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Sophia Jones-Williams

@sophiajones-williams

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International development Program Manager delivering compliant, multi-country programs across APAC and Pacific.

Australia

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What I'm looking for

A fully remote role with real ownership, I have nine years of programme management experience across government, NGO and private sector contexts. I'm comfortable with complexity and ambiguity, and I work well across distributed, multicultural teams.

Sector is less important to me than fit. I'm looking for an organisation with a strong remote culture.

I’m an international development program manager with 9 years of experience delivering complex, multi-country programs across the Asia Pacific, Pacific Islands, South Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. I work across the full program lifecycle—from design, contracting and mobilisation through to financial oversight, compliance, risk management, donor reporting and closeout—in government, NGO and multilateral-funded environments.

In my current role, I manage a $15M portfolio of programs, ensuring end-to-end delivery meets donor contractual requirements and development outcomes. I oversee due diligence for implementing partners, negotiate and manage grant and service agreements, maintain risk registers and safeguarding/integrity/HSE compliance, and produce structured donor reporting, while mentoring cross-functional teams to sustain partner performance.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

International Programme Manager

Current

Bioeconomy Science Institute

Jan 2023 - Present (3 years 5 months)

Managed a $15M portfolio of international development programs, delivering end-to-end lifecycle work including contracting, mobilisation, implementation, and donor reporting across the Caribbean, Pacific, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Conducted partner due diligence, negotiated grant/service agreements, secured two funding applications totaling $15M, and managed risks including safeguarding and HSE

Budget Management Due Diligence Risk Management Donor Reporting Financial Forecasting Monitoring and Evaluation

Programme Fund Manager

NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Jan 2020 - Jan 2023 (3 years)

Managed a NZ$10M government donor-funded Pacific program, overseeing 14 NGO implementing partners through rigorous contract management, compliance, and financial accountability aligned to DFAT Pacific development frameworks. Led contract negotiations and SOW amendments, managed budgets and cash flow forecasting, supported emergency response transitions, and prepared for audits and ministerial-leve

Financial Reporting Budget And Burn Rate Analysis Cash Flow Forecasting Due Diligence Emergency Response Transitions

Project Manager - Technology & Integration

Mediaworks NZ

Jan 2019 - Jan 2020 (1 year)

Managed cross-functional program delivery and financial reporting for a major business transformation, maintaining budget accountability and overseeing vendor agreements. Produced executive governance reporting to support delivery oversight and decision-making.

Project Management Program Delivery Financial Reporting Budget Management Vendor Management Contract Management

Project Manager - Nepal & India

Glenn Family Foundation

Jan 2018 - Jan 2019 (1 year)

Delivered in-country development programs across Nepal and India, coordinating partners, maintaining budget accountability, and producing donor reporting across South Asian operating contexts. Supported community engagement and ensured safeguarding compliance and local partner management in resource-constrained environments.

In Country Program Delivery Coordination Donor Reporting Community Engagement Partner Management