Programme Officer (Somalia Programme)

About the Role

DG ECHO is seeking a national staff member to join as a Programme Officer for the Somalia Programme, based in Nairobi, Kenya. The role focuses on supporting effective humanitarian response, programme oversight, partner coordination, and strategic analysis within the Somalia humanitarian context.

DG ECHO supports humanitarian relief for people affected by natural disasters and conflict outside the European Union, working through a wide network of partners including UN agencies, the Red Cross/Red Crescent movement, and NGOs. Assistance is delivered impartially and without discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, nationality, or political affiliation.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development of DG ECHO’s overall strategy, policy direction, and thematic working groups.
• Assess partner funding proposals and track project implementation against the approved intervention strategy, providing advice where needed.
• Prepare fiche-ops and submit them to the relevant Head of Office or Technical Assistant for review.
• Work with policy specialists in the regional office or headquarters to check compliance with policy requirements.
• Coordinate with partners to refine and finalise proposals after appraisal approval from headquarters.
• Review interim and final partner reports and provide recommendations to DG ECHO as appropriate.
• Monitor local and regional developments that may affect the humanitarian situation, and prepare analytical reports covering political, economic, and security factors.
• Support the Head of Office/Technical Assistant during emergency responses.
• Provide backstopping support and surge capacity when required.
• Advise on the operational capacity of implementing partners.
• Monitor DG ECHO visibility requirements and maintain proactive communication with partners in line with contract guidelines.
• Support the design and appraisal of integrated, people-centred programming and system-wide enablers relevant to the Somalia humanitarian response.
• Use public health expertise to independently review epidemiological surveillance, monitoring and evaluation, and digital tracking/reporting systems for relevant actions.
• Help coordinate health and nutrition partners in line with ECHO Somalia strategic objectives.
• Carry out any other duties assigned by the Technical Assistant, Head of Office, regional office, or headquarters.

Requirements

• A relevant second-level university degree, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience at national or international level in programme or project operations.
• At least 2 of those years should be with an NGO, donor, or a national/international organisation.
• Strong familiarity with the EU humanitarian aid system.
• Good knowledge of international NGOs, UN aid agencies, and the Red Cross movement.
• Clear understanding of humanitarian aid principles, policies, and standards.
• Strong report-writing and drafting ability.
• Comfortable using computers and office software such as MS Word and Excel.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Excellent Somali language skills.
• Arabic language knowledge is considered an advantage.
• Ability to work effectively with people, build strong working relationships, deliver high-quality results, and demonstrate sound humanitarian values and compliance with DG ECHO procedures.

Additional Information

This position is for nationals and other residents of Kenya who hold valid permanent residence permits. The recruitment process follows equal opportunity principles and supports diversity, gender balance, work-life balance, training, and development.

The assignment is expected to start with an initial one-year contract, with the possibility of renewal, subject to a three-month probation period and a positive annual performance review. The indicative monthly basic salary is KES 555,077, corresponding to 5 years of experience and subject to local tax rules. Pay will be adjusted based on documented relevant experience, with two years of relevant experience counting as one step in the salary grid. Additional benefits include disability/retirement allowance, a 13th month salary, and medical coverage.

Applicants must submit a cover letter, detailed CV, copy of education certificate/degree/diploma, and copies of relevant previous employment certificates. Shortlisted candidates may be placed on a reserve list for up to 12 months for similar openings. Canvassing, solicitation, or attempts to influence the process will lead to disqualification. Employment is also subject to DG ECHO’s National Staff Code of Conduct and applicable EU personal data protection rules.

The vacancy announcement states that applications should be submitted by 21/04/2026 at 18:00, and that candidates who have not been contacted by 30/06/2026 should consider themselves unsuccessful.