Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Contract: Fixed-term contract (24 months)
Hours: 35 per week
Salary: £47,229 per annum, plus monthly allowances of £ 1,627.13
Status: Accompanied
Are you passionate about strengthening locally led humanitarian action and driving equitable partnerships across West and Central Africa? Do you thrive in roles that combine technical expertise, strategic influence, and hands-on collaboration with National Societies? If you’re looking for an opportunity to shape the future of partnership and capacity development across one of the world’s most challenging humanitarian environments, this could be your next step.
About the Role
As the National Society Development (NSD) Technical Lead – West & Central Africa, you’ll play a key role in shaping and advancing the British Red Cross’s (BRC) work on localisation and National Society Development across the region.
Based in Abuja, Nigeria, you’ll provide technical guidance and coordination to strengthen the organisational capacity and leadership of National Societies in Nigeria, Chad, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso. You’ll champion equitable, locally led partnership models and help embed sustainable and accountable practices across all BRC collaborations in the region, working in line with the IFRC NSD Competency Framework.
Working closely with the Africa & Overseas Branches regional team, the WCA Regional Representative, the East & Southern Africa NSD Technical Lead, the BRC Senior NSD Adviser, and the IFRC NSD Senior Officer in Abuja, you will drive BRC’s agenda on National Society Development, oversee partner reassessment and review processes, and actively influence Movement-wide approaches to localisation and shifting power.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide technical advice and coaching to National Society leadership to identify and prioritise NSD opportunities where BRC can add value.
- Support the design, implementation, and monitoring of NSD Plans in close coordination with Movement partners and external technical expertise.
- Oversee BRC NSD funding contributions, ensuring sound financial management, accountability, and impact-driven reporting.
- Lead and coordinate BRC’s Partner Reassessment and Annual Review processes across West & Central Africa in line with BRC’s localised, equitable partnership model.
- Champion BRC’s localisation agenda, actively influencing power-shifting practices across the RCM network in West & Central Africa.
- Identify and disseminate organisational learning from BRC-supported NSD initiatives to strengthen collective practice and inform global policy.
About the team
The West & Central Africa team sits within BRC’s International Directorate, as part of the Global Partnerships & Programmes Department. The team coordinates bilateral and multilateral support to National Societies across the region, contributing to humanitarian response, resilience, and long-term organisational development. This role is based in the Abuja office and will involve regular travel across West & Central Africa, including to countries classified as high-risk, and to the UK.
As a member of the International Directorate you will be part of a directorate responsible for BRC’s international humanitarian response and disaster management, support to resilience programmes and organisational development of our partner Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world. The work of the International Directorate also includes humanitarian policy and advocacy activities and upholding and promoting International Humanitarian Law. British Red Cross’ international work is carried out in coordination and partnership with the International Red Cross & Red Crescent Movement.
About the person
You’ll bring substantial experience in organisational development, partnership management, and localisation, gained within the humanitarian or international development sectors. You’ll be confident navigating complex, politically sensitive environments and experienced in facilitating change and capacity strengthening at both institutional and individual levels.
To be successful, you’ll have:
- Extensive experience in Organisational Development of local civil society organisations, with a demonstrable track record of supporting organisational change and impact.
- Strong programme and grant management skills, with experience overseeing complex, multi-partner portfolios.
- Proven ability to influence, convene, and collaborate across diverse stakeholders, with strong diplomacy, negotiation, and political and cultural sensitivity.
- Proven analytical skills and strategic thinking, with the ability to act as a knowledge broker across the Movement.
- Fluency in both English and French (written and spoken): this is essential.
- Demonstrated commitment to the IFRC NSD Competency Framework, including trust and relationship building, systems thinking, and fostering sustainable change
- Experience in the private sector would be an advantage
Knowledge of the West & Central African humanitarian landscape, experience within the Red Cross & Red Crescent Movement, and familiarity with OD tools such as OCAC, BOCA, and SAF are all desirable.
Please read the full Role Profile/Job Description for more information about this vacancy including responsibilities and the full person specification.
Please note that due to legal contracting restrictions, we are unfortunately unable to consider applications from Nigerian nationals.
Closing date for applications is 23:59 UK time, 12 April 2026, with interviews scheduled to take place shortly after.
Should you have any questions on this role please email us at [email protected] quoting the job title.
We offer a wide range of staff benefits, these include:
- Accommodation while on deployment
- Subsistence allowances while overseas
- Travel to and from the country of posting, plus long service flights
- Comprehensive insurance, including medical, personal effects and life insurance
- Pre and post assignment medicals and access to excellent health and wellbeing benefits
- Access to a pension, which you can join at any time during your contract
- Generous leave entitlement (36 days incl. public holidays)
Click here to learn more about British Red Cross’ work internationally
A little bit more about us…
The British Red Cross help anyone, anywhere in the UK and overseas; get the support they need if crisis strikes.
Our organisation was born out of a desire to bring help without discrimination.
Impartiality and neutrality have been central values for the Red Cross since we started.
At the British Red Cross, we are looking for the best people to help us provide support to millions of people affected by crisis in the UK. We want our team to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, offering equal opportunities to everyone, regardless of; age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
Diversity is something we celebrate, and we want you to be able to bring your authentic-self to the Red Cross. We want you to feel that you are in an inclusive environment, and a great position to help us spread the power of kindness.
In the British Red Cross we will not tolerate any form of misconduct, including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse. We have a code of conduct in place, and are committed to creating a culture of integrity in the organisation where misconduct is not tolerated, situations of abuse are quickly investigated and perpetrators are dealt with effectively.
British Red Cross also participates in the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme for roles within the International Directorate. In line with the scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.
If you are appointed to a role within BRC you will be subject to the organisation’s Code of Conduct, a copy of which you can find on our website.
As part of its recruitment and selection process the British Red Cross undertakes DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checking of all individuals who regularly work with or have access to children and vulnerable adults.
If driving is an essential requirement of the role, appropriate driver checks will be completed in line with current policy.
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