POSITION OVERVIEW
The Program Manager, Africa advances Thousand Currents' regional strategy by stewarding relationships with movement partners and supporting movement-led solutions advancing food sovereignty, climate justice, and economic justice across the continent. The primary strategic focus for the Program Manager is Energy Democracy, including supporting community-owned, decentralized renewable systems, resisting extractivism, and advancing community self-determination. Rooted in a relational and movement-centered approach, the Program Manager accompanies grassroots movements and movement support organizations through trust-based partnership stewardship, grantmaking support, learning processes, ecosystem engagement, and collaborative initiatives. The role contributes political analysis, ecosystem knowledge, and strategic insight to regional priorities while helping strengthen movement resilience and systems change efforts across Africa. It is an ecosystem weaving role centered on solidarity, systemic awareness, and deep grounding on the continent.
Reporting to the Regional Director, Africa, the Program Manager works collaboratively across the Global Programs Team as well as with Learning, Grants Operations, Communications, and Philanthropic Partnerships & Influence colleagues.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Steward Movement Partnerships & Advance Regional Priorities (60%)
* Identify and build relationships with movements and movement support organizations advancing systems change in food sovereignty, climate justice, economic justice, agroecology, stewardship of the commons, and energy democracy.
* Draw on political analysis, ecosystem knowledge, research, convenings, and trusted relationships to assess alignment and inform partnership recommendations.
* Accompany movement partners through relationship-centered engagement rooted in trust, humility, accountability, and solidarity.
* Steward a portfolio of movement partners through regular communication, site visits, proposal and report review, accompaniment, and ongoing learning and reflection.
* Support movement resilience through flexible grantmaking, movement strengthening resources, learning opportunities, emergency support, and ecosystem connections.
* Support the implementation of regional initiatives and collaborative cohorts advancing movement-led solutions in key thematic or geographic areas.
* Facilitate peer learning, convenings, collaboration, and relationship-building among movement partners and allied organizations.
* Work collaboratively with Grants Operations colleagues to support grantmaking timelines, documentation, and partner information systems.
* Contribute political, ecological, and movement analysis to regional planning, ecosystem mapping, and strategic discussions.
Document, Learn & Share Insights (20%)
* Engage the work with curiosity, reflection, and a commitment to collective learning.
* Support learning and reflection processes that surface emerging patterns, strategic insights, and movement-led approaches to systems change.
* Collaborate with Learning colleagues and movement partners to document insights, lessons, challenges, and evolving strategies.
* Support partner-centered learning processes that strengthen movement practice and collective sensemaking.
* Contribute written analysis, reflections, and regional insights to internal learning, organizational strategy, and donor communications as needed.
* Remain informed about political, ecological, economic, and movement dynamics shaping the region and Thousand Currents' thematic priorities.
Organizational Storytelling, Resource Mobilization, & Ecosystem Engagement (15%)
* Contribute movement insights, regional analysis, and partner context to support donor proposals, reports, and organizational storytelling.
* Collaborate with Communications and Philanthropic Partnerships & Influence colleagues to strengthen movement-centered narratives and donor engagement.
* Support partner participation in convenings, learning exchanges, campaigns, and organizational events.
* Represent Thousand Currents in selected meetings, gatherings, and movement spaces to strengthen relationships and ecosystem connections.
* Identify opportunities to deepen solidarity, collaboration, and strategic alignment across movement ecosystems and allied organizations.
Organizational Collaboration (5%)
* Show up fully for organizational activities, including staff meetings, retreats, and training.
* Collaborate with colleagues across programs and functions as needed.
* Support organization-wide activities such as the Thousand Currents Academy, convenings, and fundraising efforts.
* Manage personal administration responsibly, including receipts, reimbursements, scheduling, travel planning, HR paperwork.
* Take on additional responsibilities as assigned.
ROLE REQUIREMENTS
We recognize that people gain skills through a variety of experiences. We encourage applications from candidates who meet most of the criteria and are committed to our values.
* 7+ years of experience working with grassroots movements, movement support organizations, or social justice ecosystems in Africa.
* Proven experience working alongside African social movements to advance energy democracy or stewardship of the commons.
* Experience contributing to institutional storytelling, donor communications, or strategic learning processes
* A capacity to see systemic wholes, recognizing how local, grassroots struggles for self-determination intersect with global political and economic structures.
* Demonstrated knowledge of movement organizing related to food sovereignty, climate justice, economic justice, agroecology, stewardship of the commons, and/or energy democracy.
* Experience building and stewarding relationships across cultures, geographies, and power differences with humility and accountability.
* Strong political analysis and understanding of movement ecosystems and systems change approaches in the African context.
* Experience facilitating collaboration, learning processes, convenings, or movement accompaniment.
* Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, including strong written and verbal English communication.
* Rigorous organizational and project management skills, paired with the self-motivation to hold complex initiatives from seed to fruition and ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.Familiarity with collaborative digital tools and remote work environments.
* Flexible and proactive. Comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with a remote, geographically dispersed team. Ability to travel as needed (both nationally and internationally) and to engage virtually across time zones.
* High learning orientation, sound judgment, attention to detail, and openness to feedback.
* Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic, remote, and geographically dispersed work environment.
* Bachelor's degree in a relevant field or equivalent lived and professional experience.
For complete job description and to apply, visit:
https://thousandcurrents.bamboohr.com/careers/60
HOW TO APPLY:
Please submit your CV and a short cover letter (maximum 300 words total). This cover letter should NOT include general motivation, general interest in Thousand Currents, or broad narrative storytelling. Instead, please provide brief, specific, evidence-based examples demonstrating:
* Experience working alongside grassroots movements