Senior Program Officer, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)

Core Responsibilities

The Senior Program Officer will implement regional funding programs supporting Wikimedian communities in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Funding Strategy & Portfolio Management

• Implement grantmaking strategy considering community needs, opportunities, movement trends, and regional geopolitical/cultural context.
• Analyze regional/global patterns to shape funding rationales and priorities.
• Design program activities with colleagues for scalable impact.
• Manage, implement, and monitor the regional grant portfolio to ensure alignment with strategy, criteria, and impact goals.
• Lead annual grant planning: identify grantees, review proposals, co-develop funding rationales, and conduct organizational assessments.
• Collaborate across Foundation teams to support funding program objectives.
• Represent the Foundation internally/externally as an ambassador for regional insights.

Committee Development

• Build, onboard, and develop regional funding committees for transparent decision-making.
• Set agendas and facilitate inclusive funding deliberations.
• Provide context and synthesize committee feedback into funding recommendations.
• Offer constructive feedback to applicants/grantees on funding outcomes.

Community & Funding Partner Management

• Build trust-based relationships with communities, grantees, and applicants across the region.
• Understand community dynamics and support conflict resolution.
• Strengthen grantee partners through best practices and resources.
• Design convenings, collaborations, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
• Engage regional philanthropic spaces to advance mission-aligned philanthropy.

Evaluation and Learning

• Review grantee progress via conversations, reports, and site visits.
• Review and approve grant reports, offering guidance and support.
• Identify trends/gaps from grantmaking data to inform strategy.
• Share learnings with colleagues, committees, and movement partners.

Skills and Experience

Solid knowledge of trust-based philanthropy and participatory decision-making required. 5+ years in grantmaking, international contexts, and nonprofit capacity building preferred.

• Strong strategic, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage high-complexity projects.
• Proven ability to facilitate volunteer communities and negotiate complex discussions.
• Open, transparent communication style.
• Willingness to accommodate global scheduling requirements.
• Proven English proficiency in written/spoken communication.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity.
• Global perspective with significant international experience.
• Potential for 1-3 international trips/year.

Preferred: Experience with online communities, passion for Wikimedia projects, proficiency in another language.