Senior Program Manager

We’re hiring!

We are seeking an experienced program manager with a relevant Master’s degree, 10+ years’ experience leading large-scale community development, governance or rural livelihoods programs, and at least 4 years in a similar role. Required strengths include multi-country team and budget management, community governance, social norm change and safeguarding, donor reporting/results-based management, and full professional fluency in French and English. This full-time, fixed-term local role will lead Tostan’s Community Governance and Social Transformation Pillar across 730 partner communities in Senegal and The Gambia, based in Thies or Banjul (to be confirmed), November 2026-October 2030, subject to donor funding and performance review. PMD Pro and local Sene-Gambian languages are assets; frequent travel is required.

Send us your application with the reference “Senior Program Manager “ no later than 16 September 2026 by email at hr@tostan.org with:

• A cover letter;
• A detailed CV;
• A completed Program Monitoring Brief.

You will find below the link to consult the full job description: Senior Program Manager Job Description

Successful candidates will be subject to Tostan’s administrative checks and may be required to provide the following documents:

• An official background check (screening);
• A certificate of good conduct;
• The last three (03) pay slips.

Responsible for the overall strategic and operational management of Tostan's contribution to the Program, the Senior Program Manager will ensure the following responsibilities:

• Direct Tostan's Community Governance and Social Transformation strategy, annual work planning and delivery across 730 partner communities and four sequential cohorts.
• Lead the strengthening of Community Management Committees (CMCs) and community governance systems.
• Lead Community Engagement Days, land and resource mediation, and the overall social and gender norms change strategy.
• Ensure that community governance and social norm change interventions translate into meaningful economic opportunities for young women.
• Coordinate implementation through the full Program cycle and maintain continuity of Tostan's contribution until agreed results are achieved.
• Build, mentor and manage the multi-country field team, including project managers, safeguarding focal points, community facilitators and other assigned staff.
• Set clear accountabilities, support performance management and foster collaboration, learning and professional development across the team
• In collaboration with Tostan's executive team, serve as Tostan's senior representative to the Program Management Unit, Steering Committee and implementing partners.
• Lead budget planning, forecasting and expenditure oversight for Tostan's Community Governance and Social Transformation activities.
• Ensure timely and high-quality financial, narrative and monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) reporting, with full donor compliance and audit readiness.
• Work closely with MEL colleagues to monitor progress, analyze results, document learning and support evidence-based decisionmaking.
• Identify, assess and escalate programmatic, operational, financial, safeguarding and partnership risks and ensure appropriate mitigation measures are followed up.
• Contribute field learning and implementation evidence to the Program's adaptive management processes and annual review cycle.
• Ensure safeguarding and PSEA/PSEAH standards are embedded in implementation, team management and community engagement.
• Coordinate effectively with Finance, Human Resources, Safeguarding and Compliance, MEL, Communications and Operations to enable integrated program delivery.
• Maintain regular field presence and engagement with communities, teams and stakeholders across Senegal and The Gambia.

Under the supervision of the Chief Programs Officer (to be confirmed), the Senior Program Manager will be responsible for:

• Providing strategic leadership for Tostan's Community Governance and Social Transformation pillar across 730 communities in Senegal and The Gambia and across four sequential cohorts.
• Ensuring effective, high-quality and timely program delivery, with strong integration of community governance, social and gender norms change, safeguarding, learning and results.
• Leading, mentoring and managing a multi-country field team and coordinating closely with Tostan's executive, programmatic and operational functions.
• Owning Tostan's program budget and reporting obligations, ensuring donor compliance, sound resource management and audit readiness.
• Representing Tostan in the Program Management Unit, Steering Committee and other coordination mechanisms, while leading risk management and adaptive management processes.

Responsible for the overall strategic and operational management of Tostan's contribution to the Program, the Senior Program Manager will ensure the following responsibilities:

• Master's degree in community development, social sciences, gender studies, international development, or a related field.
• Full professional fluency in French and English, both written and spoken, is required.
• Working knowledge of Pulaar, Wolof, Mandingue and/or other local Sene-Gambian languages is a strong asset
• At least 10 years of progressive experience leading large-scale, multi-year community development, governance or rural livelihoods programs, ideally in West Africa.
• At least 4 years of practical experience in a position with similar strategic and operational responsibilities.
• Proven track record managing multi-country teams and significant budgets within multi-donor or multi-partner program structures.
• Deep knowledge of community governance systems, social norm change approaches and safeguarding standards, including PSEA/PSEAH.
• Proven professional experience working within a consortium or multi-stakeholder partnership.
• Strong experience with donor reporting, results-based management and audit/compliance requirements.
• Familiarity with large-scale, multi-country and multi-year funded programs is a strong asset.
• Prior experience with Tostan's Community Empowering Education model, or a comparable community-led development approach, is a strong asset.
• Project management certification such as PMD Pro is strongly preferred. Soft skills (characteristics)
• Strategic leadership and sound judgment, with the ability to translate strategy into coordinated delivery.
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, facilitation and coordination skills with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong people-management, coaching and team-building capabilities in a multi-country environment.
• Clear and persuasive written and verbal communication, including the ability to represent Tostan at senior level.
• High level of integrity, accountability and commitment to safeguarding and Tostan's values.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, risk-management and decision-making skills.
• Adaptability, cultural sensitivity, resilience and a strong results orientation in complex field environments.