Zonal Program Manager x 2 – ( Locations still to be determined)

With 75 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.
Come join our 31,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!

Employee Contract Type:

Local - Fixed Term Employee (Fixed Term)

Job Description:

Zonal Program Manager x 2 – Somali Program

The Role:

The Zonal Manager will ensure that World Vision programs are implemented effectively, efficiently, and in accordance with approved scopes, timelines, budgets, donor requirements, and organizational standards. The position holder will work closely with technical team and sector leads to identify and pursue influencing opportunities that advance child well-being, strengthen community resilience, and contribute to policy and systems change at zonal and national levels. The incumbent will ensure operational effectiveness across the zone by monitoring implementation of action plans arising from management meetings, audits, assessments, monitoring visits, and project reviews, while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.

The position holder will provide strategic and operational leadership for emergency preparedness and response activities within the zone, including supporting assessments, capacity strengthening, resource mobilization, coordination, and the rollout of emergency programs in accordance with World Vision and humanitarian standards. The Zonal Manager will facilitate the implementation of programs quality standards and organizational policies to ensure accountability to children, communities, government, donors, and other stakeholders, while promoting evidence-based programming and effective monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning practices.

The position holder will ensure risk-sensitive, proactive, and efficient finance, people and culture, supply chain, security, administration, and other support service functions across the zone. The incumbent will champion responsible stewardship of organizational resources and ensure compliance with World Vision policies, donor regulations, and applicable legal requirements.

The position holder will possess strong leadership and organizational skills, capable of coordinating multiple stakeholders, departments, assets, and processes to ensure effective program delivery, operational excellence, staff engagement, and organizational impact throughout the zone.

Key Responsibilities:

Ensure Operational Effectiveness

· Manage a portfolio of multi-sector grants to ensure they end on-time, on- target, within budget, and meet the highest quality reporting standards;

· Maintain high execution rates through closer monitoring of program and partners and submit informative and actionable Reports. Work with Project team and a variety of internal stakeholders, to ensure that action plans are implemented in a timely manner

· Ensure Project managers and other project leads prepare timely and technically sound procurement plans ie within the first month of the project.

· Ensure projects and sectoral performance status in reference to key outcome and output indicators are up to date periodically in line with M&E plans;

· Facilitate implementation of effective accountability and reporting mechanisms to all key stakeholders, including government, donors and the communities;

· Facilitate periodic internal reflection and learning platforms to promote effective program implementation and business processes;

· Gather, collate and provide analysis of operational needs across in the area of operation;

· Work closely with Support service units; Design Monitoring and Evaluation teams and project managers, ensure that operation needs are addressed;

· Participate and or lead in various internal structures/committees (ERDM, ERM, RISK& AUDIT, CMT, TC, GIK TEECAP. TC etc.);

· Ensure effective GIK management from planning, receipt, storage, and distribution inline with GIK SOPs.

· Lead the roll out and implementation of Humanitarian accountability activities such as information provision and CMR are maintained in all projects.

· Produce monthly management reports (MMR), update grant trackers and support project managers to produce quality and timely donor reports.

Stakeholder Engagement and donor communications.

· Ensure WV is engaged in government, donor and coordination mechanisms including Area Based Coordination (ABCs) and sub-National clusters including documentation tracking and sharing of action points.

· Strengthen existing WV information-sharing mechanisms to promote coordination;

· Ensure submission of 4Ws to the relevant Clusters and active participation including prepositioning for leadership.

· Develop strategic networks enabling World Vision to leverage a collective voice in favour of children and their families, communities and partners;

· Foster formal government and community engagement and partnership;

· Ensure engagement with other agencies to promote better coordination, joint-action and partnership;

· In collaboration with the PDU, F&CA Manager, and other internal stakeholders, identify and pursue funding opportunities that align with organizational priorities and program needs.

· Host visitors including donors, Support offices, WV staff and other approved stakeholders.

Risk Management, Audit Compliance and Good Stewardship

· Ensure Systems are in Place to Promote Audit Compliance, good Stewardship and Enterprise risk management.

· Ensure all key policies and procedures are in place, and in use;

· Working closely with the Finance and Support Services Manager, support Program teams to develop, manage and monitor project budgets, ensuring value for money and that project expenditure is within agreed budgets;

· Facilitate the implementation of audit recommendations;

· Spearhead risk planning and ensure control measures are in place and in use through chairing/leading the Enterprise risk management committee at zonal office level;

· Lead in the identification and resolution of challenges which impact audit compliance and/or contribute to risk;

· Updating project and zonal level risk registers, mitigation plans and reporting all incidents, and near missed to the SLT as per established internal processes;

· Ensure all staff are aware and utilize the WV incident reporting protocols including reporting of all incidents, and or near misses within 24 hours.

