Senior Program Officer, Governance and Leadership

About the role

The Senior Program Officer will lead and enhance the Leadership for Equity, Advocacy & Development (LEAD) Fellowship across ten Nigerian tertiary institutions. This role combines program design, partnership building, and knowledge management to advance gender equity and combat sexual and gender‑based violence.

Key responsibilities

• Refine and execute the LEAD Fellowship program across selected campuses.
• Review and expand the Campus Champion Manual, develop virtual learning lab modules, and identify subject‑matter experts.
• Manage the virtual learning lab, learning circles, capstone sessions, and overall fellowship cohort experience.
• Design and coordinate the Policy Lab, intra‑campus competitions, regional semifinals, and the national finale in Abuja.
• Identify sector‑aligned partners and support technical placements for finalist teams in governance and civic organisations.
• Convene advisory meetings, inception sessions, and multi‑stakeholder dialogues.
• Broker partnerships with civic organisations, governance institutions, feminist networks, and policy actors.
• Ensure proper documentation, knowledge‑management systems, and dashboard tracking of outcomes.

Required profile

• Master’s degree in Gender Studies, Public Policy, Governance, Development Studies, Sociology, Anthropology, Political Science, Law, Social Work, Human Rights, Peace & Conflict Studies or a related field.
• 3–6 years progressive experience in governance, civic engagement, youth leadership development, gender justice, policy advocacy or related sectors.
• Proven leadership in designing or managing programs, fellowships, or multi‑institutional initiatives.
• Strong grounding in feminist principles, power analysis, and systems thinking.
• Demonstrated ability to engage government actors, regulatory agencies, and institutional leadership.
• Exceptional partnership‑building, coalition management, and multi‑stakeholder convening skills.
• Excellent writing, conceptualisation, and communication abilities.
• Experience with young people, student movements, or leadership pipelines is an advantage.
• Ability to ideate innovative frameworks, develop models, and translate concepts into actionable strategies.
• Willingness to travel as required.

Required skills

What we offer

• Competitive monthly salary ranging from N400,000 to N450,000.
• Opportunity to lead impactful gender‑equity initiatives in higher education.
• Collaborative environment with civil‑society, government, and academic partners.