İstanbul Hibrit Deputy Program Manager

JOB POST

Deputy Program Manager

REF: DPMHQ2512

Support to Life:  We are an internationally recognized humanitarian organization that aims to ensure disaster-affected communities have access to their basic rights and needs. Founded in 2005 by humanitarian professionals, our association works under the programs of Emergency Response, Refugee Support, Child Protection, and Localization & Capacity Building. We focus on improving the lives of people affected by natural or human-made disasters in Türkiye and the surrounding regions.

We support those in need to access their basic rights and necessities and to achieve self-reliance. We aim to eliminate the risks faced by children living in challenging conditions, particularly in seasonal agricultural areas. In times of disaster, we conduct emergency relief operations and implement recovery efforts in their aftermath. Additionally, we work to strengthen disaster preparedness in civil society and support the empowerment of localization. Through our brand ‘destekar’, which we define as a social design market, we transform everyday shopping for daily needs into an opportunity to contribute to a fairer and more equal world.

We carry out our activities in coordination with our headquarters in Kadıköy, Istanbul, and through field offices and mobile teams operating in various provinces. While primarily active in Türkiye, we also provide consultancy to local initiatives in other regions.

Approximately 150 humanitarian aid professionals are involved in our projects, which are supported by international funds and local contributors. We design and implement our work in accordance with the global principles of humanitarian assistance, including neutrality, independence, humanity, impartiality, and accountability.

To learn more about our work, please visit our website www.supporttolife.org or follow our social media accounts.

 

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

 

The Deputy Programme Manager (Cash and Livelihoods, Localisation and Disaster Risk Reduction) supports the Cash and Livelihoods Programme and Localisation Programme in the strategic planning, technical oversight, and grant management of cash, livelihoods, disaster risk reduction and community-led response activities implemented in Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, and Adıyaman as well as other potential locations. The role provides technical and administrative supervision to relevant project management teams, ensures programme quality and compliance, and leads consolidated reporting, MEAL follow-up, and donor coordination in line with programme strategy.

1) Strategic Planning and Programme Quality

• Co-develop semi-annual and annual work plans aligned with the Cash and Livelihoods Programme and Localisation Programme strategies.
• Ensure consistent application and follow-up of programme tools, forms, SOPs and guidance across all project locations, including livelihoods, cash assistance, and community-led response / community-based DRR approaches.
• Coordinate with relevant technical specialists and support departments to ensure timely development of content/guidance required by field teams in line with implementation timelines.

2) Project Management, Grant Oversight, Budget Follow-up

• Manage STL’s cash and livelihoods, DRR and community-led response projects in line with Project management cycle and STL internal regulations.
• Provide technical and administrative oversight to Project Managers/Officers; support the preparation and follow-up of overall workplans and targets, ensuring alignment between field and HQ processes.
• Conduct regular visits to the project locations and support project implementation, local coordination and complementarity with existing programmes.
• Support preparation of expenditure plans, manage budget allocation across field locations, and follow up monthly financial reporting with relevant teams.
• Conduct project risk analyses and develop mitigation measures and follow-up actions.
• Review, analyse and consolidate monthly progress reporting together with the Programme Managers and ensure follow-up actions are implemented.
• Initiate/lead project revision processes and coordinate development of new project proposals for upcoming periods.

3) MEAL, Accountability and Documentation

• Coordinate with the MEAL team and programme management to ensure MEAL plans are implemented, monitored, and used for adaptive management.
• Ensure project documentation and filing are complete, accurate, and compliant with organizational standards in both field locations and HQ.

4) Donor Relations and Reporting

• Support Programme Managers in programme-cycle communications with donors on programmatic matters.
• Produce high-quality monthly/interim/final donor reports and ensure timely submission, with inputs from field locations and relevant departments.
• Coordinate donor monitoring visits with HQ and field teams.

5) People Management (Project Teams Under Supervision)

• Manage recruitment, onboarding, performance management, disciplinary processes and exit procedures for supervised project teams in coordination with People & Culture and programme management.
• Provide regular feedback and support team development and capacity strengthening.

 

Qualifications:

 

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., economics, social sciences, development studies, public administration, etc.).
• Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian/early recovery programming, project management and grant management.
• Demonstrated technical familiarity with livelihoods recovery, disaster risk reduction and community-led response modalities (community-based approaches; ability to translate guidance into field implementation).
• Strong command of English and Turkish (written and spoken), Arabic is advantageous.
• Familiarity with donor compliance requirements and reporting/grant regulations; strong coordination and follow-up skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office and strong communication skills; ability to work effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders.
• The position can be based at STL Headquarters in İstanbul, in Adıyaman, Hatay or Kahramanmaraş field offices, or remotely, with a requirement for regular field visits.

 

Safeguarding and Ethical Commitment:

 

• Support to Life is committed to ensuring that children and adults are protected from all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation, and misconduct. The organization applies a zero-tolerance approach to sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and any misuse of power, in line with its Child Safeguarding, PSEA, and Code of Conduct policies.
• As a Deputy Program Manager, the post holder is responsible for ensuring that all programme activities under their area of responsibility are planned and implemented in compliance with Support to Life’s safeguarding and ethical standards. This includes promoting a safe working environment for staff, partners, volunteers, and community members, and ensuring that safeguarding risks are identified, monitored, and addressed in a timely and appropriate manner.
• The Deputy Program Manager is expected to support and reinforce the effective use of safe and confidential reporting mechanisms, to ensure that safeguarding concerns raised by staff, partners, or community members are handled with confidentiality, impartiality, and without fear of retaliation.
• All recruitment processes for managerial positions include reference checks. Upon appointment, managers are required to complete mandatory safeguarding and PSEA trainings and formally commit to complying with the organization’s safeguarding and ethical policies.