VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
Position: Head of Program Area
Vacant positions: One (01)
Type of contract: Fixed term
Working location: Byumba Program Area
Supervisor: Director of Strategy & Programs Implementation
Deadline: 22nd October 2026
Context of the position:
SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda is an independent member association affiliated to the SOS Federation. SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda leverages existing community resources to strengthen quality childcare and protection through a holistic continuum of care tailored to orphans, vulnerable children, and their families. SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda actively advocates for the promotion of childcare and child protection. In Rwanda, SOS Children’s Villages operates in four Program Areas based in Gasabo, Gicumbi, Kayonza and Nyamagabe. To further fulfil the above-mentioned responsibilities, SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda is seeking for a competent Head of Program Area for its Byumba Program Area.
JOB PURPOSE
The Head of Program Area leads the overall development and implementation of an SOS Children’s Villages Programme Area (CVP) and represents SOS CV towards governmental and non-governmental stakeholders in the Program Area.
She/he coordinates the CVP activities and interventions and ensures quality and effectiveness of services through quality assurance and optimal use of resources.
As a member of the National Management team, he/she participates in all NMT meetings and activities
Main clients:
- Government representatives, stakeholders, private sector in the program area
- National Director, Director of Strategy & Programs Implementation
- All NMT members
- Program Area Units Manager and Coordinators
- Other Program Area Coordinators
Key Performance Areas and Main Responsibilities:
Programme development and management
- Contributes to programmes development and leads the implementation of programmes in the Program Area in line with the SOS Care Promise and related international and national SOS policies, strategies, quality standards, and guidelines.
- Leads the implementation of the programme management cycle including the CVP planning process as part of MA annual and strategic planning to ensure that interventions arerelevant to the localcontext, 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 CVP (specialized as well as general support work).
- Regularly reports on CVP activities and progress towards targets to Director of Strategy & Programs Implementation and relevant National Office functions.
- Promotes child protection initiatives at the CVP location including response in emergencies
- Ensures that the CVP is supportive to the identity of the SOS Children’s Villages Organization.
- Develop and implement program area strategies aligned with national goals
- Lead annual planning, budgeting, and target setting
- Ensure programs follow SOS policies and standards
People Management
- In collaboration with Head of HROD she/he establishes appropriate staffing patterns and ensures full staffing of the CVP.
- Leads Programme Units Coordinators in managing staff in the Program Area
- Ensures compliance of the HR Cycle in the CVP following national and legal requirements.
- Participates in the recruitment and on boarding of the Programme units’ coordinators and programme staff in the location, as well as provides input into annual performance appraisals
- Coordinates CVP management team.
- Facilitates cooperation and information flow between National Office staff and their counterparts in the location (according to the national annual plan, job descriptions and NMT agreed procedures).
Financial and Administrative Management
- Ensures efficient and transparent financial management at the Location as the overall location budget holder
- Leads the budgeting process in the location and monitors budget expenditures in cooperation with Programme Units Coordinators and Finance staff at national and local levels in order to ensure that funds are properly used.
- Continually looks for ways to provide quality services in a cost-effective manner.
- Ensures efficiency through best use/sharing of resources across different programme units.
- Ensures SOS CV procedures are adhered to in all administration, logistics and maintenance activities of the Program Area
- The Head of Program Area is overall accountable for good facility maintenance of the CVP Location; Technical work like execution, supervision and procurement are carried out by competent staff.
Quality Management, Monitoring and Evaluation
- Is overall responsible for quality management in the CVP Location and ensures the implementation of national and international quality standards with guidance and monitoring from function staff in the National Office.
- Monitors the implementation of recommendations from national and international quality audits and evaluations.
- Ensures programme data is accurate and timely reported
Partnership building, advocacy and cooperation with external stakeholders.
- Negotiates and concludes agreements and contracts with state authorities and other organizations with a power of attorney given by the National Director.
- Coordinates cooperation, partnership building, and networking efforts of the CVP with local and national authorities and other external stakeholders.
Fundraising and Public Relations
- Promotes the organization in the public and identifies potential income sources in cooperation with the Fund Development & Partnership function in the National Office and/or the National Director.
- Coordinate’s location self-financing initiatives within the frame of targets agreed during the strategic planning process.
Data Protection policy awareness and compliance
Work in collaboration with HR, Strategic Planning & MEAL and other departments to facilitate all staff to be aware of data protection policy and its implementation to ensure; At all times the personal data of donors, sponsors, SOS CV beneficiaries and their families as well as SOS co-workers is handled confidentially and in accordance with prevailing SOS-Kinder Dorf International data protection rules and regulations.
Required Qualification
- Bachelor’s degree in project management, social sciences (e.g. social work, sociology, education, rural development, psychology, Business Administration, etc). Having a Master ‘s Degree will be an added value
- At least 5 successive years working with International NGOs and managing projects funded by international donors. Prior experience managing children-focussed interventions adds value
Required Competencies
- Ability to build networks, work independently, self-organised, innovative, fulfil commitments and meet deadline
- Fluent in English and Kinyarwanda. Good communication in French will be added value. Excellent written and verbal communication in English is a requirement.
- Ability to develop guidelines and tools and oversee their implementation.
How to apply
The interested Candidates in this position should send a detailed Curriculum Vitae with three (3) traceable professional references, application letter, Rwandan national Identity Card and academic certificates/degrees to sos.recruitment@sos-rwanda.org and properly fill the application form found via the following LINK by not later than 22nd October 2026 at 5:00 pm Kigali time.
Please mention in the subject of your email “Head of Program Area”.
Female candidates are encouraged to apply, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
“SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda/ International holds strict child safeguarding principles and a zero-tolerance policy for conducts of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse in the workplace and other places where the organization’s activities are rendered. Parallel to technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring decisions will give due emphasize to assessing candidates value congruence and thorough background checks, police clearance reference check processes”.
Done in Kigali on 14th October 2026.
Jean Bosco KWIZERA
National Director