Program Coordinator Global Drylands and Livelihoods Initiative at World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

Duties and responsibilities

Programme Development, Coordination and Delivery

• Support the Program Lead in designing, coordinating, and adapting programme components, objectives and outputs. 
• Manage and update an overarching workplan and lead cross-team coordination across regions.
• Translate strategy into implementable action plans with clear roles, sequencing and delivery timelines.
• Facilitate workstream integration and run regular internal team meetings to track progress and foster ownership of deliverables
• Support workstream leads in translating high-level objectives into actionable work plans and deliverables.
• Support the development and dissemination of learning and knowledge products, including synthesis briefs, reports, and partner case studies.

Strategic Planning, Monitoring & Learning

• Monitor delivery progress and prepare internal tracking systems, KPIs and briefing materials.
• Coordinate annual and quarterly work planning processes across all outputs in close collaboration with Programme Lead.
• Support adaptive learning across the programme including internal reflection, after-action reviews, and documentation of lessons learned in close collaboration with the M&E Officer and our Quality 4 Impact Team.
• Ensure cross-team coherence between strategic plans and documentation across knowledge generation, advocacy, and field implementation.
• Align internal planning cycles with donor reporting timelines and strategic milestones.
• Lead preparation of documentation including annual narrative reporting and Steering Committee Documentation and minutes.

Budgeting and Financial Oversight

• Monitor programme budget and lead regular budget tracking, in close collaboration with CIFOR-ICRAF Finance staff and the Admin Officer.
• Facilitate semi-annual budgeting processes for the overall programme in close coordination with Programme Lead.
• Preparing for engagement of audit reviews and quality assurance procedures.
• Assist in identifying new resource mobilization opportunities with the Programme Lead and key partners.

Strategic Partner Management and Donor Reporting.

• Lead Thrivelands’ stakeholder mapping and relationship management with government bodies, DFIs, donors, NGOs and private-sector allies to secure technical, in-kind and financial support and stewarding ongoing engagement.
• Draft and manage LOAs, subcontracts, and scopes of work with implementing partners.
• Identify and assess new and non-traditional implementation partners with strong local roots or unique scaling potential, evaluating their strategic fit, credibility, and alignment with Program objectives.
• Coordinate partner deliverables, timelines, and check-ins.
• Ensure partner reporting aligns with log frame outputs, internal progress tracking tools and donor expectations.
• Support strategic convenings, outreach activities, and learning exchanges with implementing partners.

Requirements

• A strong academic foundation -a Master’s degree in environmental science, natural resource management, agriculture, development, humanitarian studies, economics or a similar field.
• At least 4 years of experience in programme or project coordination in a non-profit, development, or private sector context.
• Proven ability to manage work plans, complex project timelines and deliverables across distributed teams.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, with a proactive approach to managing competing priorities.
• High attention to detail, excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Comfort with remote collaboration, project management and communication tools.
• Additional language skills (French, Spanish, Swahili, Portuguese) a plus.