INGO Management: Strategy, Governance and Operations in Refugee Response Workshop

This five-day course prepares leaders to run international and national NGOs working in refugee response. It covers strategic positioning, governance and compliance, funding and financial sustainability, partnerships and localisation, and the people and operations that hold an organisation together. Built for a sector in change, it treats localisation as the direction of travel and equips leaders to build organisations that are financially resilient, well governed and genuinely accountable to the people they serve.

Behind every effective refugee response stands an organisation that has to be funded, governed, staffed and held to account. Running such an organisation, whether a large international NGO or a growing national one, is a discipline in its own right, and one that is rarely taught. Leaders are often promoted for their programme expertise and then asked to master strategy, compliance, donor funding and governance on the job, frequently under intense scrutiny.

This course gives them the grounding they deserve. It examines what it takes to lead an NGO in displacement settings, from strategic positioning and governance through funding and financial sustainability to partnerships, localisation and operations. It treats the localisation agenda, the shift of power and resources towards national and local actors, as the direction of travel rather than a threat, and helps leaders build organisations that are financially resilient, well governed and genuinely accountable to the people they serve. It is built for a moment of real change in the sector, and for the African organisations that are increasingly taking the lead in responding to displacement on their own continent.

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

1. 01Position and steer an NGO within the refugee response architecture.
2. 02Lead strategy and planning in uncertain displacement contexts.
3. 03Strengthen governance, oversight and organisational risk management.
4. 04Meet donor compliance, safeguarding and regulatory requirements.
5. 05Diversify funding and build long term financial sustainability.
6. 06Design quality programmes and manage donor grants and contracts.
7. 07Build equitable partnerships and advance the localisation agenda.
8. 08Lead people, operations, culture and change effectively.
9. 09• Strengthen organisational resilience and accountability.

This course is designed for:

• Programme and operations directors
• Country directors and senior managers
• Board members and trustees
• Finance, grants and compliance leads
• Partnership and business development leads
• Founders and leaders of national NGOs
• Aspiring senior leaders preparing for such roles
• Donor and network staff supporting NGO capacity

The course uses a case based, diagnostic methodology. Each theme is introduced through sector cases, then applied to the participant's own organisation through strategy, governance and funding labs and a running organisational diagnostic. Leaders leave with worked plans for their own context, not just frameworks.
• Expert input and sector case studies
• Strategy, governance and compliance labs
• Funding and financial sustainability exercises
• Organisational diagnostics and peer review
• A daily practical session and a final organisational plan

Organizations that invest in this training for their teams will benefit from:

• Clearer strategy and stronger organisational positioning
• Better governance, compliance and risk management
• More diverse, resilient and sustainable funding
• Reduced exposure to fraud, donor and reputational risk
• Equitable partnerships and real progress on localisation
• Higher programme quality and stronger impact evidence
• A healthier organisational culture and better staff retention
• A more accountable, resilient and well run organisation

Participants that enroll in this training will benefit from:

• Confidence to lead and manage an NGO strategically
• Command of governance, compliance and risk
• Skills to diversify funding and secure financial health
• Stronger grasp of donor and grant management
• Ability to build and manage equitable partnerships
• A clearer approach to leading organisational change
• A stronger profile as an organisational leader
• Practical tools and a worked plan for your own organisation

At Strategic Revenue Africa, our certification goes beyond proof of attendance—it represents practical competence and measurable capability. Upon successful completion of our training programs, participants are awarded a Certificate of Completion from Strategic Revenue Africa, recognizing their ability to apply acquired knowledge in real-world settings. As an organization focused on architecting sustainable revenue and strengthening organizational performance, our certifications signal that participants are equipped with skills that drive results, not just theory.

The course suits senior managers, directors, board members and founders, or those preparing for such roles. No specific qualification is required, though some management experience helps participants apply the material to their own organisations. A working command of English is needed.