Org chart
The programme branch is shown in depth, from the programme director to a manager and the field team. Fundraising, finance and compliance, monitoring and evaluation, communications and HR are drawn one level down. A board of trustees sits above the executive director and sets policy.
Levels and designations
| Level | Typical designations | Span of control |
|---|---|---|
| L1 Governance | Board of Trustees, Governing Council | sets policy and approves budgets |
| L2 Leadership | Executive Director, CEO | 5 to 7 reports |
| L3 Heads | Programme Director, Fundraising Head, Finance and Compliance Head | 3 to 6 reports |
| L4 Managers | Programme Manager, M and E Officer, Accounts Officer | 4 to 12 field staff |
| L5 Field staff | Project Coordinator, Field Officer, Community Mobilizer | no direct reports |
Approval chains
| Request | Approval chain |
|---|---|
| Leave | Field Officer → Programme Manager → HR Officer |
| Attendance correction | Community Mobilizer → Project Coordinator → HR Officer |
| Overtime | Field Officer → Programme Manager → HR Officer |
| Reimbursement | Field Officer → Programme Manager → Accounts Officer |
| Hiring | Programme Manager → Programme Director → Executive Director |
How the structure works
Governance and management are separate. A board of trustees sets the mission, approves budgets and holds the organization accountable, but does not run it day to day. The executive director leads the staff. Programmes are grouped by theme, and each programme runs on donor-funded projects with a manager over coordinators and field staff who work directly with communities. Fundraising raises grants and manages donor relationships. Finance keeps books that satisfy auditors and grant conditions, since restricted funds must be spent as promised. Monitoring and evaluation measures outcomes for donors. Communications tells the story, and HR and admin keep the office and field teams running.
How it changes with size
A small NGO may be a founder, a few field workers and a part-time accountant, with the board closely involved. A mid-sized organization builds programme teams, a fundraising function and a finance and compliance unit that grant reporting demands. A large NGO adds state or regional offices, thematic directors, a strong monitoring and evaluation team, and separate units for grants management and internal audit. Volunteers and short-term project staff rise and fall with funding. Through every stage the board stays above the executive director, and programmes remain the unit of work, funded and reported project by project.
Common problems
Funding shapes the structure, so teams grow and shrink as grants start and end, and staff often sit on fixed-term project contracts. Field staff work in villages far from any office, so attendance cannot be a desk punch. Restricted grant funds must be tracked to the activity, which makes clean records essential. Reporting to several donors at once stretches small teams. The steady fixes are mobile attendance with location for field staff, fixed-term contracts recorded with clear end dates, and one programme manager as reporting manager per field worker so leave and reporting stay clear.
- Mobile attendance with location for staff working in villages
- Fixed-term project contracts recorded with clear end dates
- Records kept clean for restricted grant funds and donor reports
- One programme manager as reporting manager per field worker
Set up this structure in ZeniaHR
- Create departments for each programme theme, plus Fundraising, Finance and Compliance, Monitoring and Evaluation, Communications and HR and Admin.
- Add designations such as Community Mobilizer, Field Officer, Project Coordinator, Programme Manager and Programme Director, and use grades to hold pay bands.
- Give every field worker a reporting manager, the programme manager or coordinator, and an HR partner, so leave and corrections route correctly.
- Record fixed-term project staff with their employment type and end dates, since teams rise and fall with grant funding.
- Use mobile app punches with a check-in spot for field staff who work in villages far from any office, and set a General shift for office teams.
- Keep leave, corrections and overtime on the reporting manager then HR route, and add programme directors and the executive director as hiring approvers.
See it on your own data
A 30-minute demo on a video call. We set up your departments, shifts and leave rules and show attendance, leave and payroll running for your team. Free for your first 50 employees.
Book a free demoSee pricingFrequently asked questions
What is the organizational structure of an NGO?
An NGO is governed by a board of trustees and run by an executive director. Programmes are grouped by theme such as health or education, each with a manager over coordinators and field staff who work with communities. Fundraising brings grants, finance keeps accountable books, and monitoring and evaluation measures impact. HR, admin and communications support the work. Large NGOs add regional offices and thematic directors.
Who does a field officer report to in an NGO?
A field officer reports to the project coordinator or programme manager for their project, who reports to the programme director. For leave and attendance corrections in ZeniaHR, the request goes to the officer's reporting manager and then to HR. Because field work runs to grant timelines, the manager plans cover before approving leave during a project activity.
How does an NGO manage field staff attendance?
Field staff work in villages far from any office, so they punch on the mobile app, which can carry GPS location and be limited to a check-in spot. Office teams punch on a General shift. Many field staff are on fixed-term project contracts, recorded with clear end dates. The finalized attendance month feeds payable days, and travel is added as a payroll input.