IRC Jobs 2026: Program Development and Awards Advisor – Two Positions in West and Central Africa
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is recruiting two Program Development and Awards Advisors (PDAAs) to support humanitarian and development programmes across its West and Central Africa Region (WACAR). These opportunities are open to qualified candidates based in WACAR countries or other IRC locations within the GMT and EAT time zones.
The positions offer an opportunity for experienced humanitarian and development professionals to contribute to programme funding, donor compliance, award management and strategic business development across a diverse regional portfolio.
Job Summary
- Organisation: International Rescue Committee (IRC)
- Position: Program Development and Awards Advisor (PDAA)
- Number of positions: 2
- Region: West and Central Africa (WACAR)
- Location eligibility: WACAR countries and other IRC locations in GMT and EAT time zones
- Date posted: 30 October 2026
- Application deadline: 30 November 2026
- UK salary range: £52,210–£58,000
- Travel requirement: Approximately 15%
About the International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee is an international humanitarian organisation founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein. It works in more than 40 countries and 29 cities across the United States, supporting people affected by conflict and disaster.
The organisation focuses on restoring health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and the ability of vulnerable communities to influence decisions affecting their lives.
The Program Development and Awards Advisors will work within the Crisis Response, Recovery and Development Department (CRRD), specifically supporting the Awards Management Unit and Regional Program and Award Support team.
About the Positions
The IRC is seeking two experienced professionals to oversee a portfolio of humanitarian, recovery and development awards across the West and Central Africa Region.
The successful candidates will provide technical guidance to country programmes throughout the award management cycle. This includes ensuring compliance with institutional donor requirements, supporting high-quality donor reporting, managing contractual issues and strengthening relationships with donors and implementing partners.
An important part of the role will also involve supporting country offices to secure new funding. Advisors will contribute to the full business development process, from identifying funding opportunities and building partnerships to coordinating proposals, conducting quality assurance and supporting contract negotiations.
The roles cover countries including Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Niger and Nigeria.
Key Responsibilities
1. Awards Management and Donor Compliance
The advisors will:
- Manage an assigned portfolio of awards across the WACAR region.
- Guide country offices on donor compliance, reporting and post-award requirements.
- Support budget realignments, changes in project scope and contract amendments.
- Maintain effective communication with donors on contractual matters and implementation updates.
- Review and support partnership agreements and sub-grants.
- Monitor project expenditure and help address under-spending and over-spending.
- Ensure award documentation is properly maintained and ready for audits.
- Provide training, mentoring and technical guidance to country-level grants and partnerships teams.
2. Business Development and Proposal Support
The successful candidates will also:
- Identify and support new funding opportunities in the humanitarian and development sectors.
- Help country offices develop donor engagement and positioning strategies.
- Coordinate proposal development processes and ensure submission deadlines are met.
- Support budget development and review proposal documents for quality and compliance.
- Work with technical teams and country offices to develop competitive project proposals.
- Coordinate inputs from consortium and implementing partners.
- Support proposal reviews, internal approvals and award negotiations.
- Organise post-submission reviews to identify lessons for future funding opportunities.
Qualifications and Experience
Applicants should have a degree, preferably in a field relevant to the IRC’s work, such as International Relations, Refugee or Migration Studies, Development Studies or Public Policy. Equivalent experience may also be considered.
Candidates should demonstrate:
- Fluency in both English and French, spoken and written.
- A strong understanding of humanitarian assistance and development programming.
- Experience with institutional donor compliance requirements.
- Knowledge of donor rules and regulations, including those of UN agencies, the World Bank, US government and European government donors.
- Experience developing funding proposals and working with bilateral and multilateral donors.
- Strong financial management and budgeting skills.
- Experience preparing, reviewing and editing narrative and financial reports.
- Experience collaborating with local partner organisations.
- Excellent analytical, organisational and communication skills.
- The ability to work independently and support geographically dispersed teams.
International work experience in the Global South is an advantage.
Applicants must also be willing to undertake international travel, sometimes at short notice and to insecure locations.
Salary and Benefits
For positions based in the United Kingdom, the advertised salary range is £52,210 to £58,000.
The IRC indicates that compensation is determined by factors including the candidate’s work location, relevant experience, skills, labour market conditions, internal equity and available budget.
The vacancy information does not specify a single salary applicable to all eligible locations.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit their applications through the International Rescue Committee’s official recruitment platform.
Visit the IRC careers website and search for Program Development and Awards Advisor, WACAR to locate the vacancy and access the application instructions.
Candidates should ensure that they meet the language requirements and have relevant experience in donor compliance, award management and humanitarian or development funding.
Application deadline: 30 November 2026.
Applications are encouraged from qualified professionals based in West and Central African countries and other eligible IRC locations within the specified time zones.
