely and quality production of data, analysis and information for internal and external reports and processes

Budget Management 

• Budget management and oversight of the I&L budget
• Approval of expenses, ensuring deliverables are within allocated budget and follow organisational financial policies

Relationship Management 

• Establish and nurture relationships with colleagues as an integral element of communication – championing evidence-based agenda setting, storytelling, impact sharing and influencing.
• Represent the fund in learning spaces, networks, and communities of practice.
• Support collective learning with partners and movements, sharing insights in accessible and responsible ways.
• Oversee programme level monitoring and evaluation support to partners.

Programme Monitoring and Applying Learning

• Plan and evaluate an ongoing I&L programme of training.
• Oversee the design and implementation of fit-for-purpose organisational impact, evaluation and monitoring processes and systems.
• Develop organisational processes to set and measure targets and outcomes and collectively report on them
• Evaluate organisational progress against strategy and monitor organisational impact, learning and greater accountability to movements
• Coordinate and deliver on internal and external reporting requirements (board, donor, accountability, project reports etc).

The full details of the job description can be found here 

Essential Knowledge and Experience 

• The post requires significant experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning, preferably within feminist, social justice, human rights or movement-led contexts.
• Strong technical skills in MEL design, implementation and analysis (qualitative and quantitative).
• Demonstrated people management or leadership experience.
• Strong relationship-building skills and experience working with diverse stakeholders.
• Deep understanding of feminist, intersectional and power-aware approaches to impact and learning.
• Excellent facilitation, writing, and communication skills.
• Expertise in producing knowledge on women’s rights for NGOs/activists, policy and/or donor audiences. 
• Experience of developing or managing information systems (for example, virtual or physical libraries or archives) and in using multiple communication and knowledge production formats (film, audio, visual/graphics) desirable

Qualifications 

• A master’s degree in Demography, Development Studies, Gender, Applied Research or a related field.
• Excellent written and spoken English. Working knowledge of French will be an advantage.
• 5 years experience in MEL with proven experience translating MEL insights into strategic and programme decisions.
• Expert Knowledge and experience in African women’s rights programming and feminist movement building.
• Work experience in Africa is essential

Job Location 

• AWDF House, Accra – Ghana or work remotely from any African country where you have the legal right to work from 

Organisational Competencies

All staff members must demonstrate AWDF Core values in all their professional relationships and any interactions that may reflect on AWDF. These are: 

• Accountability & Integrity 
• Solidarity & Collective care 
• Intersectionality & Meaningful Inclusion 
• Learning & Adaptability 
• Courage & Joy 
• Creativity & Curiosity 

AWDF has a Zero Tolerance Approach to all forms of corruption which is an offence for which immediate dismissal without benefits will result. 

Salary Details

• Entry point: USD: 55,760
• Midpoint: USD 76,670.06 (annually) 
• In practice, we only make offers between the entry point and the midpoint of our salary scale depending on one’s level of experience and competencies (i.e. between USD 55,760 and USD 76,670.06 (annually) 

How to Apply

Qualified and interested persons should send the following documents: 

• A cover letter of not more than 2 pages to the Human Resources Manager explaining their interest and excitement in applying for the position to work for AWDF, highlighting their experience and competencies demonstrating the alignment to the role. 
• A CV of not more than 3 pages outlining their educational qualifications and employment records with key achievements in relevant positions held. 
• Applications for the vacancy should reach AWDF no later than Wednesday, 11th February 2026. Due to our limited capacity, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for additional information and interviews. 

In line with AWDF’s Mission, qualified African women and gender-diverse persons are encouraged to apply.