Job Opportunity: Programme and Influencing Lead (INT11692).
JOB PURPOSE
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.
Operating under the Cluster Director, the role serves as the primary integrator of programme delivery, programme quality, knowledge systems, advocacy, communications, and regional policy engagement. It ensures that evidence generated through programming is systematically translated into policy influence, regional advocacy, strategic communications, and broader systems transformation. This role is therefore central to positioning Oxfam as a credible regional actor, convenor, and catalyst for justice across Southern Africa.
A core function of the role is direct leadership and management of a multi-disciplinary senior team, including Programme Managers and Advocacy leadership, while strategically aligning the SADC Civil Society Liaison function to ensure full coherence across programme implementation, influencing architecture, and regional civil society engagement.
Through strategic leadership, programme integration, thematic coherence, evidence stewardship, influencing systems, and people management, the Programme and Influencing Lead significantly strengthens Oxfam’s capacity to operate as a unified regional organisation capable of delivering transformative, partner-led, evidence-driven systems change across Southern Africa
As a member of the Cluster Leadership Team, contribute to the collective strategic leadership, governance, and management of the SAF Cluster, sharing responsibility for organisational performance, risk management, and delivery of the Cluster Strategy. Where domiciled within a programme hub, act under delegated authority as the senior Oxfam representative in that country, providing organisational stewardship and representing the Cluster in engagements with government institutions, partners, donors, coordination platforms, and other internal and external stakeholders, while ensuring alignment between regional priorities and country-level implementation.
Essential Qualifications
- 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 transformation
- Experience 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 region
- Knowledge of SADC and regional policy processes.
- Experience in feminist and decolonial approaches.
Representation and Communication
Essential
- Proven track record of success in representing an organization with partners, government agencies, private sector organizations, media and donors at senior level: nationally and globally.
- Demonstrable ability to convey complex messages in an appropriate manner to broad and diverse audiences.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills to motivate, influence and negotiate.
Desirable
- Proven track record of success in advocacy and influencin
- Demonstrable experience of working with the media and an ability to represent the organisation in the media if require
Finance and Funding
Essential
- Ability to maximise fundraising from diverse institutions, both local and international.
- High level financial and asset management skills to steer and efficiently manage the operational budget across a number of locations.
Risk and duty of care
Essential
- Experience of managing security, risk and legal compliance within an INGO context.
- Proven track record of making sound judgements in uncertain and pressurised situations.
- Able to anticipate and manage risks that could threaten the organisation’s reputation, operational viability and security.
Desirable
- Able to fulfil agreed standards in disaster preparedness, mitigation and management including humanitarian response activities for Category 2 emergencies.
- Experience of crisis management and security management.
Strategic Analytics
Essential
- Ability to manage the development of, and contribute to, the high-level analysis of factors driving poverty, marginalisation and vulnerability in developing country contexts.
- Ability to ‘think politically’ understanding motivations, pressures, power dynamics and challenges faced by colleagues, partners, decision makers and other actors; and the ability to generate effective strategies to influence them.
Desirable
- Proven analytical skills, with the ability to:
- Take and manage calculated risks based on evidence-based assumptions.
- Think strategically, to maximise adaptability and agility.
- encourage forward thinking, new ideas and learning from experience beyond the country and regional program context while acting within a global framework.
- Good level of IT literacy and an understanding of how new developments in technology can positively contribute to the aims of an INGO.
Key Attributes
- Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences and gender issues, as well as the commitment to equal opportunities.
- Ability to demonstrate an openness and willingness to learn about the application of gender/gender mainstreaming, women’s rights, and diversity for all aspects of development work.
- Commitment to Oxfam’s safeguarding policies to ensure all people who come into contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible.
Organisational Values:
- Accountability – Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions.
- Empowerment – Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen.
- Inclusiveness – We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences.
The closing date is Thursday, 06th August 2026.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Oxfam is an equal opportunities employer, we are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation.
If your qualifications meet the requirements, and believe in Oxfam values- please apply by visiting our website at : https://jobs.oxfam.org.uk/jobs/vacancy/programme-and-influencing-lead-int11692/24858/description/
