OVERVIEW

Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty. We are shop volunteers, women's rights activists, marathon runners, aid workers, coffee farmers, street fundraisers, goat herders, policy experts, campaigners, water engineers and more. And we won't stop until everyone can live life without poverty for good.

Oxfam GB is a member of an international confederation of 21 organisations working together with partners and local communities in the areas of humanitarian, development and campaigning, in more than 90 countries.

The Economic Justice and Climate Programme Manager provides strategic leadership, team management, and thematic oversight for Oxfam's climate and economic justice portfolio across the Southern Africa (SAF) Cluster. The role is responsible for defining and driving strategic thematic priorities across climate adaptation, economic justice, livelihoods, governance, and inequality. It ensures that programming is transformative, partner-led, and aligned with regional priorities and systems-change ambitions. The Programme Manager leads a multi-country team, strengthens partner capacity, and ensures that programme evidence informs policy, advocacy, and regional influencing.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Strategic Leadership on Climate and Economic Justice (15%)

Define and drive strategic thematic priorities across climate adaptation, economic justice, livelihoods, governance, and inequality.

Position Oxfam as a regional leader on just economies, climate resilience, structural inequality, and economic rights.

Provide strategic analysis of emerging regional and global trends, policy shifts, and thematic opportunities.

Advise Cluster leadership on climate and economic justice positioning, priorities, and innovation.

Ensure thematic strategies support long-term systemic transformation rather than fragmented project delivery.

2. People Management & Leadership of Climate and Economic Justice Function (20%)

Directly line manage technical and partnerships coordinators across multiple countries.

Establish strong systems for performance management, staff accountability, professional development, mentoring, and leadership growth.

Build technical and strategic capacity across the team.

Foster a collaborative, feminist, inclusive, and high-performing culture.

Promote strong coordination across country hubs, thematic areas, and partner systems.

Support staff wellbeing, safeguarding, and duty of care in collaboration with People, Culture and Organisational Development leadership.

Strengthen succession planning and long-term leadership development within the thematic function.

3. Programme Design, Quality Assurance & Thematic Integration (20%)

Lead development of integrated programme strategies that address climate vulnerability, livelihood insecurity, economic exclusion, and structural inequality.

Ensure strong thematic integration with Gender Justice, Humanitarian Action, Governance, and regional influencing priorities.

Strengthen programme quality standards, methodologies, and consistency across countries.

Support design of multi-country, cross-border, and systems-focused initiatives.

Ensure programming remains partner-led, adaptive, and evidence-informed.

Promote innovation and effective responses to evolving social, economic, and climate realities.

4. Policy, Influencing & Advocacy Leadership (15%)

Support development of advocacy strategies on climate adaptation, tax justice, economic inequality, livelihood rights, and inclusive governance.

Translate programme evidence into policy recommendations and strategic influencing opportunities.

Strengthen alignment between programme delivery and regional policy agendas.

Support engagement with governments, regional bodies, civil society platforms, and Oxfam affiliates.

Contribute to Oxfam's regional and global policy leadership on climate and economic justice.

5. Partner Support, Localisation & Movement Strengthening (10%)

Support partners to design and implement transformative climate and economic justice programming.

Promote equitable partnership models, localisation, and decolonial approaches.

Strengthen partner technical capacities in programme design, evidence generation, and influencing.

Ensure partner realities and perspectives shape strategy, programme design, and advocacy.

Support movement building, coalition strengthening, and civil society leadership.

Reinforce Oxfam's role as convenor, catalyst, and strategic ally.

6. Evidence Generation, Research, Learning & Knowledge Leadership (10%)

Lead thematic research, learning, and evidence agendas on inequality, climate vulnerability, economic systems, and livelihoods.

Strengthen collaboration with PQK teams on research, MEAL, and adaptive learning.

Ensure programme data and evidence directly inform strategic decisions.

Promote production of high-quality knowledge products and learning outputs.

Support documentation and dissemination of innovation and best practice.

Strengthen evidence-based regional thought leadership.

7. Internal Capacity Strengthening & Cross-Cluster Coordination (5%)

Provide technical guidance and strategic support to staff across the Cluster.

Strengthen integration across thematic teams and programme functions.

Promote knowledge sharing and methodological consistency.

Support organisational capacity on climate and economic justice priorities.

Strengthen internal systems that improve programme coherence and delivery.

8. External Representation, Stakeholder Engagement & Strategic Positioning (5%)

Represent Oxfam in regional forums, SADC platforms, technical working groups, policy spaces, and strategic alliances.

Build and maintain relationships with donors, partners, governments, civil society actors, and regional institutions.

Strengthen Oxfam's external credibility and thematic positioning.

Promote collaborative regional leadership.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

Master's degree in Development Studies, Economics, Environmental Studies, Social Sciences or equivalent qualification. A Bachelor's degree combined with relevant postgraduate or professional qualifications and significant experience of at least 10 years may be considered.

Minimum of 6 years progressive responsibility in Climate justice, Economic Justice, livelihoods, and inequality programming.

At least 3 years in a team leadership or management role.

Strong technical expertise and ability to integrate programme design with influencing and policy work.

Proven experience in managing teams, multi-country programming, strategic programme design, and policy engagement.

Strong communication, analytical, and decision-making skills.

Ability to build strong, credible relationships with internal and external individuals and organisations.

Excellent personal communication skills, in written and verbal English, with strong influencing and persuasive skills.

A high level of self-awareness, personal energy, stamina and flexibility.

Proven experience as a team worker and demonstrably cooperative with members of other teams.

Commitment to Oxfam's safeguarding policies to ensure all people who come into contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Organisational Values

Accountability: Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable.

Empowerment: Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen.

Inclusiveness: We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences.

Languages

Fluent in written and spoken English and ideally Portuguese.

WHAT WE OFFER

We offer a competitive salary and a range of additional benefits to staff including flexible working options, generous pension scheme, annual leave, additional leave allowances, company sick pay, life assurance and a range of other benefits.

From the day you join Oxfam we invite you to stretch and learn in your role. Our wide range of Learning & Development opportunities includes in-house courses, e-learning modules, on-the-job learning opportunities, coaching and mentoring, and much more.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online through the link: https://jobs.oxfam.org.uk/jobs/vacancy/economic-justice-and-climate-programme-manager-int11743/24920/description/

As part of your online application, please upload your up to date CV and Cover Letter explaining your suitability against the essential criteria in the job profile.

Application Deadline: 13th August 2026

SAFER RECRUITMENT

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom Oxfam GB engages. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. Oxfam GB also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants' previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.