Head of Risk Facilitation

The Opportunity

Save the Children International has an exciting opportunity for you to join our team as the Head of Risk Facilitation in London, UK or any existing Save the Children International Regional or Country office worldwide.

Role Purpose:

Save the Children has agreed an ambitious new strategy for 2022-24, which requires us to take risk to reach the world’s most marginalised children - often in complex environments. This ambition also requires us to have robust mechanisms for managing the risks that threaten the communities we serve, our brand, and our assets – including our people. Save the Children sees the effective management of risk (internal and external) and pursuit of opportunity as the responsibility of all staff, with business units across the organisation (i.e. ‘risk owners’) responsible for risk identification, assessment and mitigation in collaboration with other business units (the ‘first line’ of defence).

Reporting to the organisation’s Chief Risk Officer, this role supports in the development of the culture and systems needed for effectively managing risk in Save the Children. A key part of the organisation’s ‘second line’ of defence, the Head of Risk Facilitation is a leading risk professional in the organisation – enabling, monitoring and challenging business unit leads in collectively responding to organisational risk. The role holder is responsible for managing organisational processes and systems for identifying, analysing and managing risks.

The role holder will be the main professional advisor and delivery lead for the CRO in:

• supporting Save the Children’s Board and leadership to maintain a sound and dynamic position on risk and risk appetite,and drive continuous improvement in its processes for managing risk. This would cover both risks managed by Save the International (SCI) and risks shared across the 30 national members of the Save the Children Association (SCA).
• building support for a strong risk management culture across Save the Children
• ensuring that the principal risks facing Save the Children are identified, assessed, communicated to the Board and wider leadership; and that risk owners drive appropriate mitigations to manage risks within agreed risk appetite.
• coordinating closely with other functions with second-line risk management responsibilities (including safety and security, people and organisation, legal, medical, construction, information security and data protection) to ensure a coherent approach – covering awareness, prevention, reporting, responding and survivor support.
• strengthening systems to ensure compliance with key organisational policies, including by providing guidance and support to the network of Risk and Compliance officers in SCI country offices.
• building sustainable capability in the ‘second line’ functions of SCI – high quality staff; strong and integrated processes and policies; and robust data systems.
• representing Save the Children externally on risk matters, and ensuring that external best practice is understood and applied in Save the Children.

The role holder will work closely with the Risk Lead in the International Programmes team, including in providing the secretariat for a Risk Committee to oversee the risk management process (including risk management plans) from country offices, regions and centre functions.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• Experience in a risk management function, within an international NGO or complex global organisation.
• A sound understanding of risk principles, and modern risk thinking and execution
• Proven business partnering and consensus-building skills in an environment with potentially conflicting interests.
• Proven ability to work well under pressure, and to tight deadlines.
• Experience serving as a champion and advocate for practical risk management through relationships with peers and superiors
• A strong understanding of the ‘three lines’ model, and experience of driving meaningful partnerships across the three lines
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills – preferably in English as the primary language.

Desirable

• Proven track-record in quantitative analysis, and/or setting up data driven monitoring systems
• Operational experience in INGO, large NGO or similar organisation
• Fluency in an additional Save the Children language (Arabic, French, Spanish)

The role may require some travel to SCI country offices, including fragile states.

We can offer circa £65,000 per annum (If based in UK) with an option of flexible working hours. If the role is based outside of the UK, National T&C (including pay) will apply.

This role can be based in London or any existing Save the Children International Regional or Country office location on approval, provided the successful candidate has proof of eligibility to work from the preferred location.

Where we Work -Where We Work | Save the Children International

The Organisation

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, 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.

Application Information:

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application, and include details of your salary expectations. 

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our global anti-harassment policy.

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