· Spear head anti aid diversion initiatives at Zonal office level, targeting staff, government officials, community members and other stakeholders

Humanitarian Emergency Affairs coordination, response and start up activities

· Under the guidance of the HEA Advisor, ensure that regional disaster preparedness and contingency plans are reviewed, updated, and validated annually.

· With support from the HEA Manager and DME Manager, ensure that early warning information is systematically collected, analyzed, consolidated, and reported on a quarterly basis, or as otherwise agreed.

· Coordinate initial emergency response start-up activities, ensuring timely mobilization of resources and a smooth transition of responsibilities to the relevant sector leads once sectors are formally assigned.

· Conduct periodic assessments of staff capacity against humanitarian standards and best practices, and develop and implement capacity-building plans to address identified gaps.

· Lead the development, implementation, and periodic review of the Zonal Office Humanitarian Emergency Affairs (HEA) Plan.

· Coordinate and collaborate with like-minded organizations, government institutions, UN agencies, and other humanitarian stakeholders during preparedness, response, and recovery

· phases.

· Promote adherence to recognized humanitarian principles, standards, and organizational emergency response protocols across all emergency preparedness and response activities

Staff Management and Capacity Building.

· Attract, recruit, develop, and retain high-performing staff while implementing workforce, succession, and talent management strategies to support organizational objectives and sustainability.

· Provide effective leadership, supervision, mentoring, and coaching to staff, fostering teamwork, communication, participatory decision-making, leadership development, and ownership of program initiatives.

· Establish and oversee people and performance management systems, ensuring consistent application of policies, objective performance assessments, constructive feedback, staff engagement, and high standards of accountability and excellence.

· Promote a positive, inclusive, and professional work environment by championing diversity, staff well-being, trust, respect, teamwork, and adherence to organizational values and standards.

· Manage staff grievances, disciplinary matters, workplace disputes, and administrative oversight of all zonal personnel, ensuring compliance with organizational policies, procedures, and codes of conduct.

· Strengthen staff capacity through training, mentorship, and professional development opportunities that address identified skills and performance gaps.

· Ensure workforce planning, succession planning, and talent management strategies are effectively implemented to support organizational sustainability and continuity.

Fleet and security Management

• Review and approve all movement plans for travel within the zonal office area of responsibility.

• Ensure that Project Managers submit vehicle and travel plans in a timely manner, preferably at least five (5) working days in advance, and that travel arrangements only proceed after the relevant approved LPOs have been issued to service providers.

• Liaise regularly with the FSS Manager and Security Coordinator to ensure support service functions provide efficient and timely assistance to project teams through proper planning, prompt submission of requests, and adherence to relevant organizational policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

• Conduct periodic follow-ups with the Administration Coordinator and Project Managers to ensure that vehicles are in good working condition, routinely serviced, and maintained in accordance with organizational standards.

• Work closely with the Security Team and state-level security focal persons to ensure that all staff, consultants, visitors, and partners comply with established security protocols and procedures.

• Maintain and regularly update a zonal office tracker for all field-related travel, movements, and deployments to support effective monitoring, coordination, and reporting.

Essential:

• Master’s degree in development studies, Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Humanitarian Studies, Business Administration, or related fields
• At least 10 years of experience in humanitarian and development programming, including 5 years in senior leadership roles, managing multi-sector programs, teams, and donor-funded projects.
• Strong knowledge of humanitarian principles and standards, including SPHERE, CHS, the Humanitarian Charter, and NGO Code of Conduct.
• Proven ability to represent the organization and engage effectively with government, donors, UN agencies, NGOs, and communities. Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build partnerships, lead diverse teams, and deliver results in complex operating environments.
• Working Environment: The position is field-based in Somalia with frequent travel to field operation areas required.
• World Vision is a child-focused organization that is committed to safeguarding all children as well as adult beneficiaries, and has zero tolerance for incidents of violence or abuse against children or adults, including sexual exploitation or abuse, committed either by employees or others affiliated with our work. Therefore, World Vision does not hire staff whose background is not suitable for working with children or vulnerable adults, even if their role does not interact directly with them. World Vision adheres to strict child and adult safeguarding principles.
• All selected candidates will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks which will include criminal background checks. They will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Female candidates are encouraged to apply NB: When applying only attach the merged Application Letter and CV.

Applicant Types Accepted:

Local Applicants Only