Head of Programmes – Mali Country Programme

About the role

Welthungerhilfe, a German private organisation for development cooperation and humanitarian aid, is hiring a Head of Programmes for its Mali country office in Bamako. The post starts in February 2027, is paid according to Salary Group 8 and is supervised by the Country Director. It combines programme development and resource mobilisation, with accountability for technical coherence, programme quality and portfolio oversight.

Key responsibilities

• Act as a strategic thought partner to the Country Director, shaping the country programme's direction, partnerships and opportunities together with the Head of Operations.
• Lead the development of a prioritised funding pipeline, from identifying opportunities and building relationships through to proposal development, and recommend which to pursue, reshape or decline.
• Build sustained engagement with donors, institutional partners and potential consortium members, turning conversations into concrete collaboration and funding opportunities.
• Develop substantive partnerships with national and local organisations, involving them in defining priorities and approaches.
• Protect programme quality and promote learning, keeping delivery management, technical advice and quality monitoring separate and acting on MEAL findings and community feedback.
• Build a national pool of technical specialists and MEAL capacity, allocating support according to programme needs and complexity.
• Work with the Heads of Operations and Finance so that programme design and budgets reflect realistic delivery requirements and shared costs.
• Coach colleagues, delegate meaningfully and model accountability.

Required profile

• University or college degree in a relevant field.
• Relevant regional experience in the Sahel.
• Systems and programme thinking approach.
• Experience with donors ECHO, BMZ, GFFO and ideally KfW.
• Strong communication and writing skills in French and English.

Applications are submitted through the online recruiting system by 31 October 2026; applicants offered employment are screened against lists of known and suspected terrorists.