Programmes Manager

VELLE; South Africa; Hybrid; ZAR 700,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Periodic field travel

Job summary

LEFA PRIMARY CO-OPERATIVE LIMITED (VELLE) is seeking a Program Manager to lead end-to-end planning, coordination, implementation and delivery of education and social impact programmes in South Africa. You will translate objectives into practical work-plans and guide teams of coordinators, facilitators, mentors and field staff.

You will manage stakeholder relationships with funders, government entities and partners while monitoring budgets, MEL indicators and compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Programme/Project Management or a related field.
• Postgraduate qualification in programme management, development, education, MEL or related area is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end planning and delivery of programmes.
• Coordinate and provide operational direction to programme teams.
• Monitor performance, budgets and governance against targets.

Skills

End-to-end planning

Coordination

Implementation

Delivery management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Postgraduate qualification advantageous

Tools

Power BI

Asana

Monday.com

KoboToolbox

Job description

LEFA PRIMARY CO-OPERATIVE LIMITED(Velle) | Full time

The Program Manager is responsible for end-to-end planning, coordination, implementation and delivery of Lefa Cooperative's programmes.

The role serves as the bridge between strategy and execution — translating organisational and funder objectives into practical work-plans, leading programme teams (Coordinators, Facilitators, Mentors, Field Teams), monitoring performance against targets, budgets and quality standards, and using MEL evidence to drive continuous improvement.

Key focus areas:

• Programme Delivery: Lead planning, implementation, performance tracking and close-out of programmes
  
• Team Leadership: Coordinate and provide operational direction to programme teams
  
• Stakeholder Management: Manage relationships with funders, government, schools and partners
  
• Finance & Risk: Monitor programme budgets, expenditure, risks, compliance and governance
  

The incumbent reports to the COO and works closely with Operations, Finance, HR, MEL and Technology.

In short:

You own delivery. You make sure programmes happen on time, on budget, on quality, and with evidence.

Requirements

Qualification

• A Bachelor’s degree in Programme/Project Management, Development Studies, Education, Social Sciences, Public Management, Business Management, Public Policy or another relevant qualification.
  
• A postgraduate qualification in programme management, development, education, MEL or a related field of study will be advantageous.
  

Experience

• Minimum 5 years’ relevant experience, including demonstrated experience in programme/project management and implementation.
  
• Opportunity to lead high-impact education and social impact programmes at scale
  
• Permanent / Fixed-term management-level role with growth path to Senior Management
  
• Hybrid work model with flexibility + periodic field travel
  
• Exposure to donor-funded programme management, MEL, EdTech and government stakeholder engagement
  
• Professional development — training in programme management, leadership, Power BI, project tools (Asana, Monday.com, KoboToolbox)
  
• Collaborative, purpose-driven culture focused on bridging the digital skills gap in South Africa
  
• Competitive market-related salary
  
• Access to LEFA / VELLE technology platforms and innovation tools