NGO Manager Job Vacancy in Freetown, Sierra Leone

Lead Community Development, Partnerships and Humanitarian Programs with SEND Sierra Leone

Position Overview

Company: SEND Sierra Leone
Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone
Position: NGO Manager
Employment Type: Full-Time
Industry: Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) / Community Development
Department: Programs and Operations
Experience Required: 7–12 Years
Education: Bachelor’s Degree or Master’s Degree
Salary: SLE 22,000 – SLE 35,000 per month
Vacancies: 1
Reporting To: Country Director
Application Mode: Online

SEND Sierra Leone is a registered non-governmental organization focused on community development, governance, health, nutrition, women’s empowerment, agriculture, and sustainable livelihoods across Sierra Leone. The organization works with local communities, government institutions, development partners, and donors to create long-term social impact and improve the quality of life of vulnerable populations.

About the Role

An exciting opportunity is available for an experienced NGO Manager to lead strategic program implementation, operational excellence, stakeholder engagement, and organizational growth initiatives across Sierra Leone. The successful candidate will oversee multiple projects, manage cross-functional teams, ensure donor compliance, and strengthen partnerships with government agencies, local communities, and development organizations.

This position is ideal for a professional passionate about community development, project management, capacity building, humanitarian assistance, grant management, and social impact programs.

Professionals searching for jobs in Sierra Leone, vacancies in Sierra Leone, or senior job openings in Sierra Leone within the development sector are encouraged to apply.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Lead the design and execution of organizational strategies and annual operational plans.
• Ensure all projects align with donor objectives and organizational priorities.
• Support expansion of programs into new districts and underserved communities.
• Provide strategic recommendations to senior leadership and the Board.
• Develop innovative approaches for sustainable development interventions.

Program Management

• Oversee planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of development programs.
• Ensure projects achieve expected outputs, outcomes, and impact indicators.
• Coordinate activities across health, education, agriculture, governance, and livelihood projects.
• Monitor project performance and prepare corrective action plans where necessary.
• Ensure compliance with donor regulations and reporting requirements.

Financial Oversight

• Manage program budgets and financial forecasting.
• Monitor expenditure against approved budgets.
• Collaborate with finance teams to ensure accountability and transparency.
• Support financial audits and donor financial reviews.
• Ensure efficient utilization of project resources.

Team Leadership

• Supervise program officers, project coordinators, field staff, and support personnel.
• Conduct performance reviews and staff development initiatives.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Mentor emerging leaders within the organization.
• Develop succession planning strategies.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships with government ministries, donors, community leaders, and implementing partners.
• Represent the organization at national and international forums.
• Facilitate coordination meetings and partnership initiatives.
• Strengthen organizational visibility and reputation.

Organizations operating in Sierra Leone are expected to maintain strong collaboration mechanisms and coordination practices within the NGO sector.

Core Duties and Deliverables

The NGO Manager will:

• Develop annual work plans.
• Coordinate field operations across multiple regions.
• Lead proposal development and fundraising efforts.
• Manage donor reporting schedules.
• Establish monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
• Conduct risk assessments and mitigation planning.
• Strengthen safeguarding and protection policies.
• Ensure compliance with organizational standards.
• Lead emergency response activities when required.
• Promote gender equality and social inclusion initiatives.
• Drive organizational learning and knowledge management.
• Support policy advocacy and community engagement activities.

Required Qualifications

Education

Applicants must possess:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Development Studies, Public Administration, Social Sciences, International Relations, Project Management, or related discipline.
• Master’s Degree is highly desirable.
• Professional certifications in Project Management, Monitoring & Evaluation, or NGO Management will be advantageous.

Experience

• Minimum 7–12 years of progressive experience within the NGO sector.
• At least 4 years in a managerial or senior leadership position.
• Demonstrated experience managing donor-funded projects.
• Proven record of supervising multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience working with international development partners.

Candidates with backgrounds in program management, development projects, humanitarian response, stakeholder engagement, budget management, and organizational leadership will receive strong consideration.

Essential Skills

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

• Strong leadership skills
• Advanced project management
• Excellent grant management
• Effective strategic planning
• Strong monitoring and evaluation
• Financial management expertise
• Team development capabilities
• Risk management proficiency
• Proposal writing experience
• Stakeholder relationship management
• Communication and presentation skills
• Data-driven decision making
• Problem-solving and analytical thinking
• Community engagement expertise
• Organizational development capabilities

Working Environment

The role involves both office-based and field-based responsibilities. Frequent travel may be required to districts across Sierra Leone for program supervision, stakeholder consultations, community assessments, and project monitoring activities.

The NGO Manager will collaborate with government institutions, development agencies, community organizations, and donor representatives to achieve program objectives.

Training and Professional Development

The selected candidate will receive:

• Leadership development training
• Advanced project management workshops
• Donor compliance training
• Financial management certification support
• Monitoring and evaluation enhancement programs
• Safeguarding and protection training
• Humanitarian coordination workshops
• Digital reporting systems training
• Partnership development coaching
• Strategic planning seminars

Performance Indicators

Success in this role will be measured through:

• Program delivery effectiveness
• Budget utilization efficiency
• Donor compliance performance
• Team productivity improvements
• Community impact achievements
• Stakeholder satisfaction levels
• Successful grant acquisition
• Project sustainability outcomes
• Risk management effectiveness
• Organizational growth contributions

Why Join This Opportunity?

This role provides an opportunity to contribute directly to national development priorities while leading transformative programs that improve livelihoods and strengthen communities.

Professionals exploring jobs in Freetown, hiring in Sierra Leone, and executive-level opportunities in the development sector will find this position highly rewarding.

The successful candidate will gain exposure to international development practices, donor-funded initiatives, policy engagement, and large-scale program management.

For additional career opportunities and regional employment resources, visit:

https://sierraleonejobsearch.com/job-vacancy-in-sierra-leone/

Professionals interested in broader African recruitment opportunities may also explore development-sector vacancies and career resources through:

https://senegaljobsearch.com/job-vacancy-senegal/

Candidates involved in recruitment in Sierra Leone, hire in Sierra Leone, and job posting in Sierra Leone activities often utilize leading employment platforms to connect qualified professionals with organizations seeking experienced development leaders.

You may also review regional employment opportunities at:

https://namibiajobsearch.com/job-vacancy-in-namibia/

As the NGO sector continues to expand, demand for professionals seeking job in Sierra Leone, recruit in Sierra Leone, job portal in Sierra Leone, and vacancies in Freetown remains strong across development, governance, health, education, and community resilience programs.

Additional Africa-wide career opportunities can be found at:

https://botswanajobsearch.com/job-vacancy-in-botswana/

Application Process

Qualified candidates should submit:

• Updated CV/Resume
• Cover Letter
• Academic Certificates
• Professional Certifications
• Three Professional References

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.

Equal Opportunity Statement

SEND Sierra Leone is committed to diversity, inclusion, transparency, accountability, and equal employment opportunities. Applications from qualified women, persons with disabilities, and experienced development professionals are strongly encouraged.

SEND Sierra Leone works to improve rights, wellbeing, governance, health, nutrition, agriculture, and women’s empowerment outcomes across Sierra Leone.