About the Context

Nigeria continues to face a complex and protracted humanitarian crisis driven by armed conflict, insecurity, climate-related shocks, displacement, and economic challenges. 

The Northeast remains the epicenter of the crisis, where years of conflict have displaced millions of people and disrupted access to basic services, livelihoods, and protection. In addition, increasing levels of violence and displacement in the Northwest and North Central regions, alongside recurrent flooding and food insecurity, have further exacerbated protection and humanitarian needs across the country. 

The 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan estimates that 5.9 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. 

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has been operating in Nigeria since 2015, delivering humanitarian assistance and durable solutions to conflict-affected and displaced populations. NRC works across multiple core competencies, including Education, Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA), Shelter, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and Protection from Violence. Through direct implementation and partnerships, NRC supports displaced persons, returnees, and vulnerable host communities to meet their immediate needs, strengthen resilience, and pursue long-term recovery and self-reliance. 

NRC is committed to principled humanitarian action, safeguarding, accountability to affected populations, and ensuring that assistance reaches those most in need.

Find out more about NRC and Watch this short video to see NRC in action

What we are looking for 

The purpose of the Head of Programme position is to develop and ensure implementation of holistic high-quality programmes. In this role you will provide strategic leadership and oversight for the Country Office’s programme portfolio, ensuring that projects and interventions are effectively designed, implemented, monitored, and aligned with the organization's mission, strategy, and donor requirements. Additionally, you will be responsible for driving programme quality, impact, accountability, and growth while ensuring efficient use of resources and compliance with organizational policies.

What you will do 

1. In collaboration with the Programme Unit, lead the development of the Country Office fundraising strategy. This includes the mapping of donor policy and priorities and their alignment with NRC’s programmatic and advocacy goals. 
2. Lead the development and implementation of NRC’s partnership strategy in Nigeria, ensuring effective collaboration with national and international partners, strengthening partner capacity, and promoting principled, equitable partnerships in line with NRC’s partnership framework. 
3. Responsible for contributing to the development and implementation of country strategy. 
4. Responsible for the coherence and quality of core competency programmatic input to all relevant processes and documents;
5. Responsible for strengthening our collaboration with other actors through building and strengthening networks, cooperation and implementing partnerships
6. Responsible for ensuring sound and timely grants management through NRC’s Project Cycle Management (PCM) framework and in line with donor requirements and best practice. 
7. Responsible for ensuring consistency and promoting synergy between programme and support units
8. Acting Country Director (CD) when delegated

What you will bring 

1.Professional Competencies

• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (programme management, business or a social science related). An advanced academic qualification will be an added advantage.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience from a senior management position in a humanitarian/ recovery context with responsibility for programme and/or project management
• Experience in NRC Core Competency programming is an asset.
• Experience of working on, coordinating or leading consortia or other forms of partnership implementation.
• Experience in MEAL systems and approaches, and accountability mechanisms and frameworks.
• Experience from working in complex and volatile contexts.
• Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities.
• Knowledge about own leadership skills/profile.
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal and excellent drafting skills.

Context related skills, knowledge and experience

• Knowledge of the Central and West Africa context and crisis; 

• Experience with start-up, scale-up projects, emergency and early recovery contexts.

• Experience of mainstreaming evidence-based approaches to programme quality throughout the project cycle.

• Experience of working in integrated programmes.

• Knowledge of donor landscape, priorities and conditions. 

• Effective team building, cross-cultural communication and conflict resolution skills;

• Experience in the design and delivery of team capacity strengthening, including remote coaching, mentoring and training.

2.Behavioural competencies

• Strategic thinking. 
• Initiating action and change. 
• Empowering and building trust. 
• Managing resources to optimize results.
• Handling insecure environments.
• Deliver Results
• Act with Integrity 

Find more details Job Description_Head of Programme Nigeria.pdf

What we offer 

• Duty station: Abuja, Nigeria
• Contract: 24 months 
• Salary&benefits: grade 11 on NRC’s salary scale (The contract can be national/resident and/or international/mobile depending on final selected profile)
• NRC is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to diversity without distinction to age, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, and physical ability. 
• We think outside the box, encourage ideas, and give responsibility to all employees at all levels. You will have many opportunities to be heard and take the initiative. 
• Find out more about the benefits of working for NRC
• Kindly send any questions about the application process to: cwa.recruitment@nrc.no. Applications sent via email will not be accepted. Please check your application status on your NRC application profile.