Job Description

Title: Country Program Manager

Location: Makati City, Philippines

Job Family and Level: M8 - Program Management and Leadership

Pre hire checks: This role is classified as requiring standard pre-employment checks / enhanced due diligence

1. Scope

Responsibility: Country level

Department: Programs

Reporting to: Country Director

Direct reports: Project Managers/Coordinators

Budget responsibility: To be determined

Relationship management

Internal stakeholders (Country and Desk programs and support colleagues); External stakeholders (local partners, government agencies, local government units, clusters, other NGOs)

2. Context

Relief International (RI) is an international non-profit organization that partners with communities impacted by conflict, climate change and disaster to save lives, build greater resilience and promote long-term health and wellbeing.

Our team of more than 7,000 staff and local volunteers work in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, providing Health and Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Education and Livelihoods programming that creates the foundation for community resilience.

We do this by working with local actors to develop safe and inclusive local programming that is evidence based, conflict sensitive, climate smart, and reaches those in need.

Relief International is an alliance of four organizations with one shared mission, comprised of Relief International, Inc., Relief International-France, Relief International-UK and Relief International-Europe, which operate under a one-team concept under a single senior leadership team.

3. Job Profile

The Country Program Manager provides strategic leadership, oversight, and coordination of Relief International’s program portfolio in the Philippines. The role is responsible for ensuring the effective design, implementation, monitoring, quality assurance, and growth of multi-sector programs, including health, nutrition, livelihoods, food security, protection, peacebuilding, emergency response, and anticipatory action initiatives.

Working closely with the Country Director, Project Managers, technical specialists, support departments, partners, and external stakeholders, the Country Program Manager ensures programs are implemented effectively, meet donor and organizational standards, achieve intended outcomes, and contribute to Relief International’s strategic objectives. The position also plays a key role in program development, partnership management, capacity strengthening, representation, safeguarding, and organizational learning.

4. Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership and Management

Provide overall leadership, management, and oversight of Relief International’s program portfolio in the Philippines.
Ensure timely achievement of project deliverables, objectives, and indicator targets in accordance with donor agreements and organizational standards.
Support the Country Director in providing strategic vision and direction for RI’s country program.
Provide technical guidance and day-to-day support to Project Managers and program teams to ensure high-quality implementation.
Lead project start-up and mobilization processes, ensuring development of work plans, procurement plans, recruitment plans, spending forecasts, and implementation schedules.
Conduct regular program review meetings to monitor progress, identify challenges, and implement corrective actions.
Undertake regular field monitoring visits to provide technical support, strengthen program quality, and assess progress toward objectives.
Ensure programs integrate gender, protection, safeguarding, conflict sensitivity, and Do No Harm principles throughout the project cycle.
Lead emergency preparedness and response planning within the country program.
Develop and strengthen program systems, tools, and standard operating procedures as required.

Program Quality, Compliance, and Grants Management

Ensure compliance with donor regulations, Relief International policies, and sector technical standards.
Monitor project implementation and spending to ensure efficient use of resources and achievement of project objectives.
Review budgets, forecasts, burn rates, and financial reports in collaboration with finance and project teams.
Ensure all project expenditures are allowable, reasonable, appropriately allocated, and properly documented.
Serve as the focal point for project modifications, budget revisions, and donor communications related to implementation.
Provide final programmatic review and quality assurance of donor reports, assessments, publications, and external communications.
Support effective grants management processes and strengthen compliance across the country portfolio.

Program Development and Resource Mobilization

Identify and pursue new funding opportunities aligned with Relief International country program priorities and organizational strategy.
Lead and support the development of high-quality concept notes, proposals, expressions of interest, and donor submissions.
Coordinate program design processes, including needs assessments, stakeholder consultations, and design workshops.
Ensure proposals are evidence-based, innovative, conflict-sensitive, and responsive to community needs.
Develop and review proposal budgets in collaboration with finance and technical teams.
Strengthen relationships with existing donors and cultivate partnerships with new funding partners to support portfolio growth and diversification.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL)

Support implementation and continuous improvement of country-level MEAL systems and frameworks.
Ensure consistent use of program data, assessments, and monitoring findings for evidence-based decision-making.
Support project teams in tracking performance indicators and measuring project outcomes and impact.
Ensure accountability mechanisms are functional and aligned with Relief International standards.
Promote organizational learning through regular reflection sessions, reviews, documentation of lessons learned, and knowledge sharing.
Collaborate with MEAL teams to ensure quality data collection, analysis, reporting, and utilization.

Partnership Management

Develop and maintain effective working relationships with government institutions, local authorities, civil society organizations, community leaders, donors, and other stakeholders.
Support partner identification, due diligence, onboarding, and partnership management processes.
Strengthen the capacity of local partners through mentoring, coaching, and technical support.
Support the development and review of partnership agreements, memoranda of understanding, and related documentation.
Promote localization and meaningful engagement with local actors across all programming.

Representation and Coordination

Represent Relief International in coordination forums, technical working groups, clusters, networks, and stakeholder meetings at national and sub-national levels.
Serve as a key focal point for programmatic matters internally and externally, as delegated by the Country Director.
Build and maintain productive relationships with donors, government agencies, NGOs, community organizations, and other strategic partners.
Contribute to organizational visibility and positioning within the humanitarian and development sectors.

Human Resource Management and Capacity Building

Provide leadership, supervision, mentoring, and performance management to Project Managers, coordinators, technical specialists, and other program staff.
Support staff development through coaching, training, and professional growth opportunities.
Ensure effective work planning, priority setting, performance monitoring, and accountability within program teams.
Promote a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team culture.
In coordination with Human Resources, ensure compliance with organizational policies and procedures.

Communications and Knowledge Management

Support the development of communications materials that highlight program achievements, lessons learned, and community impact.
Contribute to situation reports, donor updates, case studies, success stories, and visibility products.
Ensure accurate and timely sharing of program information internally and externally.
Collaborate with communications teams to strengthen organizational visibility and learning.

Behavior and Conduct

Will ensure the highest standards of behavior inside and outside of work promotes the values in RI’s code of conduct and safeguarding policies
Will be a model for ethical conduct standards for other team members
Will ensure own actions and the actions of the teams members they manage do not impact the safety of the RI team and the vulnerable communities we serve
Will ensure external stakeholders are aware of RI conduct and reporting mechanisms
Report any concerns

5. Person Specification

Essential criteria

Education

Master’s degree in International Development, Social Sciences, Community Development, Development Communication, Public Health, Political Science, Humanitarian Assistance, or a related field preferred.

Experience

Minimum 8–10 years of progressively responsible experience managing humanitarian and development programs.
Demonstrated experience managing multi-sector programs throughout the full project cycle.
Experience leading and supervising diverse program teams.
Strong experience in program design, proposal development, grants management, and donor compliance.
Experience managing large and complex program portfolios and budgets.
Experience working with local partners, government stakeholders, and civil society organizations.
Experience establishing and strengthening MEAL systems and accountability mechanisms.
Familiarity with conflict-sensitive programming, peacebuilding approaches, and protection mainstreaming.
Experience in emergency response and preparedness programming preferred.
Knowledge of the Philippines context, particularly Mindanao, is highly desirable.