HuMENA – Call for Applications
Position
Programs Lead
Position Details
- Location: Remote
- Time Commitment: Full‑time (5 days / 40 hours per week)
- Contract Type: 12‑month consultancy (independent contractor)
- Duration: 12 months (renewable based on performance and funding)
- Reporting Line: Executive Director
- Start Date: 15 June 2026 (or earlier if available)
- Compensation: To be discussed with shortlisted candidates
About HuMENA
HuMENA for Human Rights and Civic Engagement is a non‑profit, non‑partisan human rights organisation rooted in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The organisation works to:
- Protect human rights defenders
- Strengthen civil society under repression and displacement
- Promote civic freedoms including expression, assembly, and participation
- Support activists, journalists, and grassroots organisers through advocacy, capacity‑building, and international engagement
About the Role
HuMENA is seeking a Programs Lead to strengthen:
- Internal coordination
- Project delivery
- Operational systems
The role ensures that projects, consultants, deliverables, and donor obligations are tracked, coordinated, and implemented effectively across the organisation.
Key Responsibilities
1. Project Coordination and Implementation
- Maintain oversight of all active projects, timelines, and deliverables
- Develop workplans, trackers, and calendars
- Identify and resolve delays and risks
- Prepare regular progress updates
- Ensure deliverables are completed and documented
2. Team and Consultant Coordination
- Coordinate internal meetings and follow‑ups
- Track tasks, timelines, and deliverables
- Support consultant onboarding and management
- Maintain consultant tracker (contracts, outputs, payments)
- Assist with recruitment processes
3. Operational Systems and Workflows
- Develop and maintain internal systems and trackers
- Standardise templates (workplans, reports, meeting notes)
- Improve documentation and file organisation
- Ensure visibility of tasks, responsibilities, and deadlines
4. Donor and Reporting Coordination
- Track donor reporting deadlines and requirements
- Coordinate inputs for reports and updates
- Align programmatic and financial documentation
- Maintain grant obligations tracker
5. Advocacy and Communications Coordination
- Coordinate timelines for advocacy outputs (reports, briefs, content)
- Review materials for clarity and consistency
- Track commitments related to campaigns and partnerships
- Support advocacy planning and coordination
6. Payment and Finance Follow‑up
- Track deliverables linked to payments
- Coordinate with Finance Officer on documentation
- Flag pending payments or gaps
First 60 Days Expectations
- Map all active projects, consultants, and obligations
- Build and operationalise project and consultant trackers
- Establish structured coordination routines and reporting
Required Qualifications and Experience
- Minimum 6 years’ experience in programme coordination, project management, or operations
- At least 3 years in senior/independent roles
- Experience with MENA‑focused human rights or civil society organisations
- Proven ability to build systems and workflows
- Experience managing multiple projects and stakeholders
- Fluency in Arabic and strong professional English
- Strong remote coordination and organisational skills
- Availability for occasional travel
Preferred Experience
- Experience in small or growing organisations
- Donor reporting and grant coordination
- Consultant recruitment and management
- Knowledge of civic space, human rights, or digital rights issues
- Familiarity with tools such as Google Workspace, Airtable, Notion, Asana, Trello, Slack
- French is an added advantage
Key Competencies
- Initiative and ownership
- Strong follow‑up and accountability
- Clear written communication (Arabic & English)
- Political judgment and discretion
- Ability to coordinate across teams without formal authority
Working Arrangement & Inclusion
- Fully remote position
- Preference for candidates in the MENA region or Global South
- Applications encouraged from:
- Women and LGBTQI+ individuals
- Persons with disabilities
- Refugees, migrants, and marginalised communities
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
Application Requirements
Submit:
- CV (maximum 3 pages)
- Cover letter (maximum 1 page)
- Two professional references
- One writing sample (or a short written response if necessary)
How to Apply
📧 Send applications to: [email protected]
📌 Subject line: Programs Lead — [Your Name]
Application Deadline
📅 21 May 2026 (Applications reviewed on a rolling basis – early submission encouraged)
Selection Process
Shortlisted candidates will undergo:
- Initial interview
- Practical assignment (approx. 90 minutes)
- Final interview
- Reference checks
Important Note
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.