Programme Development Team Lead

Start date: 23/11/2017

Closing date: 23/12/2017

We are looking for a creative, driven, and experienced leader to join our Business Partnerships Hub as Programme Development Team Lead to build our capacity to identify sector-leading partnership models with businesses and philanthropists, co-design innovative programmes with our partners that can achieve transformational change for children, and write outstanding proposals to secure these partnerships.

Working in more than 120 countries, we do whatever it takes to create breakthroughs in the way the world treats children. Our Global Programmes department delivers humanitarian and development programmes, and builds partnerships with institutional donors, businesses, philanthropists, trusts and foundations to drive lasting change. Together, we save children’s lives, fight for their rights and help them fulfil their potential.

As Programme Development Team Lead you will:

1. Oversee development of high quality programmes with business and philanthropists

• Guiding the Business Partnerships Hub Programme Development Team to identify innovative partnership opportunities that leverage the unique assets and capabilities of prospective business and philanthropy partners, working closely with Account Managers and Technical Advisors to ensure the alignment between partner and Save the Children priorities
• Overseeing the production of high quality programme information, concept notes, and proposals for international programmes in partnership with the Partnership & Philanthropy Team in Fundraising
• Signing off on proposals to ensure their quality for partners and adherence to internal quality standards
• Leading the development and writing of high quality concept notes and proposals if required, and on occasion supporting the Institutional Business Development team
• Working with the Business Partnership Hub’s Programme Management Team to share lessons learned from current programmes and ensure learnings are drawn into new concept notes and proposals
• Working with the Business Partnership Hub’s Impact and Learning Team to effectively build strategic learning and evaluation into new concept notes and proposals
• Contributing to strategic discussions across Save the Children UK and the movement to develop sector-leading programmes with business and philanthropy partners

2. Ensure best practices are in place to deliver on our Business Partnerships Strategy and Partnerships & Philanthropy 2020 Strategy

• Playing a leadership role in the Business Partnerships Hub to drive forward our organisation-wide Business Partnerships Strategy, working closely with the Head of Business Partnerships and Deputy Director for Partnerships
• Overseeing the development and implementation of team processes and systems to continuously improve efficiency, adhere to organisational processes, and the team’s ability to contribute to departmental and organisational targets
• Allocating work across the Programme Development team and overseeing the Go/No Go process for new opportunities
• Ensuring a streamlined approach to sharing programme information and consistency of messaging about our strategic priorities
• Building relations with key Save the Children UK teams, including Fundraising, Programme Policy and Quality, Humanitarian, UK Programmes, and Regional Portfolio Officers, designing and promoting agreed cross-team ways of working to ensure effective programme development
• Working directly with country programmes, regional offices, and wider Save the Children International teams to drive improvements in opportunity and proposal development, resolving issues as they arise
• Working with the Institutional Business Development team to develop and promote cross-departmental best practice proposal development
• Carrying out the responsibilities of the role in a way which reflects Save the Children’s commitment to safeguarding children in accordance with the Child Safeguarding Policy

3. Develop and manage a high performing programme development team

• Joining the Business Partnerships Hub Team Leads group (which is comprised of this role, as well as Programme Management Team Lead and Impact and Learning Team Lead) to drive forward team objectives throughout the year
• Ensuring the Business Partnerships Hub is sharing lessons learned across teams and across SCUK to continuously improve how we develop and deliver high quality and innovative business partnerships
• Facilitating team training sessions on business partnerships alongside the Head of Business Partnerships to deepen the team’s knowledge of how to develop and deliver sector leading business partnerships
• Line managing and motivating the Programme Development team to ensure staff are supported to meet their professional development objectives
• Setting and monitoring work plans, conducting regular performance reviews and identifying and ensuring learning needs are met
• Building team capacity where necessary and identifying learning and development opportunities to ensure we are best placed to achieve our organisational priorities
• Overseeing the development, monitoring and reviewing of team work planning systems and tools, including analysing regular individual and team performance reports and presenting these as required
• To carry out the responsibilities of the role in a way which reflects Save the Children's commitment to safeguarding children in accordance with the Child Safeguarding Policy.
• A commitment to Save the Children’s vision, mission, values and approach.

To be successful you will have the following skills:

Essential Technical Skills:

• A deep understanding of corporate societal engagement and business’ motivating factors to partner with NGOs, including an advanced understanding of shared value creation and CSR
• The ability to translate your knowledge of corporate societal engagement into innovative partnership ideas, well-articulated concept notes, and successful proposals
• A proven track record with the development sector in writing successful high value proposals
• A solid understanding of international development including terminology and language
• Experience project managing complex, large-scale projects with multiple stakeholders, demonstrating coordination and problem-solving skills
• Experience of line managing a team to deliver results and drive improvements in ways of working
• Ability to manage and prioritise a varied workload, and support others to prioritise work to meet agreed deadlines and achieve team objectives
• Highly accurate with a strong attention to detail when handling information
• Experience of financial data management and confident use of Excel
• Confident IT skills to enable the production of visually appealing documents

Desirable Technical Skills:

• Experience writing successful high-value proposals for institutional donors
• Experience working in developing countries and/or fragile states a plus 

Personal Skills:

• Excellent teamwork skills and a supportive approach to leadership
• Strong relationship-building and networking skills, including the ability to effectively work with country offices as well as teams across SCUK
• Ability to listen to and integrate multiple points of view to develop outstanding concept notes and proposals

Education/Professional Skills:

• Masters degree in business or international development (preferable)

At Save the Children we are committed to the safeguarding and protection of children in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work with children are recruited to work for us. This post is subject to a range of vetting checks including a criminal records disclosure.

Our mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. If you share our mission, are passionate about making it happen and strongly believe you can contribute then join us and we'll give you every opportunity to succeed. We look forward to hearing from you.