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Oxfam ↗

Publishing company

Programme and Influencing Lead

📍 Harare 💼 On-site ⏰ Full Time 📋 Permanent Contract 🏷️ Other

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Minimum Experience

0 years

Application Deadline

📅 30/09/2026

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Job Description

Job Description

Do you have Master’s degree in international relations, Development Studies, Human Rights and Governance, or equivalent qualification. A Bachelor’s degree combined with relevant post graduate or professional qualifications may also be considered?

Do you have Proven track record of leading and motivating multi-disciplinary, geographically remote teams and operations across a number of locations and Partnership-led programming within a regional context?

Do you have a Minimum of 8 years of progressive senior leadership experience in Programme leadership, Policy, Influencing, Multi-country systems, and Strategic transformation?

If the answer is yes, then we would like to hear from you.

Oxfam is looking for Programme and Influencing Lead,

The Programme and Influencing Lead provides senior strategic leadership, systems integration, and direct people management for Oxfam’s full Programme and Influencing architecture across the Southern Africa (SAF) Cluster.

The role is responsible for translating Oxfam’s 2026–2030 SAF Strategy into a coherent, regionally integrated programme and influencing ecosystem that aligns thematic programming, research, evidence generation, policy engagement, advocacy, communications, and SADC-level regional engagement into one unified system. It ensures that Oxfam’s work across Climate & Economic Justice, Gender Justice, and Humanitarian Action is strategically coherent, mutually reinforcing, partner-led, and designed to address the structural drivers of inequality through systems change.

Duties and Responsibilities

Programme & Influencing Leadership (16%)

Provides leadership of programme and influencing work across the SAF Cluster.

Translate the SAF Strategy (2026–2030) into a coherent regional programme and influencing architectureEnsure all thematic portfolios are aligned to systems change and regional prioritiesGuide strategic prioritisation of programme investments across the ClusterSupport the SADC CSO Liaison Office Oversight Group and Cluster Director in positioning Oxfam as a regional leader in influencing and systems change within the regionIntegration of Programme, Evidence & Influencing (16%)

Leads the integration of programme delivery, PQK systems, advocacy, and regional policy engagement into a single system.

Establish and oversee structured feedback loops between:Programme Managers (delivery)PQK (evidence & learning)Advocacy & Communications (narratives & campaigns)SADC Civil Society Liaison Lead (regional policy interface)Thematic Coherence & Nexus Programming Leadership (14%)

Ensures alignment and integration across thematic areas, with full ownership of nexus programming.

Lead coordination across:Gender Justice ManagerClimate & Economic Justice ManagerHumanitarian Action ManagerEnsure programmes are mutually reinforcing and not siloedOperationalise humanitarian–development–peace (HDP) nexus approachesRegional Influencing Architecture & SADC Engagement (12%)

Support the Cluster Director and the SADC Oversight Group in providing strategic oversight of Oxfam’s regional influencing ecosystem, working in close partnership with the SADC Civil Society Liaison Lead.

Supporting defining of regional influencing priorities and strategiesEnsure alignment between programme evidence, advocacy strategies, and SADC-level policy engagement and civil society processesWork closely with the SADC Civil Society Liaison Lead to:Translate programme evidence into policy positions and advocacy asksStrengthen engagement with SADC Parliamentary Forum, Regional civil society platforms, and Policy and governance structuresPartnership-Led Programming & Localisation (10%)

Drives the transition to transformative, partner-led programme delivery.

Ensure programmes are delivered through strong and equitable partnershipsAlign Programme Managers and Coordinators around partner accompaniment approachesStrengthen integration between partner delivery, evidence generation, and influencing engagement (including regional platforms)Programme Quality, Learning & Knowledge Integration (8%)

In close collaboration with the PQK Lead ensure programme systems support adaptive programming and influencing impact.

Supporting the operationalisation and functionality of Programme Quality & Knowledge (PQK) systems and PEEP platformHarmonisation of standards across programme design, MEAL, and knowledge managementLeadership & Management of Programme & Influencing Functions (12%)

Leads a multi-disciplinary, multi-country team across programme and influencing functions.

Line manage Programme Managers, and the Advocacy & Communications ManagerProvide strategic alignment (not line management) to the SADC Civil Society Liaison LeadAlignment with Business Development & Resource Mobilisation (6%)

Ensures programme priorities are aligned with funding strategy and pipeline development.

Work closely with the Business Development Lead to align programme priorities with funding opportunities, and strengthen the fundability of programme designsSupport development of multi-country and cross-thematic funding proposalsRisk Management, Safeguarding & Compliance Oversight (4%)

Ensures programme delivery meets required risk, safeguarding, and compliance standards.

Oversee identification and mitigation of programme and partner risksEnsure safeguarding and safe programming standards are embeddedCluster Leadership & System Integration (2%)

Acts as a core member of the Cluster Leadership Team (CLT).

Contribute to overall Cluster strategy and decision-makingWhat we are looking for:

We’re looking for a candidate who cares about Oxfam's mission to end poverty and is personally aligned to our feminist principles and values of empowerment, accountability and inclusion in all you do.

Qualifications and Experience

An ideal candidate for the role will also be / have:

Master’s degree in international relations, Development Studies, Human Rights and Governance, or equivalent qualification. A Bachelor’s degree combined with relevant post graduate or professional qualifications may also be considered.Proven track record of leading and motivating multi-disciplinary, geographically remote teams and operations across a number of locations and Partnership-led programming within a regional context.Minimum of 8 years of progressive senior leadership experience in Programme leadership, Policy, Influencing, Multi-country systems, and Strategic transformationExperience of managing complex change processes and relationships involving a wide range of both internal and external multi-cultural stakeholders across a variety of disciplines and geographical areas.Demonstrated feminist and gender justice leadership.

Desirable

A high degree of self-awareness and an understanding of how to drive and support excellent team performance and individual development in line with Oxfam’s values and policies.Experience in Southern Africa regionKnowledge of SADC and regional policy processesExperience in feminist and decolonial approaches

How to Apply

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