Program Development Manager

Position description

Job Title: Program Development Manager

Department: Program

Division: NPUSA

Duty Station: NPUSA

Administrative Line Manager: Head of Mission

Technical Line Manager: Global Programme Development and Quality Assurance Manager

Line Management Responsibility: N/A

Position Type: Full-time, exempt

OVERVIEW

Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) reimagines security and civilian protection in areas most impacted by conflict by working alongside communities to interrupt and prevent violence. NP is a global civil society organization that works with people affected by violent conflicts to enhance their security and dignity through Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP) and by helping to transform the world’s response to conflict situations.

The United States finds itself at a time of instability and upheaval characterized by political and social divisions, record gun sales, and an increase in hate groups and violence against targeted marginalized communities.

With this upheaval comes a need to reimagine safety and security. Nonviolent Peaceforce US has partnered with local communities to offer the tools and methods of unarmed civilian protection to keep people safe, interrupt cycles of violence, and build bridges across polarized communities.

Our work is grounded in the needs, strengths, and experiences of local communities. At the invitation of local communities, NP builds relationships with community members, leaders, and organizations to identify risks to safety and ways to work together to keep communities safe. We go beyond the statistics of violent incidents to ensure holistic safety, including how people feel in and experience their community.

JOB SUMMARY

The Program Development Manager leads the transformation of strategic goals and project concepts into compelling, donor-compliant proposals to secure funding. This senior role involves overseeing and coordinating proposal development processes with internal teams and external partners, ensuring alignment with donor requirements and organizational objectives.

The Program Development Manager negotiates donor contract details, engages relevant colleagues in finance and program teams during the review, sign-off, and handover process, and ensures smooth implementation of funding agreements. They proactively identify funding opportunities, keep the team informed about donor trends, and contribute to external communications for donor and public audiences.

In this leadership capacity, they provide guidance and supervision to program development officers (if present) and contribute to building the team’s capacity through mentorship and knowledge sharing.

(Percentage allocations reflect NPUS Program Development Management capacity as of December 2024 and are subject to change based on team size and organizational priorities.)

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Development Management/Resource Mobilization (45%)

• Lead the planning and implementation of NPUSA’s program development and fundraising strategy, in consultation with the Head of Mission.
• Proactively identify funding opportunities, assess donor strategies, and inform the team to ensure alignment with NPUSA’s program goals.
• Advise on project ideas best suited for specific funding opportunities, guiding decision-making to maximize success.
• Represent NPUSA program development within the global programming team, ensuring seamless coordination and consistent messaging in funding proposals.
• Explore alternative funding opportunities, such as sub-grantee or consortium partnerships, to diversify revenue streams.
• Collaborate with program and finance teams to develop comprehensive proposals, including log frames and budgets, that align with donor requirements and organizational goals.
• Submit concept notes, LOIs, and proposals to donors, providing timely follow-up to monitor progress, address queries, and implement necessary amendments.
• Support donor contract negotiations, ensuring alignment with agreed parameters, cost recovery, and compliance with NP systems, while advocating for NP’s best interests.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of donor trends, providing regular updates and insights to internal stakeholders.
• Ensure program budgets are comprehensive and fully funded, leveraging multi-donor proposals when necessary.

Grants Management (45%)

• Serve as the central point of coordination for project funding information, utilizing Salesforce and other tools to ensure accessibility and accuracy.
• Facilitate a seamless handover of funding agreements to program and finance teams, providing clear guidance and clarity on grant terms, compliance requirements, and reporting deadlines.
• Lead Grant Inception meetings with the Country Team and Headquarters to align expectations and responsibilities.
• Support programs in interpreting grant terms and assist with re-negotiations of ongoing donor contracts as needed.
• Draft and submit narrative donor reports, coordinating with the finance team to ensure timely submission of financial reports that align with narrative content and reporting requirements.
• Initiate budget revisions and payment requests in collaboration with the Finance Team and Budget Holders, ensuring compliance with grant agreements.
• Collaborate with Program Managers and Team Leaders to oversee project evaluations, ensuring adherence to agreed timelines and Terms of Reference (ToRs).
• Compile data from field activity reports to complete comprehensive grantee reports.
• Actively contribute as a member of the fundraising team, responding to leadership guidance and engaging in specific tasks and internal projects as required.

Communications & External Relations (5%)

• Act as NPUSA’s Communications Focal Point, creating content such as success stories, case studies, and donor-facing materials.
• Collaborate with global communications teams to align messaging and develop materials for external platforms, including websites and social media.
• Support advocacy efforts by providing tailored communications input as required.

Organizational Development (5%)

• Support cross-organizational projects and initiatives as agreed, including contributing to the design of other programs or multi-departmental projects.
• Prepare and submit quarterly fundraising reports to Headquarters, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Regularly provide data from proposals and concept papers to maintain both organizational and program-specific funding pipelines.
• Participate in organizational working groups to contribute to broader strategy and initiatives, fostering cross-organizational collaboration.
• Facilitate collaboration across programs by connecting colleagues during project design processes.
• Contribute to knowledge management and team communications, ensuring alignment with organizational goals through participation in discussions and events.
• Develop and deliver trainings to NPUSA-based and field program staff on effective writing and reporting, enhancing staff capacity and improving the quality of reports, assessments, and related documents.
• Undertake additional tasks as reasonably expected of this role.

COMMITMENT TO NP PRINCIPLES

All NP employees are expected to uphold work in alignment with the organization’s guiding principles:

• Nonviolence
• Non-partisanship
• Primacy of local actors
• Civilian-to-civilian action

These principles and beliefs guide our actions and relationships, supporting our mission to protect civilians in violent conflicts through unarmed strategies

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years in grant writing with a proven track record in securing diverse funding streams.
• Significant experience in designing and submitting project proposals, including narrative, log frames, and budgets.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate donor contracts, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities.
• Strong knowledge of donor trends and funding mechanisms.
• Experience with Unarmed Civilian Protection programming or a related field.
• Knowledge of peacebuilding, violence reduction, or community protection strategies.
• Proficiency in using Salesforce for donor management.

Skills and Competencies:

• Exceptional English writing and analytical skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and financial analysis related to proposal development.
• Effective facilitation, problem-solving, and relationship management.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Proven ability to manage projects, work as a team and meet deadlines.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• This position may include challenging conditions and potentially unstable security situations
• Must be able to remain in a stationary or standing position 80% of the time
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds
• The ability to communicate information so others will be able to understand
• Flexibility to work evenings or weekends as required
• Some occasional travel may be required

Application instructions

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