Director - Program and Operations

Job Description

Title: Director - Program and Operations

Company Name: Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers` Association (BNWLA)

Vacancy: --

Age: Na

Job Location: Dhaka

Salary: Negotiable

Experience:

• 12 to 15 years
• The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO

• Master of Development Studies (MDS)
• Master of Social Science (MSS)
• Master of Law (LLM)

• Master’s degree in Development Studies, Social Sciences, Law, or related field and advanced degree is preferable.

• 12 to 15 years
• The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO

• At least 12–15 years of progressively responsible experience in program and operations management in NGO/INGO sector, including 8+ years in senior leadership.

• Proven experience in managing multi-sectoral programs and large donor-funded projects (SDC, USAID, EU, UN, etc.).

• Strong knowledge of project cycle management, financial oversight, HR, and operations.

• Demonstrated ability in partnership development, resource mobilization, and donor engagement.

• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.

• Fluency in Bangla and English (written and spoken).

• Core Competencies

• Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Strong leadership with integrity and accountability.

• Ability to manage complexity and work under pressure.

• Commitment to gender equality, human rights, and social justice.

• Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh (in BNWLA Head Office)

Reports to: President, BNWLA and Matrix reporting to General Secretary-BNWLA

Supervises: Program/Project Managers/Coordinators, M&E Manager, Finance & Admin Manager, and Operations Team

Level/Grade: II

Contract Type: Full-time

Position Summary

The Director – Program and Operations is a senior leadership position responsible for providing strategic direction, technical oversight, and operational management for the organization’s programs and projects in Bangladesh. The role ensures program quality, operational efficiency, Fund raising and HR mobilization, Cooperate with BNWLA’s Legal Cell, compliance with donor regulations, and alignment with the organization’s mission and strategic priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Program Management

• Lead the design, planning, implementation, and monitoring of all programs to ensure they are impactful, sustainable, and aligned with organizational strategies, vision, mssion.

• Provide guidance to program/project managers in developing annual work plans, budgets, and implementation strategies.

• Ensure programmatic interventions are rights-based, gender-sensitive, and inclusive of marginalized groups.

• Drive innovation, learning, and scaling-up of successful models. 25%

• Donor Mapping, Proposal Development & Grant Acquisition

• Research, identify, and prioritize potential donors (institutional, corporate, foundations, and individual philanthropists).

• Build and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective donors through regular communication, updates, and engagement events.

• Maintain a donor database and ensure timely follow-ups.

• Lead the development of high-quality concept notes, proposals, and budgets in collaboration with program and finance teams.

• Ensure proposals are compliant with donor guidelines and align with organizational capacity and priorities.

• Track calls for proposals, donor opportunities, and funding trends 35%

• Operations & Compliance

• Oversee day-to-day operations including administration, HR, logistics, procurement, and finance including but not limit to recruitment, staff appraisal.

• Ensure effective internal control systems, risk management, and compliance with donor requirements, government regulations, and organizational policies.

• Coordinate with Finance to oversee program budgets expenditures, and financial reporting.

• Ensure organizational visibility and communications 20%

• Team Management & Capacity Building

• Provide leadership, coaching, and mentoring to program and operations staff.

• Ensure recruitment, training, and retention of high-performing staff.

• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning within the organization. 10%

• Partnership & Networking

• Maintain strong relationships with donors, government agencies, civil society, and other stakeholders.

• Lead proposal development and resource mobilization efforts in collaboration with the President and General Secretary.

• Represent the organization in relevant forums, networks, and advocacy platforms. 5%

• Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL)

• Lead to develop organizational Annual and other reports as and when required by the donors

• Ensure effective monitoring and evaluation systems are in place to track progress and measure impact.

• Oversee documentation, research, and knowledge management to inform program development and advocacy.

• Foster evidence-based decision-making and adaptive program management. 5%

• Salary: Negotiable as per organizational policy