Geert Gompelman
Program Policy Officer
Maputo
Summary
Strategic and policy-driven professional with 15+ years of experience in humanitarian affairs, political advocacy, and international development. Adept at policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, and communication, with a proven track record of advising senior decision-makers and influencing policy. Seeking to leverage my expertise in political strategy, policy research, and coalition-building in the European political landscape.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education
5
5
Languages
Work History
Program Policy Officer - Emergency Coordinator
World Food Program
09.2020 - Current
- Lead crisis response and humanitarian programming, engaging with government and multilateral partners.
- Develop strategic policy guidance and high-level advocacy materials on conflict, food security, and resilience.
- Represent WFP in inter-agency coordination mechanisms and political dialogue forums.
Head of Programme
Danish Refugee Council /Danish Demining Group
10.2018 - 09.2019
- Spearheaded program strategy, policy engagement, and donor relations in complex political environments.
- Managed multi-million EUR projects in governance, conflict transformation, and social cohesion.
Country Director
Oxfam International
01.2016 - 12.2017
- Led high-level advocacy on human rights, gender justice, and economic reform with government and donors.
- Strengthened political positioning and programmatic coherence across national and international networks.
Regional Program Coordinator - Citizens First
Oxfam Novib
10.2014 - 12.2015
- Funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oxfam's Citizens First program was implemented between 2012 and 2016 in Afghanistan and Pakistan with a total budget of 4.5 million EUR
- The program aimed to strengthen the dialogue between government and civil society and increase the engagement of civil society in advocacy at different levels to improve the delivery of basic services by the government related to food security, agriculture, education and healthcare
- As Regional Program Coordinator, I provided leadership to the implementing teams in both countries to ensure that targets and objectives were achieved in line with grant conditions and guidelines
- This included the operationalization of the program, which had strong lobby and advocacy components as well as linking and learning
- One key achievement was putting in place new and innovative monitoring and evaluation tools that measure and quantify qualitative changes as a result of this governance and advocacy
- These are now used globally in Oxfam in similar programs
Programme Analyst Peace and Reintegration
UNDP
11.2012 - 09.2014
- Developed strategic briefings and facilitated high-level policy discussions on peacebuilding.
- Established monitoring systems for a $210M donor-funded stabilization program.
Head of Program / Deputy Country Director
Danish Refugee Council
01.2018 - 05.2008
- As HoP/DCD, my role was to ensure the accountability of DRC's program towards the humanitarian needs in Iran and the donors supporting the response
- I contributed to the quality assurance of program implementation across the project development and implementation cycle
- The HoP/DCD is a key senior position in the DRC country set up, responsible for cross-cutting programmatic information management, sound design of and overseeing assessments, monitoring and evaluation, and ensuring that information collected is reflected upon, used to improve ongoing projects, and is incorporated into consistently high-quality grant proposals and reports
- As such, I played a key role in strategy development and adherence and ensuring that policies, systems and people were continuously and accurately working in a coordinated manner in order to ensure that a coherent and comprehensive program was designed and implemented
Education
MA - International Development
Radboud University
Nijmegen, Netherlands 09.2007 - 05.2008
BA - International Development
Radboud University
Nijmegen, Netherlands 09.2002 - 06.2006
Skills
- Political Analysis & Strategy: Expertise in translating complex policy issues into actionable strategies
- Stakeholder Engagement: Proven ability to navigate institutional landscapes, build coalitions, and foster partnerships
- Policy Research & Advocacy: Experience in drafting policy papers, position statements, and strategic briefings
- Communication & Speechwriting: Strong written and verbal communicator, skilled in speechwriting and public affairs
- Crisis & Conflict Analysis: Background in humanitarian access, conflict-sensitive programming, and political risk assessment
- Multilingual: Fluent in English, Dutch, Persian; advanced French and Portuguese
Publications
- Winning Hearts and Minds? Examining the Relationship between Aid and security in Afghanistan's Faryab Province., Gompelman, G., 2012
- The Struggle After Combat. The Role of NGOs in DDR Processes., Frerks, G., Gompelman, G., van Laar, S., 2008
Timeline
Program Policy Officer - Emergency Coordinator
World Food Program
09.2020 - Current
Head of Programme
Danish Refugee Council /Danish Demining Group
10.2018 - 09.2019
Head of Program / Deputy Country Director
Danish Refugee Council
01.2018 - 05.2008
Country Director
Oxfam International
01.2016 - 12.2017
Regional Program Coordinator - Citizens First
Oxfam Novib
10.2014 - 12.2015
Programme Analyst Peace and Reintegration
UNDP
11.2012 - 09.2014
MA - International Development
Radboud University
09.2007 - 05.2008
BA - International Development
Radboud University
09.2002 - 06.2006
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