Program Manager. Nairobi. Posting Date: 02/10/2026. Deadline: 02/24/2026
Role Title: Program Manager
Contract Type: Regular
Reporting To: Program Director
Program/Department/Unit Name: Programs
Location: New York
Team Name: Security and Rights
The Security and Rights Opportunity aim to strengthen public safety in Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Kenya, and Nigeria by advancing peopleโcentred alternatives to punitive security approaches that undermine rights and disproportionately harm marginalized communities. Working with local communities, civil society, and governments, it aims to elevate citizen voices in shaping security policies, demonstrate effective communityโdriven safety models, promote rigorous civilian oversight of security institutions, develop holistic safety metrics, and cultivate public champions and coalitions that advocate for rightsโrespecting reforms. Over the next four years, it will connect local innovations to national, regional, and global policy arenas, counter fearโbased security narratives through strategic communications, and foster SouthโSouth knowledge exchange to support systemic, democratic, and inclusive approaches to public safety.
Role Purpose
The Security and Rights Opportunity is designed to mobilize teams, partners, and resources around the complex public safety challenges facing communities in Kenya, Nigeria, Colombia Brazil and Mexico. It supports the implementation of peopleโcentred approaches to safety that challenge securitized, punitive models and instead prioritize dignity, accountability, and the lived realities of affected communities. Working closely with colleagues and partners, the Program Manager will help execute the Opportunityโs strategy in Kenya and Nigeria specifically, supporting ongoing communityโlevel pilots, narrative interventions, strategic litigation efforts, and engagements with local and national actors. The role requires sustained attention to volatile and politically sensitive environments while enabling adaptive learning and collaboration across diverse partners.
The Program Manager will work jointly with other members of the team to manage dayโtoโday coordination with grantees and collaborators in Nairobi and Mombasa in Kenya, and Benue and Bayelsa States in Nigeria
Key responsibilities
Effectively manage the grant-making process by communicating with grantees for proposal submission, assisting in grant record preparation, grant processing, payments, reporting, and other related processes.
Manage relationships with partners, in close coordination with Geographic Policy Groups as relevant, and work with them to achieve OSFโs strategic objective through the opportunity.
Work collaboratively in developing, assessing, and revising program strategies.
Work with leadership to maintain grant-making practice aligned with OSF's approach to grant-making and in compliance with organizational and external standards and regulations.
Assist in the construction, maintenance, and assessment of grant making portfolio(s).
Contribute to larger opportunity strategy
Process and oversee progress of consultant contracts
Monitor progress implementation, project risks, and other relevant status updates and communicate to Director of Programs regularly
Key internal relationships
Director, Programs; Managing Director Programs; Core Security and Rights team members, Partners, Special Advisors, Grants Management, Operations
Key external relationships
External Partners
The ideal candidate
At least 7 years of professional experience working on issues connected to public safety, security sector accountability, communityโled safety models, or related areas in East and/or West Africa.
Direct experience working in Kenya and/or Nigeria, with a strong understanding of the sociopolitical and security landscapes in these contexts.
Prior experience supporting civil society organizations, movements, or community actors working to address state security abuses, community safety challenges, or rightsโbased security related reforms.
Experience operating within nonโprofit, multilateral, philanthropic, advocacy, research, or communityโbased environments.
Fluency in English, with proficiency in one or more local languages relevant to Kenya or Nigeria such as Swahili, Tiv or Ijaw or other widely used languages in the regions where the Opportunity