Vacancy: Program Officer – Adolescent Life Skills (East Africa)
Organization: Echidna Giving
Location: Remote/Hybrid – Preference for Tanzania, Uganda, or Kenya
Application Deadline: Rolling Basis (Early applications encouraged)
Start Date: Targeted for August 2025 (earlier availability is a plus)
Compensation: Competitive and reflective of experience
Type: Full-Time
About Echidna Giving
Echidna Giving is a private philanthropic fund focused exclusively on getting more girls into better schools to live better lives. They believe that educating girls is one of the few self-reinforcing interventions in global development.
- Echidna is committed to quality, gender-responsive education in lower-income countries.
- With the aim to give away $6 billion over the next 35 years, the organization plans to increase its annual grantmaking to $200 million.
- Echidna maintains a small, senior team to manage strategy and execution, striving for high-impact, context-responsive giving.
Learn more:
www.echidnagiving.org
About the Vacancy
Echidna Giving is seeking a Program Officer to lead its Adolescent Life Skills strategy in East Africa. The role includes developing regional strategies, managing a growing portfolio of grants, and supporting locally-led systems change.
- The Program Officer will collaborate with teams working on Early Childhood Development and Primary Foundational Learning.
- The role will be remote/hybrid, with 20–40% travel expected annually (including onboarding in the Bay Area and regional travel across East Africa).
Key Responsibilities
Develop & Execute Grantmaking Strategy (70%)
- Build and refine a region-specific Adolescent Life Skills strategy focused on systems change.
- Manage an active portfolio of ~18 grants, expanding to 20–30 over time.
- Identify and support new grantees that align with Echidna’s goals, especially locally led organizations.
- Evaluate grant proposals (programs, budgets, metrics, leadership).
- Draft funding recommendations and represent them at quarterly Board meetings.
- Act as a primary point of contact for grantees.
- Support grantee success beyond funding, including networking and visibility support.
- Provide strategic input and share knowledge with fellow Program Officers.
External Relationship Building & Leadership (30%)
- Maintain trusted relationships with:
- Grantees
- Funders
- Researchers
- Policymakers
- Other education and gender equality actors
- Enable leadership growth on Adolescent Life Skills in the region.
- Represent Echidna at events, donor collaboratives, and conferences.
- Stay informed about current trends in education, gender equity, and East Africa’s policy landscape.
- Collaborate on improving internal practices aligned with Echidna’s values and strategy.
Candidate Profile
Echidna is seeking a senior-level professional with experience in education and a strong commitment to gender equity.
Required:
- 12+ years of professional experience, including 5+ years in decision-making roles
- Technical knowledge of Adolescent Life Skills
- Deep understanding of the political economy of education in East Africa
- Experience working in NGO, government, or philanthropy sectors
- Ability to:
- Synthesize information and make sound decisions
- Analyze evidence and research
- See big-picture strategy and apply it practically
- Communicate clearly and respectfully with diverse audiences
- Strong organizational skills and ability to work independently
- High emotional intelligence, maturity, and flexibility
Preferred:
- Strong networks in East Africa (especially Tanzania, Uganda, or Kenya)
- Experience in:
- Gender-transformative education programming
- Leadership or organizational development
- Philanthropy
- Background or interest in girls’ rights
- Humor and collaborative spirit appreciated!
Echidna Giving’s Principles
Echidna Giving prioritizes:
- Trust-based philanthropy
- Long-term, flexible funding
- Local leadership and community expertise
- Reduced administrative burden for grantees
- Open, honest communication
- Learning through measured risks
- Continuous feedback and improvement
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
Explore more:
Our Principles
Grantee Feedback
How to Apply
Echidna Giving has partnered exclusively with Shortlist for this recruitment.
To apply, refer someone, or ask questions, contact:
- Ashbira Singh – Associate Partner
ashbira@shortlist.net
LinkedIn - Alisha Coelho – Talent Consultant
alisha@shortlist.net
LinkedIn
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Early applications are highly encouraged for immediate consideration.
For more opportunities, visit the Opportunities for Youth‘s website!
