Job Profile: Head of Programmes
Job Profile: Head of Programmes
Duty Station: Tamale
Duty Station: Tamale
Reports to: Executive Director
Reports to: Executive Director
Supervisees: Programme Officers, Field Researchers, Community Mobilizers
Supervisees: Programme Officers, Field Researchers, Community Mobilizers
Contract Type: One-year renewable, Senior Management Team Member
Contract Type: One-year renewable, Senior Management Team Member
Specifically, this role shall lead ISODEC’s evidence generation, community-rooted research, and programme implementation. This role makes the northern Ghana Office the field engine (Evidence Hub) of ISODEC, producing credible, community-validated data on agroecology, fiscal justice, ABFA utilisation, social protection and extractives that powers national advocacy.
The Head of Programmes provides strategic leadership, direction, and oversight for ISODEC's programme portfolio. The role ensures the effective design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and growth of programmes that advance social justice, good governance, economic equity, sustainable development, and citizens' rights. The role will drive programme excellence, evidence-generation for policy influence, strengthen organisational impact, develop strategic partnerships, mobilise resources, and ensure compliance with donor requirements and organisational policies.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Programme Leadership & Evidence Generation (40%)
Operationalisation of the 2026-2030 Strategic Plan into annual programme plans with clear advocacy linkages by leading the implementation of all programmes and projects in Northern Ghana
Operationalisation of the 2026-2030 Strategic Plan into annual programme plans with clear advocacy linkages by leading the implementation of all programmes and projects in Northern Ghana
Ensure programmes align with ISODEC's mission, strategic objectives, and emerging national and global development priorities and have advocacy feed-in: what evidence, data, case studies, and community voices will be delivered to the Head of Policy & Advocacy.
Ensure programmes align with ISODEC's mission, strategic objectives, and emerging national and global development priorities and have advocacy feed-in: what evidence, data, case studies, and community voices will be delivered to the Head of Policy & Advocacy.
Co-design Annual Research & Advocacy Agenda with Head of Policy & Advocacy, and technical staff on natural resource governance, fiscal transparency, IFFs, debt justice and social services access to feed into annual budgeting and identify opportunities for innovation, learning, and programme growth.
Co-design Annual Research & Advocacy Agenda with Head of Policy & Advocacy, and technical staff on natural resource governance, fiscal transparency, IFFs, debt justice and social services access to feed into annual budgeting and identify opportunities for innovation, learning, and programme growth.
Design and oversee participatory action research, community scorecards, and Public Expenditure Tracking Surveys (PETS) on DACF, ABFA, and Big Push Projects
Design and oversee participatory action research, community scorecards, and Public Expenditure Tracking Surveys (PETS) on DACF, ABFA, and Big Push Projects
Manage ISODEC’s Community Resource Hub and Resource Justice Network-Ghana field nodes
Manage ISODEC’s Community Resource Hub and Resource Justice Network-Ghana field nodes
Facilitate pilot alternative economic models – Job Guarantee pilots, functional finance at district level, GESI-responsive budgeting
Facilitate pilot alternative economic models – Job Guarantee pilots, functional finance at district level, GESI-responsive budgeting
Draft concept notes on programmes aligned to the strategic plan (2026-2030)
Draft concept notes on programmes aligned to the strategic plan (2026-2030)
Support organisational strategic planning, implementation and institutional strengthening
Support organisational strategic planning, implementation and institutional strengthening
2. Knowledge management & Quality Assurance (20%):
Ensure programmes achieve intended outcomes, impact targets, and donor commitments.
Ensure programmes achieve intended outcomes, impact targets, and donor commitments.
Establish and maintain programme quality standards and accountability mechanisms.
Establish and maintain programme quality standards and accountability mechanisms.
Monitor project performance, risks, and compliance requirements
Monitor project performance, risks, and compliance requirements
Produce high-quality research reports, policy briefs, and working papers with gender-disaggregated data
Produce high-quality research reports, policy briefs, and working papers with gender-disaggregated data
Generate data, testimonies and case studies
Generate data, testimonies and case studies
Ensure all field evidence meets advocacy-ready standards: robust, verifiable, and citizen-voiced and maintain ISODEC’s evidence repository.
Ensure all field evidence meets advocacy-ready standards: robust, verifiable, and citizen-voiced and maintain ISODEC’s evidence repository.
Ensure timely preparation and submission of quarterly narrative and financial reports.
Ensure timely preparation and submission of quarterly narrative and financial reports.
Build the capacity of Monitors and Accountability Labs to be empowered to generate evidence for advocacy
Build the capacity of Monitors and Accountability Labs to be empowered to generate evidence for advocacy
3. Partnerships, Stakeholder Engagement & Field-Level Advocacy ( 20%)
Identify and develop strategic partnerships and consortium opportunities that align with ISODEC’s mission and strategic focus in northern Ghana.
Identify and develop strategic partnerships and consortium opportunities that align with ISODEC’s mission and strategic focus in northern Ghana.
