PROGRAM SUPPORT OFFICER

PROGRAM SUPPORT OFFICER

• Deadline: November 26, 2026
• Senegal

The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is an Africa-based, African-led international research institution headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. Its West Africa Regional Office (WARO), based in Dakar, Senegal, conducts research to inform public policy in population, health, urbanisation and development across sub-Saharan Africa.

APHRC-WARO seeks to recruit a Program Support Officer to support the effective coordination, implementation and monitoring of WARO’s programs and projects.

Position Purpose

The Program Support Officer will provide hands-on coordination, follow-up and administrative support across WARO’s program and project portfolio. The position will serve as a practical interface between technical program and project teams and the Operations function, helping ensure that planned activities progress effectively and that required processes, documentation, reporting inputs and compliance actions are completed accurately and on time.

The Officer will support Heads of Units, project leads and Operations in work planning, implementation tracking, reporting coordination, project documentation, operational requests, risk and issue follow-up, and project close-out. The role is designed as a dedicated program and project support function that facilitates delivery, coordination and accountability without replacing the technical leadership and decision-making responsibilities of Heads of Units or the delegated authority of Finance, Procurement, Human Resources and other Operations functions.

Key Responsibilities

1.       Program and project planning and delivery support

• Support Heads of Units and project leads to translate approved proposals, budgets and workplans into clear activity schedules, milestones, responsibilities and follow-up actions.
• Maintain consolidated workplans, implementation trackers and milestone dashboards for assigned WARO projects, with regular updates on progress and outstanding actions.
• Monitor key deadlines, dependencies and bottlenecks, follow up with responsible colleagues and promptly flag delays or risks to the relevant Head of Unit and Head of Operations.
• Support project start-up, periodic implementation reviews, re-planning and close-out using agreed checklists and documentation.
• Coordinate program and project review meetings, prepare agendas and action logs, record decisions and follow up until actions are completed.
• Promote the use of consistent templates, trackers and simple project management tools across WARO.

2.       Reporting, documentation and knowledge management

• Maintain a consolidated calendar of donor, institutional and project reporting deadlines, deliverables, approvals and other time-sensitive commitments.
• Coordinate the collection, organisation and completeness checks of technical, financial, procurement and administrative inputs for donor reports, progress updates, reviews and other submissions, while leaving technical and financial validation to the responsible leads and functions.
• Support the preparation, formatting and timely submission of periodic reports, presentations, briefing notes, meeting records and management updates under the direction of the relevant Head of Unit or project lead.
• Maintain complete and up-to-date project files, including proposals, budgets, workplans, contracts, approvals, correspondence, deliverables, reports, minutes and evidence of implementation.
• Ensure that final versions and key decisions are filed in the appropriate shared workspace and can be retrieved efficiently for management, donor or audit purposes.

3.       Program and Operations interface and compliance follow-up

• Act as the day-to-day coordination point between program and project teams and Operations for requests relating to procurement, contracting, travel, workshops, meetings, payments, partner arrangements and other delivery needs.
• Translate approved program plans into complete and timely operational requests, check that required information and supporting documents are available, and track requests through to resolution.
• Support teams to understand and follow applicable donor conditions, APHRC procedures, approval requirements, safeguarding expectations, ethics and other compliance requirements relevant to project delivery.
• Maintain compliance and action trackers, follow up on missing documents or pending approvals, and escalate issues that may affect delivery, reporting or audit readiness.
• Support the coordination and documentation of partner and consultant processes, including deliverables, contract milestones, payment prerequisites and outstanding actions, in collaboration with the responsible Operations functions.
• Help maintain a regular and constructive interface between program teams and Operations so that operational constraints are identified early and addressed jointly.

4.       Financial and resource tracking support

• Support Heads of Units and project leads to align activity plans with approved budgets and implementation timelines.
• Work with Finance to maintain simple, current views of expenditure, commitments, budget balances and outstanding financial actions for assigned projects.
• Follow up on budget inputs, reforecasts, budget revisions, invoices, advances, acquittals and other financial documentation required for implementation and reporting.
• Flag significant variances, delays or documentation gaps to the relevant Head of Unit, Head of Operations and Finance for action; do not approve expenditure or override financial controls.

5.       Coordination and stakeholder support

• Facilitate information flow across WARO units, HQ, country teams, partners, consultants and support functions so that responsibilities, deadlines and decisions are understood.
• Support the logistical and operational coordination of workshops, missions, meetings, trainings, partner engagements and other project activities in collaboration with Operations.
• Prepare concise status summaries, presentations and briefing materials for internal coordination meetings, management discussions and partner engagements.
• Support timely communication of decisions, changes, risks and follow-up requirements to the colleagues responsible for implementation.

Required Qualifications and Experience

This is a nationally recruited professional position with two possible entry profiles. The core responsibilities and competency requirements are common to both profiles, while the level of autonomy, complexity of assignments and expected professional experience will be aligned with the candidate’s qualifications and relevant experience.

Common experience requirements

• Relevant experience in program or project support, coordination, grants administration or a related role, preferably in an NGO, research, public health or international development setting. The expected level of experience will be commensurate with the grade and responsibilities assigned.
• The expected level of experience will be consistent with the candidate’s qualifications and the responsibilities assigned.
• Practical experience supporting donor-funded projects, including workplans, reporting calendars, documentation, compliance follow-up and coordination with Finance, Procurement and other support functions.
• Experience working with multiple teams, projects, partners or countries and managing competing deadlines with limited supervision.
• Experience in a research, health, population dynamics, climate, environment or broader development program is desirable but not essential.

Skills and competencies

• Strong organisation, planning and follow-up skills, with close attention to detail and deadlines.
• Ability to coordinate across technical and operational teams and build effective working relationships without formal supervisory authority.
• Good understanding of project cycle management, donor reporting, compliance documentation and operational processes.
• Ability to synthesise information from different sources and prepare clear trackers, summaries, minutes and reports.
• Working knowledge of budgeting, expenditure tracking and the documentation required to support financial accountability.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office or Google Workspace, especially Word, Excel and shared document management tools; familiarity with project management or collaboration platforms is an advantage.
• Proactive, service-oriented and solutions-focused approach, with the judgement to escalate issues at the right time.
• High levels of integrity, confidentiality, accountability and respect for APHRC policies, safeguarding, equity and inclusion.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-moving, multicultural and multidisciplinary environment.

Language Requirements

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in French; working knowledge of English is an advantage.

Application Process

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter addressed to the Director of the West Africa Regional Office, an up-to-date CV, and contact details for three professional referees.

Application link: https://www.rmo-jobcenter.com/fr/senegal/offres-emploi/administration-ong-services/4188-charge-appui-programmes.html

Application deadline: 26 November 2026. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

Equal Opportunity Notice

APHRC is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. Recruitment decisions are based on qualifications and organizational needs. Reasonable accommodations may be provided upon request to applicants with disabilities to facilitate participation in the selection process.