Head of Technical Excellence & Capability

Save the Children International has an exciting opportunity for a Head of Technical Excellence & Capability to join our global team.

Team and Job Purpose
 

• Set global standards for programme quality & influencing and support country offices & members to contextualise these
• Coordinate Impact and Influencing (I&I) contribution to  global strategy
• Ensure I&I Teams support COs to respond to children’s changing needs and drive impact beyond thematic & geographic siloes. 
• Build and strengthen the calibre, stability &diversity of our global I&I cadre to deliver on our strategic ambitions and impact agenda. 
• Lead movement-wide coordination and planning of its Technical Experts (TE) workforce. 
• Shared accountability for Global Technical Expertise architecture
• Accountable for shared leadership of I&I strategy

To lead and enhance the organisation's technical capabilities, driving forward our mission with innovation and effectiveness, all while upholding the highest standards of excellence and capacity building for impactful child-focused initiatives.

Job Title: Head of Technical Excellence & Capability

Reports To: Director of Technical Resources and Quality

Work Pattern: Hybrid/Remote with flexible working options available 

Contract Length: Permanent

Grade: M4

Location: Any approved Save the Children International office location. For a full list of locations that Save the Children International can hire in, please visit: Hiring Locations

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

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

International Travel Requirements: Yes, up to 20%

Budget Responsibility: Yes

People Management Responsibility: manager of team: Yes; direct/indirect reports: 3

Principle Accountabilities

1. Strategic Leadership of TE Professional Development: Lead the design and implementation of a quality Technical Expertise professional development offer for Country Offices and Member TEs, aligning with global strategy and HR best practices, and leveraging subject matter experts for a cost-effective model.
2. Organisational Technical Excellence & Capability: Lead standard setting and technical policies, including common approaches, policy, advocacy, and campaigns best practices, and programme policy, driving a rigorous process to strengthen project and change skills.
3. Program Quality Design Co-Leadership: Collaborate with other I&I units to co-lead program quality design, focusing on the roles of Technical Experts, Advocacy Experts and Program Development and Quality Directors during the project cycle design phase.
4. Programs and Influencing Quality Standards: Coordinate I&I units to uplift programs and influencing quality standards.
5. Performance Oversight and Reporting: Oversee, analyze, and report on the performance of technical expertise in implementing offices.
6. Support for New Implementing Offices: Assist new implementing offices in establishing high-quality technical capacity and capability.
7. Technical Expertise Budgeting: Collaborate with global finance teams to ensure technical expertise budgeting is included in global guidance, tools, and processes.
8. Annual Technical Expertise allocation administration: Administer the annual TE Allocation, working closely with Country Offices and other I&I teams to ensure the fund remains fit for purpose.
9. Lead the uplift of the Country Office Program Development and Quality Director and Advocacy & Campaigns (A&) Director roles by driving retention, role clarity, professional development, and talent management, and fostering the necessary leadership and culture for optimal impact.
10. Advocacy and Campaigns Resourcing and Recruitment: Focus on A&C resourcing in line with KPIs, and drive the recruitment and retention of A&C Directors in alignment with SLT prioritization.

Experience and Skills

Essential

Experience

1. Professional Development Leadership: Substantial experience in leading professional development initiatives within the humanitarian or development sector, showcasing proficiency in designing, implementing, and evaluating learning programs.
2. Child Rights-Based Programming: Proven track record in child rights-based programming approaches and program quality design, ensuring the protection and promotion of children’s rights.
3. Policy, Advocacy, and Campaigns: Extensive experience and deep understanding of policy, advocacy, and campaigns to drive impact at scale, influencing public policies and societal change.
4. Technical Standard Setting and Policy Development: Considerable experience in setting technical standards and developing policies across multiple regions or countries, focusing on best practices in advocacy, campaigns, and program policy implementation.
5. Strategic Workforce Planning and Talent Management: Experience in strategic workforce planning, talent management, and leadership development, particularly within an international context, aligning human resources with organizational goals.
6. Organizational Change and Technical Excellence: Extensive experience in driving organizational change and fostering technical excellence, emphasizing project and change management skills to strengthen organizational capabilities.
7. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Experience in promoting DEI, ensuring equitable opportunities and a supportive work environment for all employees, and implementing initiatives that foster an inclusive culture.

Skills:

8.  Leadership and Management: Demonstrated capability in leading diverse and geographically dispersed teams, managing budgets, and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. 

9.  Interpersonal Skills: Ability to build and maintain effective relationships, demonstrating approachability, active listening, and valuing diverse perspecectives.

10.  Cultural Competency: Awareness and respect for different cultures, fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is recognised and valued.

Desirable

N/A

Education and Qualifications 

Essential

Education: 

• Master’s Degree in Education, Social Sciences, International Development, or a relevant field. Alternatively, a bachelor's degree combined with equivalent professional experience.
• Professional certifications in Learning and Development, Human Resources, or relevant areas are advantageous.
• Evidence of Continual Professional Development in relevant areas such as technical excellence, child rights based approach, change management, and leadership is highly desirable.

Additional Information

• Commitment to Save the Children’s Values: Emphasis on accountability, ambition, collaboration, creativity, and integrity in all aspects of work.
• Flexibility to Travel: Ability to undertake regular international travel as required, adhering to organisational policies and safeguarding practices.
• Language Proficiency: Fluency in English; additional languages relevant to SCI’s operational regions are a plus.

Desirable

N/A

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.

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.