ISLAMIC HELP AFGHANISTAN
Job Title: Programme Manager
Duty Station: Kabul, Afghanistan, with frequent travel to field locations
Contract Duration: 12 months (incl. 3 months’ probation)
Reporting To: Country Manager
Supervision Of All Project / Field staff
Type of Duty Station: Non-family duty station
Salary: Competitive
Deadline for Applications: 30 September 2026
Note: Strong applicants may be contacted before the deadline date for interviews, and the vacancy may be closed ahead of deadline.
About Islamic Help
Islamic Help is a UK-registered international humanitarian and development organisation established in 2003 in Birmingham, United Kingdom. As a faith-inspired global NGO, Islamic Help works to alleviate poverty, respond to humanitarian crises, and support sustainable development for vulnerable communities worldwide. The organisation serves people impartially, regardless of gender, religion, race, nationality, or political affiliation. Rooted in Islamic values, its mission is guided by compassion, dignity, justice, and a commitment to serving humanity.
Islamic Help’s programmes support internally displaced persons, refugees, vulnerable groups, women, children, youth, and persons with disabilities through humanitarian, recovery, resilience, stabilisation, and development interventions. Islamic Help works in partnership with national organisations, communities, government bodies, UN agencies, INGOs, institutional donors, and other stakeholders to deliver accountable and sustainable impact.
Role Summary
The Programme Manager provides strategic and operational leadership for Islamic Help Afghanistan’s programme portfolio. The role is responsible for planning, implementation, quality assurance, monitoring, donor compliance, reporting, budget oversight, and team coordination, ensuring that all interventions are delivered on time, within budget, and in line with organisational policies and humanitarian standards.
Background
Afghanistan continues to face one of the most complex and protracted humanitarian crises globally, shaped by conflict, economic contraction, climate shocks, and population movements. These pressures have weakened service delivery systems and reduced reliable access to essential assistance for vulnerable communities.
Within this environment, the Programme Manager is expected to lead high-quality, accountable, and context-sensitive programming, while ensuring strong internal coordination, sound resource management, timely reporting, and effective external representation.
Key Responsibilities
1. Programme Leadership and Strategic Management
- Lead the planning, implementation, monitoring, and review of assigned programmes and projects in line with organisational strategy and donor commitments.
- Support the identification of programme priorities based on humanitarian needs, operational feasibility, contextual analysis, and available resources.
- Provide regular updates to senior management on programme progress, constraints, risks, and opportunities for growth.
- Ensure strong coordination across technical, operational, and field teams to maintain coherent and timely programme delivery.
- Contribute to strategic programme growth through identification of partnership and funding opportunities.
2. Programme Quality, MEAL, and Accountability
- Ensure that programme activities are delivered to a high standard and in accordance with organisational policies, donor requirements, and relevant technical guidance.
- Work closely with MEAL and technical teams to strengthen programme design, impact measurement, accountability systems, and learning mechanisms.
- Oversee the use of appropriate implementation tools, indicators, and monitoring frameworks across projects.
- Conduct regular field visits to verify progress, identify implementation gaps, and address quality concerns promptly.
- Promote community-centred, gender-sensitive, and protection-aware approaches across all interventions.
3. Grants, Reporting, and Documentation
- Ensure timely preparation and submission of high-quality internal and donor reports in collaboration with grants, finance, and technical teams.
- Maintain complete and organised programme records, files, and supporting documentation for compliance, audit, and institutional memory purposes.
- Monitor progress against approved plans, targets, and donor deliverables, and flag any significant deviations in a timely manner.
- Support the drafting and review of concept notes, proposals, work plans, and narrative updates as required.
4. Budget, Finance, and Logistics Oversight
- Serve as budget holder for assigned projects and closely monitor expenditure, forecasts, burn rates, and liquidity requirements.
- Work with finance teams to ensure accurate financial tracking, timely reviews, and corrective action where spending deviates from plan.
- Coordinate with logistics and procurement teams to ensure programme resources are procured and delivered in line with approved timelines and procedures.
- Promote efficient, transparent, and compliant use of organisational resources at all times.
5. Coordination, Representation, and Partnerships
- Represent Islamic Help Afghanistan in relevant co-ordination forums, donor engagements, working groups, and external meetings as delegated.
- Build and maintain effective working relationships with donors, government counterparts, humanitarian actors, local partners, and community stakeholders.
- Support partnership implementation, follow-up, and performance monitoring where projects are delivered through implementing partners.
- Ensure key developments, external risks, and coordination outcomes are shared with internal stakeholders on time.
6. Team Leadership and Staff Management
- Supervise programme staff through clear planning, workload allocation, communication, coaching, and performance follow-up.
- Identify capacity-building needs and support staff development through mentoring, training, and on-the-job guidance.
- Foster a collaborative, accountable, and respectful team culture aligned with organisational values.
- Work closely with HR and senior management on recruitment, performance management, staff development, and policy compliance.
Person Specification
Education
Advanced university degree or equivalent in Social Sciences, Political Sciences, International Relations, Humanitarian and International Co-operation, or another relevant field.
Professional Experience
- Demonstrable and proven track record of a minimum 5 years in the management of humanitarian projects or programmes, including financial management and logistics responsibilities.
- At least 2 years in multi-sector humanitarian programming and security context analysis.
- Previous experience in Afghanistan is considered an advantage.
- Experience in complex emergencies and insecure operational contexts is highly desirable.
Technical Skills and Competencies
- Strong administration, finance, budget management, and programme cycle management skills.
- Excellent analytical thinking, strategic planning, and programme development capacity.
- Experience working with donors, government counterparts, and compliance and reporting systems.
- Strong representation, co-ordination, negotiation, and problem-solving abilities.
- Good computer literacy, including Microsoft Word, Excel, email, and internet-based tools.
- Ability to deliver quality work under pressure and meet deadlines in a demanding environment.
- Strong interpersonal and leadership skills, with the ability to manage and develop teams effectively.
- Fluency in Pashto or/and Dari
- Fluent written and spoken English
- Full Driving Licence
Additional
- The successful candidate must have full working rights in Afghanistan.
- The role will require the postholder to work evenings and weekends as required.
- The postholder must hold a full driving licence, as there will be frequent national travel within Afghanistan, and occasional regional or international travel may also be required.
- Any offer of employment in the role is conditional upon the completion of background safety and criminal checks on the successful candidate.
- The postholder must comply with Islamic Help’s Code of Conduct, safeguarding policies, anti-fraud and anti-corruption standards, and all relevant organisational procedures, plus any regulatory or/and statutory requirements.
- Safeguarding: We are an organisation that takes safeguarding very seriously. All staff will be expected to adhere to our policies, processes, and approach to safeguarding.
IMPORTANT: Please note that as certain areas of Afghanistan carry high risks to personal safety and security, the successful candidate will be required to abide by any safety and security guidance and instructions issued by Islamic Help or/and relevant authorities.
How to apply
To apply, please email a CV and covering letter detailing how you meet the requirements for the role to hr@islamichelp.org.uk
We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome all applications regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, faith or disability.
Note: Strong applicants may be contacted sooner, ahead of the closing date of 30th September 2026.