Application Guide
How to Apply for Program Support Director - Francophone & Lusophone Africa
at Ipas
🏢 About Ipas
Ipas is a global non-profit organization that has been a leader in reproductive health and abortion access for over 50 years, working to ensure that women and girls have access to safe abortion and contraception. What makes Ipas unique is its comprehensive approach—combining clinical training, advocacy, and research—and its commitment to local partnerships, with a presence in over 20 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Working at Ipas means being part of a mission-driven team that is dedicated to advancing reproductive justice and health equity worldwide.
About This Role
As the Program Support Director for Francophone & Lusophone Africa, you will be a senior leader within Ipas’s Global Program Support Team, providing strategic guidance and operational oversight to 4–5 country programs. You will supervise 3-5 direct reports, including Country Directors and Regional Directors, and serve as a bridge between global teams and regional offices to ensure program quality, donor compliance, and risk management. This role is impactful because it directly strengthens Ipas’s ability to deliver high-quality reproductive health programs in some of the most underserved regions, while fostering cross-learning and leadership development.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve a virtual check-in with a Country Director to discuss a donor compliance issue, reviewing a program report for quality assurance, and participating in a strategy call with the Global Program Support Team to align on cross-cutting initiatives. You might also spend time coaching a Senior Program Manager on risk mitigation or preparing for a donor meeting, all while navigating multiple time zones and cultural contexts.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Ipas Is Looking For
- Extensive experience (10+ years) in senior program management and leadership roles in international development, with a focus on reproductive health, gender, or human rights.
- Proven ability to supervise and mentor senior staff (e.g., Country Directors) and manage cross-cultural teams remotely, with strong emotional intelligence and coaching skills.
- Fluency in English and French (Portuguese is a plus), with deep knowledge of Francophone and/or Lusophone Africa contexts, including political, cultural, and donor landscapes.
- Demonstrated expertise in donor compliance (e.g., USAID, DFID, UN agencies), risk management, and program quality assurance, with a track record of aligning country programs with global strategy.
📝 Tips for Applying to Ipas
Highlight your experience supervising Country Directors or senior managers, specifically noting how you provided strategic thought partnership and supportive supervision remotely.
Emphasize your fluency in French and/or Portuguese, and your direct work experience in the specified countries (especially West Africa), as this is a key preference.
Showcase your knowledge of Ipas’s mission and values by referencing their approach to reproductive health and rights, and how your work aligns with their strategic priorities.
Quantify your achievements in program quality, risk mitigation, and donor compliance—for example, 'Improved compliance scores by X%' or 'Managed a $X million portfolio across Y countries.'
Address the remote nature of the role by demonstrating your ability to lead virtually and manage cross-time-zone collaboration effectively, perhaps with examples of tools or strategies you’ve used.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your specific experience supervising and mentoring senior country leaders, and how you’ve helped them strengthen program quality and team performance.', 'Your deep understanding of the Francophone and Lusophone African contexts, including language skills and familiarity with local partners and donors.', 'Your track record in risk management and donor compliance, with concrete examples of how you’ve mitigated risks and ensured award compliance across multiple countries.', 'Your alignment with Ipas’s mission and values, and your motivation to contribute to reproductive health and rights in Africa.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Ipas’s strategic plan and recent annual reports to understand their priorities, geographic focus, and impact metrics in Africa.
- → The donor landscape for reproductive health in Francophone and Lusophone Africa, including key donors like USAID, DFID, and private foundations, and their compliance requirements.
- → The political and legal environment for abortion and reproductive health in the countries you might oversee (e.g., Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Mozambique), as this affects program implementation.
- → Ipas’s organizational structure and the role of the Global Program Support Team, to understand how you would fit in and collaborate with other teams.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Failing to demonstrate cultural competence or language skills specific to Francophone and Lusophone Africa—this is a critical requirement.
- Focusing only on technical program management without showing strategic leadership and the ability to mentor senior leaders.
- Neglecting to mention remote management experience, as this role is 100% remote and requires strong virtual collaboration skills.
📅 Application Timeline
⏰ Deadline: October 31, 2026
We recommend applying at least a few days early to avoid last-minute technical issues.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!