Humanitarian professionals with extensive emergency response experience and a passion for advancing social justice have an exciting opportunity to join Oxfam as the Head of Humanitarian, Oxfam in Africa. This senior leadership position offers the chance to shape humanitarian strategy and emergency response efforts across Sub-Saharan Africa while contributing to one of the world’s leading organizations dedicated to ending poverty and inequality.
Applications are open until 20 June 2026, and the position is available in any country where Oxfam maintains an office or operational presence.
About the Opportunity
Oxfam in Africa is recruiting an experienced humanitarian leader to oversee humanitarian preparedness, emergency response, and strategic coordination across the continent.
Reporting directly to the Programmes and Influencing Director for Oxfam in Africa and working closely with the Global Humanitarian Team, the successful candidate will provide leadership and guidance to humanitarian teams responding to some of Africa’s most complex crises.
This fixed-term contract spans two years and offers flexible working arrangements designed to support a modern and inclusive work environment.
The Strategic Importance of the Role
The Head of Humanitarian will play a critical role in ensuring that Oxfam’s emergency responses are timely, effective, and aligned with international humanitarian standards.
The position combines:
- Strategic leadership.
- Emergency response oversight.
- Humanitarian policy development.
- Stakeholder engagement.
- Team management.
- Regional preparedness planning.
As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the successful candidate will help shape humanitarian priorities and influence how Oxfam responds to emergencies across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Key Responsibilities
The Head of Humanitarian will lead efforts to strengthen preparedness and emergency response mechanisms throughout the region.
Core responsibilities include:
- Providing strategic leadership for humanitarian preparedness and response.
- Managing and supporting a team of humanitarian advisors.
- Coordinating regional emergency response initiatives.
- Strengthening collaboration between country offices and international teams.
- Supporting humanitarian policy development and advocacy efforts.
- Advancing Oxfam’s locally-led humanitarian agenda.
- Ensuring compliance with global humanitarian standards and commitments.
- Representing Oxfam in high-level humanitarian forums and coordination platforms.
The position requires a balance of operational expertise and long-term strategic vision to ensure impactful humanitarian action.
Leading Humanitarian Response Across Africa
Africa continues to face multiple humanitarian challenges, including conflict, climate-related disasters, displacement, food insecurity, and public health emergencies.
The Head of Humanitarian will support Oxfam’s efforts to respond effectively to these crises by:
- Strengthening emergency preparedness systems.
- Coordinating rapid response mechanisms.
- Promoting resilience-building initiatives.
- Supporting locally led humanitarian approaches.
- Enhancing partnerships with civil society organizations and local actors.
The role is central to Oxfam’s mission of helping vulnerable communities prepare for, withstand, and recover from crises.
Ideal Candidate Profile
Oxfam is seeking a highly experienced humanitarian professional with a strong track record of leading complex emergency responses.
Successful candidates should demonstrate:
- Extensive experience managing humanitarian operations in diverse environments.
- Expertise in emergency preparedness and response coordination.
- Strong understanding of humanitarian policy and programming.
- Knowledge of internationally recognized humanitarian standards.
- Experience integrating gender and protection considerations into humanitarian responses.
- Strong analytical and decision-making skills.
- Excellent leadership and team management abilities.
- Experience working with governments, UN agencies, NGOs, and donor organizations.
The organization is particularly interested in candidates who can navigate complex humanitarian environments while maintaining strategic focus and operational effectiveness.
Language and Travel Requirements
Given the regional nature of the role, strong communication skills are essential.
Applicants should possess:
- Professional fluency in English.
- Professional fluency in French.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to represent Oxfam at regional and international forums.
The role also requires significant travel.
Candidates must be prepared to:
- Travel frequently across Africa.
- Deploy at short notice during humanitarian emergencies.
- Spend extended periods supporting crisis response operations when required.
Flexibility and adaptability are therefore key qualities for success in the position.
Why Work with Oxfam in Africa?
Oxfam in Africa is committed to transforming humanitarian action by promoting feminist leadership, local ownership, and decolonized approaches to development and emergency response.
The organization works alongside communities, governments, civil society organizations, academics, and private sector partners to address inequality and support sustainable development.
Employees benefit from:
- Opportunities to influence humanitarian policy and practice.
- A collaborative international work environment.
- Meaningful leadership responsibilities.
- Career development opportunities within a global organization.
- Competitive compensation and international benefits.
- Flexible working arrangements.
The role provides a unique platform to shape humanitarian programming across an entire continent while contributing to long-term social change.
Oxfam’s Mission and Values
Oxfam is a global movement working to end poverty and injustice. Operating in more than 76 countries, the organization focuses on humanitarian action, development programming, and advocacy.
Its work is guided by six core values:
- Empowerment
- Accountability
- Inclusiveness
- Courage
- Solidarity
- Equality
The organization is also deeply committed to safeguarding, ethical conduct, gender equality, and protecting vulnerable populations.
Final Thoughts
For senior humanitarian leaders seeking an opportunity to drive large-scale humanitarian impact, the Head of Humanitarian role with Oxfam in Africa presents an exceptional career opportunity. The position combines strategic leadership, emergency response management, policy influence, and partnership development to help strengthen humanitarian action across Africa.
With applications being reviewed on a rolling basis, interested candidates are encouraged to apply early before the closing date of 20 June 2026.
Application Deadline: 20 June 2026
Contract Duration: 2 Years
Location: Any country with an Oxfam office or presence
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