Program Manager at SOS Children’s Villages

Program Manager at SOS Children’s Villages

Program Manager

SOS Children’s Villages July 2025

Organization Overview

SOS Children’s Villages in Tanzania is a local non-governmental and non-denominational organization affiliated with SOS Children’s Villages International, a worldwide childcare organization that works to protect and care for children who have lost parental care and those at risk of losing it. SOS Children’s Villages currently operates Children’s Villages and other projects in 135 countries and territories, with programs in Zanzibar, Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, and Iringa since 1991. To achieve our mission and strategy, we focus on ensuring the best care for children, innovation, and effective collaboration with partners. Our core values guiding who we are and what we do include courage to take action, commitment to keep our promises, trust to believe in each other, and accountability to be reliable partners.

SOS Children’s Villages in Tanzania seeks to recruit suitably qualified candidates to fill the following vacant positions.Online job portal

Job Title: Program Manager

Duty Station: Mwanza

Reports to: Head of Programs

Job Summary

The Program Manager is responsible for overseeing the comprehensive development and implementation of the SOS Children’s Village Programme in alignment with the organization’s vision, mission, strategy, policies, and standards. The Program Manager serves as the representative of the organization to governmental and non-governmental stakeholders in the location, collaborating with functional staff at the National Office. The role also plays a crucial role in coordinating activities and interventions within the Children’s Village Programmes, ensuring the quality and effectiveness of services. Additionally, the Program Manager is tasked with ensuring the cost-efficiency of program implementation in the location and optimizing the use of resources.

Major Responsibilities

Programme Development and Management

Leads the development and implementation of the programmes in line with the SOS Children’s Villages care promise and related international and national SOS policies, strategies, quality standards, and guidelines.
Coordinates the strategic planning process as part of the National Association strategic direction to ensure that interventions are relevant to the local context, respond to the needs of the target group, and contribute to the development of sustainable social support systems.
Coordinates and ensures cooperation between all areas of work within the facilities.
Ensures efficiency through the best use and sharing of resources across the facilities.
Regularly prepares and submits reports on the implementation and progress of activities towards targets to relevant National Office functions.
Ensures that the Children’s Village Policy is supportive of the brand of the SOS Children’s Villages Organisation.

HR Management and Organizational Development

Establishes appropriate staffing patterns and ensures full staffing for all programmes with support from the National HR Department.
Leads the management of co-workers in the location.
Sets up and leads an effective management team.
Takes the lead on Performance Management system implementations.
Recommends the performance of the staff to the National HR function for the National Director’s decision.

Financial and Administrative Management

Builds accountability in the programme by ensuring the implementation of effective financial and administrative procedures, in accordance with defined policies, guidelines, and standards.
Leads the budgeting process in the location(s).
Monitors budget expenditures and conducts financial and content controlling of the programme, in order to ensure that funds are properly used, in cooperation with the Senior Accountant.
Continually looks for ways to provide quality services in a cost-effective manner.
Ensures that budgeting of maintenance costs (construction, repairs, renovation) for SOS property is carried out regularly.
Ensures technical work like execution, supervision, and procurement are carried out by competent staff, and makes sure that the procedures and policies are followed properly.
The Program Manager is overall accountable for allocated resources/assets of the organization.

Quality Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation

Responsible for quality management in the programme and ensures the implementation of national and international quality standards with support from the Head of Programs.
Monitors and implements the recommendations from national/international quality audits and evaluations.
Partnership Building, Advocacy, and Cooperation with External Stakeholders
Negotiates and can conclude agreements and contracts with partners/suppliers/state authorities by consulting and getting approval from the National Director.
Leads and coordinates cooperation, partnership building, and networking efforts of the programmes with local and national authorities and other external stakeholders with support from the Institutional and

Partnership Development Coordinator.

Represents, in support of relevant staff, the organization at relevant local networks, forums, platforms, campaigns, and working groups and advocates on behalf of the organization for the promotion of child rights, especially related to children from the target group.

Fund Development and Public Relations

Identifies potential income sources in cooperation with the Fundraising & Communications function in the National Office.
Strives for the highest possible level of programme self-financing with a focus on sustainability.
Prepares and submits proposals for projects in collaboration with National Office IPD Coordinator staff.

Academic Qualifications and Experiences

Bachelor’s degree in one or a combination of the following fields: Organizational Development, Child Development, Children and Youth Care Programming, Sociology, or Development Studies. A master’s degree in any of these fields will be considered an added advantage.
Working experience of at least 7 years, which should include at least 4–5 years working at managerial levels within reputable NGOs working in Tanzania.
Strong background in programming and project management.
Robust experience in Monitoring and Evaluation.
Strong background in proposal development and donor negotiation skills with a good track record of awarded proposals.
Strong leadership and interpersonal skills and group dynamics management skills.
Strong background in livelihoods and economic empowerment for the most vulnerable groups.
Ability to forge and manage partnerships with Government and Civil Society Organizations.
Ability to champion fundraising initiatives with experience in effective engagement of corporates.
The candidate should possess the emotional stability to lead and guide the large community of children and staff, maintaining the required high standards.
Ability to work under pressure.

How to Apply

Interested candidates for any of the above positions should submit an application letter via email, along with a detailed and updated CV that includes telephone contacts, email address, and details of at least 3 referees. The candidate MUST clearly indicate the title of the position applied for. Only candidates contacted for the interview will be required to submit copies of academic and professional certificates. The closing date is 27th July 2025.

To apply, please send your application to:

The National Director, SOS Children’s Villages
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
[email protected]

Please Note: SOS Children’s Villages Tanzania is an equal opportunity employer and committed to keeping children safe from abuse and harm, preventing all forms of harm to children, their families, and the community members. Therefore, candidates applying for this post will be subject to child safeguarding recruitment procedures and checks. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.