| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | NGO and Social Sector |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Programme Manager |
| Direct reports | Community Mobiliser, Field Coordinator |
| Experience | 3 to 6 years in field programme coordination |
Programme Coordinator job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Programme Coordinator
Department: NGO and Social Sector
Reports to: Programme Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Programme Coordinator keeps a programme's activities running on the ground across a block or district. They plan and organise field activities, coordinate field staff and community groups, arrange logistics, and collect the data and reports the programme manager needs. The role reports to the Programme Manager. A good programme coordinator makes sure activities happen on schedule and to plan, field staff have what they need, and accurate records flow up from the field without gaps.
Key responsibilities
- Plan and schedule programme activities such as trainings, camps and meetings across the area.
- Coordinate field staff, community mobilisers and volunteers to deliver activities on time.
- Arrange logistics, venues, materials and travel for field activities.
- Liaise with local government, community leaders and partners to enable activities.
- Collect activity data, attendance and beneficiary details from the field.
- Prepare activity reports and updates for the programme manager.
- Track the activity calendar and flag any delay or shortfall early.
- Support the field team in solving day to day problems on the ground.
- Maintain records, photographs and consent forms for each activity.
- Help monitor quality of activities against the programme standards.
Requirements
- Graduate or postgraduate in social work or rural development
- MSW is an advantage
- Local language fluency
- 3 to 6 years in field programme coordination
KRAs and KPIs for a Programme Coordinator
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Activity delivery | Planned field activities completed to schedule on at least 90 percent of the calendar |
| Coverage | Beneficiary reach for activities meeting the area target each quarter |
| Data flow | Activity and beneficiary data collected accurately and sent up on time |
| Logistics | No activity delayed or cancelled due to a logistics gap in the month |
| Quality | Activities meeting programme quality standards on monitoring checks |
| Records | Activity records and consent forms complete for every event |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: MS Excel and Word, KoboToolbox or ODK, Activity trackers, Smartphone for field data, Local transport.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Programme Manager, Senior Programme Coordinator, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer
Interview questions for a Programme Coordinator
- How do you plan a month of field activities across several villages?
- How do you coordinate field staff and volunteers to run a training camp?
- What do you do when a planned activity is at risk because a venue falls through?
- How do you make sure activity data from the field is complete and accurate?
- How do you work with local government and community leaders to enable activities?
- Tell me about a field activity you coordinated and what made it succeed.
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What does a programme coordinator do?
A programme coordinator keeps a programme's activities running on the ground across a block or district. They plan and organise field activities, coordinate field staff and community groups, arrange logistics, and collect the data and reports the programme manager needs. They make sure activities happen on schedule and accurate records flow up from the field.
What is the difference between a programme coordinator and a programme officer?
A programme coordinator focuses on organising and coordinating activities across an area, including logistics, field staff and data flow. A programme officer usually runs a specific programme component or theme, working more closely with beneficiaries on that content. The roles overlap in the field, and both report up to the programme manager.
What qualifications do you need to be a programme coordinator?
Most programme coordinators hold a graduate or postgraduate degree in social work or rural development, and an MSW is an advantage. Employers value field experience, fluency in the local language, and skills in activity planning, coordination, community engagement and data collection. Willingness to travel across the programme area is essential.