Team and Job Purpose

Programme Funding global team’s purpose
To provide strategic leadership and direction on all Programme Funding matters across Save the Children. Optimise and align our local-to-global programme funding portfolio and drive continuous improvements in our capabilities, funding practices and donor partnerships. Collaborate extensively across the movement, and partner closely with key stakeholders across SCI/A and in the wider sector, to directly inform, shape, and connect key strategic programme funding trends and initiatives that advance the movement”s Global Strategy and Global Funding Framework ambitions.

Role purpose
The Senior Lead, Programme Funding Growth Acceleration plays a pivotal role within the Global Programme Funding Team, driving complex strategic projects and initiatives under the Horizon B umbrella to help accelerate the global growth of Integrated Programme Funding (across institutional and private / non-institutional funders and markets). This demanding role requires strong strategic, financial and project coordination skills, as well as the ability to manage stakeholders at an executive level. The role involves close collaboration with the F&C Executive Director, Member Funding and Programme Directors, Global and Member Finance Leadership, and Senior Leadership Teams across SCI/A and the wider movement.

Job Title: Senior Lead, Programme Funding Growth Acceleration

Reports To: Global Director Programme Funding

Work Pattern: Hybrid/Remote with flexible working options available

Contract Length: Fixed Term Contract (Ending 15 Dec 2026)

Grade: P6

Location: Any approved Save the Children International office location.

Time Zone (that the role holder must be available to work in):

Right to Work: The successful candidate must possess the unrestricted right to work in their current or preferred location for the duration of employment.

Language Requirements: English

International Travel Requirements: Yes, Up to 20%

People Management Responsibility: No

Manager of a team: No

Principal Accountabilities

• Lead delivery of Horizon B Programme Funding growth initiatives: Own the coordination and delivery of a defined set of Horizon B Programme Funding growth initiatives, ensuring they translate strategic intent into time-bound, decision-ready outputs that unlock portfolio growth across priority funding channels and markets.
• Provide strategic support to priority markets and accounts: Provide targeted, hands-on strategic support to selected priority markets and accounts to enable step-change growth, working in close collaboration with the Member Market Development Senior Specialist, and in partnership with the Global Head of Programme Funding Market Development, Members, and Country Offices to diagnose binding constraints, shape market-specific responses, and unblock delivery.
• Translate integrated programme funding strategy into operating reality: Translate agreed integrated programme funding ambitions into practical operating models, planning tools, and ways of working, ensuring alignment across institutional & private funding, finance, and programme teams.
• Drive executive-level alignment and decision-making: Prepare, structure, and broker senior-level discussions and decisions on Programme Funding growth, including both member and movement leadership, synthesising evidence, surfacing trade-offs, and presenting options and recommendations.
• Build and mobilise cross-movement Programme Funding capability: Strengthen Programme Funding capability across the movement by supporting initiatives, including acceleration workshops, timebound working groups, talent and capability assessments, and the development of shared tools and models that enable more consistent, higher-quality programme funding practice.
• Leave behind durable assets and learning: Ensure that Horizon B Programme Funding initiatives result in durable assets, including frameworks, tools, guidance, and documented learning, that can be embedded within the global Programme Funding team and sustained beyond the life of the role

Experience and Skills

Essential

1. Proven leadership at a senior international level, in a multi-cultural context, and ability to work in a networked organisation, influencing others through ‘soft power’.
2. Track record of developing and implementing ambitious and complex global initiatives / projects; a demonstrated ability to identify the necessary steps to deliver to ambitious goals and significantly increase growth in income for global organizations.
3. Must have experience working in more than one market, ideally as Snr Programme Funding lead, Head of or Director equivalent, in a networked international global organization.
4. Demonstrated ability to engage with senior leadership and funding / fundraisers at a national level providing strategic inputs to help them drive growth all areas of income.
5. Demonstrable experience in the areas of strategy development and implementation, budgeting and investment. Highly developed data analysis and budgeting skills, with the ability to interrogate data to make strategic decisions and develop long term business plans.
6. Excellent interpersonal and communications skills, with the gravitas to inspire and influence a wide range of stakeholders. Demonstrated experience and capability of leading, facilitating and influencing change and the delivery of major projects.
7. Able to think creatively and strategically, overcome obstacles to cooperation and progress.
8. Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, defining a clear way forward & ensuring buy-in.
9. Ability to work in a culturally diverse setting.
10. Commitment to Save the Children’s values and ways of working.

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• Education: Educated to degree level or equivalent professional experience – in international development, business administration, business/marketing, social sciences or a related discipline and relevant work experience at the professional management level, with institutional and private sector funding / fundraising experience in a not-for-profit organisation, or an international organisation, or an international development consultancy firm at an international level.
• Multi-Language Proficiency: While English is essential, some proficiency in other languages commonly used in SCI/A programme funding operations, such as French, Spanish or Arabic, is desirable. Other languages relevant to the movement would also be a distinct advantage.

Desirable:

• Professional certification or training in international development, programme management, programme funding or relationships management. Accredited membership of relevant professional bodies will also be considered an advantage (eg MCIF, MCIPR, MCAPM, etc)

Working at Save the Children International

Save the Children is the world”s leading organisation for children, employing ~25,000 staff. We save children”s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Through our work in 116 countries, we put the most deprived and marginalised children first.

We know that great people make a great organisation, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

The work here is challenging but is also immensely rewarding. At Save the Children, you will be in good company, working with talented, like-minded individuals who are determined to ensure that all children survive, learn, and are protected. Your contribution will help ensure children”s voices are heard at the highest levels, and that we achieve our global strategy, Ambition for Children 2030, and reach every last child.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

DEI is core to our vision, values and global strategy. Save the Children is committed to creating a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation, and one which will support us in our vision to ensure every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation.

We are committed to equal employment opportunities, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, disability, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, caring or parental responsibilities, age, or beliefs and religion. We are committed to diversifying our staff to better represent the communities we serve and actively welcome underrepresented groups to apply.

Reasonable adjustments will be made should any candidate invited to interview require this.

Application Information

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application. A full copy of the role profile can be found here via the job listing. It is recommended that you save a copy of the role profile as it will no longer be available after the advert closes.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the job advert may be closed earlier than advertised subject to the volume of suitable applicants. Please submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Candidates who are successfully shortlisted should expect to hear from us within 2 weeks of the advert deadline.

Our recruitment process:

1. Application review by our recruiting team based on your CV and cover letter
2. Two-stage competency-based interviews with the hiring team
3. Some recruitment may include an additional assessment or case study stage, or a third stage interview
4. If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment, followed by your contract subject to passing background checks

We need to keep children and adults safe so our selection process includes rigorous background checks and reflects our commitment to the protection of children and adults from abuse. All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our Code of Conduct and all policies and procedures relating to Anti-harassment, Health and Safety, Safeguarding, and DEI and Equal Opportunities.

Save the Children does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.