Support proposal development, donor engagement, and fundraising initiatives.
Support proposal development, donor engagement, and fundraising initiatives.
Identify and cultivate relationships with development partners, foundations, bilateral and multilateral agencies.
Identify and cultivate relationships with development partners, foundations, bilateral and multilateral agencies.
Coordinate the preparation of high-quality funding proposals and concept notes.
Coordinate the preparation of high-quality funding proposals and concept notes.
Contribute to organisational sustainability through diversified funding strategies.
Contribute to organisational sustainability through diversified funding strategies.
Support donor negotiations and partnership development.
Support donor negotiations and partnership development.
Strengthen alliances with Regional Coordination Councils, MMDAS, CSOs, Academia, donor agencies, community-based organisations, traditional Authorities, women's groups, Youth Sounding Boards & Accountability Labs, etc. in northern Ghana.
Strengthen alliances with Regional Coordination Councils, MMDAS, CSOs, Academia, donor agencies, community-based organisations, traditional Authorities, women's groups, Youth Sounding Boards & Accountability Labs, etc. in northern Ghana.
Represent ISODEC in Northern Ghana development Coordination Platforms. Strengthen citizen engagement and accountability initiatives.
Represent ISODEC in Northern Ghana development Coordination Platforms. Strengthen citizen engagement and accountability initiatives.
Represent ISODEC in external meetings and networks in the Northern sector.
Represent ISODEC in external meetings and networks in the Northern sector.
4. Management and interlink with Accra(20%)
Weekly Evidence-to-Advocacy handover to Head of Policy & Advocacy: Provide-1-Page Evidence Alerts, human stories, infographics
Weekly Evidence-to-Advocacy handover to Head of Policy & Advocacy: Provide-1-Page Evidence Alerts, human stories, infographics
Budget management, donor compliance, team performance for northern portfolio
Budget management, donor compliance, team performance for northern portfolio
5. Office Management:
Overall leadership and management of the Northern Ghana Office, including finance management, people management, logistics, and administration
Overall leadership and management of the Northern Ghana Office, including finance management, people management, logistics, and administration
Provide leadership, coaching, and supervision to programme teams in the office
Provide leadership, coaching, and supervision to programme teams in the office
Promote high-performance culture, collaboration, innovation, and accountability.
Promote high-performance culture, collaboration, innovation, and accountability.
Support staff capacity strengthening and professional development.
Support staff capacity strengthening and professional development.
Ensure effective workforce planning and performance management.
Ensure effective workforce planning and performance management.
Promote safeguarding, whistleblower policy, gender equality, diversity, and social inclusion in programming.
Promote safeguarding, whistleblower policy, gender equality, diversity, and social inclusion in programming.
Masters in Development Studies, Economics, Political Economy, Agricultural Economics, Sociology or a related subject, with 10+ years of progressive experience, including 3 years in a senior programme leadership position
Masters in Development Studies, Economics, Political Economy, Agricultural Economics, Sociology or a related subject, with 10+ years of progressive experience, including 3 years in a senior programme leadership position
A relevant professional certification in Project Management, Monitoring & Evaluation, or NGO Management is an advantage
A relevant professional certification in Project Management, Monitoring & Evaluation, or NGO Management is an advantage
Proven track record in participatory research, community mobilisation and facilitation, resource governance
Proven track record in participatory research, community mobilisation and facilitation, resource governance
Knowledge and experience in the use of action research for advocacy and campaigns
Knowledge and experience in the use of action research for advocacy and campaigns
Knowledge of donor compliance requirements and grant management.
Knowledge of donor compliance requirements and grant management.
Proposal design, MEL and financial management/budget tracking experience
Proposal design, MEL and financial management/budget tracking experience
Strong understanding of Ghana’s decentralised fiscal system, extractives sector, social protection
Strong understanding of Ghana’s decentralised fiscal system, extractives sector, social protection
Fluency in speaking and articulating development work at the local level using Dagbani, Hausa, or Grune is an advantage.
Fluency in speaking and articulating development work at the local level using Dagbani, Hausa, or Grune is an advantage.
Experience in the use of PRA approaches to development
Experience in the use of PRA approaches to development
Experience in mainstreaming Gender and Social Inclusion in programming
Experience in mainstreaming Gender and Social Inclusion in programming
Appreciation of anti-colonial political economy perspectives.
Appreciation of anti-colonial political economy perspectives.
Office management experience
Office management experience
Excellent stakeholder engagement and networking abilities.
Excellent stakeholder engagement and networking abilities.
Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
Interested applicants should submit:
A cover letter explaining their interest and suitability for the position.
A cover letter explaining their interest and suitability for the position.
A current curriculum vitae.
A current curriculum vitae.
Copies of relevant certificates.
Copies of relevant certificates.
Contact details for at least two professional referees.
Applications should be sent to Head of Finance, Admin and Human Resources, Integrated Social Development Centre, Accra via email: isodec@isodec.org, copy elifeson@isodec.org by 21st November 2026
Women are encouraged to apply for this role.