The Opportunity
Save the Children International has an exciting opportunity for you to join our team as the LOCALISATION INITIATIVE LEAD inCentre -London, UK or any existing Save the Children International Regional or Country office worldwide.
Role Purpose:
In order to achieve our global breakthroughs for children by 2030, the Save the Children movement has committed to significantly changing the way we work – a core component of which is to shift power to local and national actors. Our Localisation ambition – ‘Local to Global for Impact’ - is an ambitious, multi-year, transformational journey that will see us – and the wider sector - deliver more, better, and fairer impact through context-responsive, locally-designed, locally-led and locally–owned programs for children. We will achieve this by addressing fundamental challenges in the way current aid is delivered to enable and facilitate local actors’ own access to global resources for maximum impact – and we will overcome blockers within our own organization that currently prevents this from happening.
The Localisation Initiative was originally formed to define the strategic approach to Localisation and the high level roadmap for its realization. We are now entering the next phase of the transformation – with the team being given a mandate to accelerate the pace at which we will be able to meet the movement’s Localisation ambition. It consists of a small number of dedicated resources tasked with overcoming a number of blockers to Localisation that currently exist across the movement.
The Localisation Initiative Lead will be accountable for ensuring the timely and quality delivery of key outcomes across prioritised workstreams, as well as to ensure meaningful engagement and buy-in from key stakeholders across the movement. The 3 priority areas of focus in 2023 will be - Culture and Organisation, Funding and Compliance. This role requires both high-level engagement with Member CEOs and Senior Leadership Teams at country, regional and global levels to generate strategic buy-in, as well as hands-on project management skills to ensure the delivery of tangible results in terms of removing the current blockers to Save the Children meeting our Localisation ambition.
The immediate focus will be to establish and mobilise the initiative team and setup the required governance to deliver the priorities. The Localisation Initiative Lead will ensure that identified key stakeholders at all levels understand requirements and expectations on them to fully engage in delivering 2023 localisation work packages. S/he will ensure leadership alignment and understanding on the global ambition, strategic direction, and roadmap to mobilise organisational-wide resources and support for this multi-year transformation. S/he will be responsible for project management by ensuring resources are well-planned and managed; initiative plan is regularly reviewed; initiative team members are well supported to deliver their tasks; risks and issues are identified and addressed; and key outputs and outcomes are delivered according to plan.
EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
Essential:
- Experience leading a project focused on making changes to operating structures and procedures for an organisation across multiple geographic locations including those with complex labour laws. It is essential this includes experience managing the associated legal, staffing and system requirements
- Experience leading the rollout of a global standardised process and solution in Save the Children or equivalent type of organisation
- A track record of successfully managing projects in terms of core Project Management activities as well as managing the associated change
- Demonstrable experience and in-depth knowledge of programme and project practices and standards
- A proven ability to deliver projects on time / on budget, using project management processes and tools including risk management, benefits management, financial management and quality assurance
- Proven experience of using and leading change management activities including change impact
- A proven ability to apply excellent analytical and problem solving skills, and to work collaboratively to deliver of effective solutions to project related issues. This will include taking on hands on analysis activities to support the wider (small) team as required
- Highly developed organisational awareness and ability to understand sensitivities within a complex multi-stakeholder structure; and think creatively and strategically to overcome obstacles to cooperation and progress
- Team leadership capabilities to support and guide team members and ensure they are clear on their responsibilities and are held to account for their delivery
- Strong business requirements collection, and process/workflow analysis skills
- Excellent communication skills (written & oral English), including the ability to communicate and influence at all levels of the organisation
- Able to demonstrate instances of initiative that have delivered organisational benefits
- Cultural awareness and experience of delivering solutions internationally
Desirable:
- Experience of working on Organisation Design projects
- Non-profit sector knowledge/experience
- Proficiency in a second core language of Save the Children (French, Spanish, Portuguese or Arabic)
We can offer circa £62,000 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.