Director of Impact, Innovation, and Influencing at Save the Children

ROLE PURPOSE:

• As a key member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the Director of Impact, Innovation, and Influencing provides strategic leadership in programme design, evidence generation, and policy influence to deliver measurable results for children across Kenya and Madagascar. This role steers the development and execution of the country office’s programme strategy, annual plans, and impact reporting, aligned with Save the Children’s global breakthroughs: Survive, Learn, and Be Protected. 
• The Director ensures all programming is grounded in evidence, strong and cutting-edge innovation, and child rights, with robust systems for monitoring, evaluation, accountability, research, and learning (MEARL). Part of the core focuses are to ensure that quality data informs strategic decisions, that technical excellence is consistently achieved across all sectors, that strategic partnerships beyond aid industry are systematically formed and strategically leveraged, and that innovative and original solutions that can elevate program quality and sustainability are delivered.
• Equally, the Director leads the integration of advocacy, campaigns, media, and partnerships into a cohesive influence agenda that shifts policies and systems in favour of children. Through mentoring, capacity strengthening, and coaching of technical teams, the role builds a strong national leadership pipeline, while also supporting donor engagement and resource mobilisation to sustain impact at scale.

SCOPE OF ROLE: 

Reports to: Country Director 

• Staff directly reporting to this post: Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Research, and Learning (MEARL) Manager, Head of Program Development, Head of Advocacy, Campaign, Communications, and Media (ACCM), and Technical Specialists – with a dotted line management as a technical line manager of Head of Program Development and Quality based in Madagascar
• Role Dimensions: The Director of Impact, Innovation, and Influencing is a strategic leader driving programme excellence, evidence generation, and systemic change for children in Kenya and Madagascar. As a key member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the I&I Director ensures that programme quality, measurement, innovation, resource mobilization, non-traditional partnerships, and influence are embedded across Kenya and Madagascar Country Office.
• This role is the heartbeat of Save the Children’s ambition to not only deliver high-quality programmes but also to shift public policy, amplify child voices, and inspire broader systems change. It unites technical leadership, research and evidence, advocacy, campaigning, partnerships, and communications into one coherent function focused on achieving sustainable results for children.

Location: Nairobi, Kenya with regular travel to field sites

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Strategic Vision and Positioning

• Lead the strategic direction and execution of Save the Children’s impact and influence agenda.
• Drive alignment to the Country Strategic Plan and Global Breakthroughs, ensuring child rights, equity, and innovation remain central.
• Champion evidence-led programming, with cross-cutting themes including, but not limited to, T4D, gender, localisation, and climate resilience.

Programme Design, Innovation, Strategic Partnerships, and Resource Mobilization

• Ensure all new programmes are evidence-based, child-centred, and aligned to Save the Children’s global priorities and Kenya and Madagascar’s Country Strategic Plan (CSP).
• Lead the country’s resource mobilisation strategy and engagement plan, cultivating institutional donors, corporate partners, social enterprises, think-tank, academia, and Save the Children (SC) Members and affiliates, and establish and leverage different resourcing modalities, such as blended investment, climate financing, and impact investment, to generate a strong and diverse funding pipeline and strategic partnerships.
• Promote innovation and adaptive learning in programme design and delivery.

Evidence, MEARL, and Learning

• Oversee the MEARL system to ensure timely, accurate, and actionable insights.
• Institutionalise learning loops and knowledge management across the portfolio to drive adaptive programming.
• Promote a strong evaluation culture and lead research that drives strategic decision-making and policy influence.

Advocacy, Campaigns, Communications, and Policy Influence

• Use programme evidence to influence national policy, systems, and practices for children.
• Lead national advocacy strategies aligned with global campaigns and local realities, engaging civil society, government, and other influencers.
• Ensure media and communications strategies elevate children’s voices and promote Save the Children’s thought leadership.
• Represent the organisation at national and international levels, forging partnerships that enhance our influence and legitimacy.

Technical Leadership & Programme Quality

• Ensure thematic and technical excellence across all programme sectors, rooted in Save the Children’s Common Approaches.
• Support national ownership of technical roles and advance the localisation agenda.
• Regularly review performance and uplift program quality against quality benchmarks and use this to drive improvements and innovations.

Regional and Multi-Country Program Growth

• In coordination with Regional and Multi-Country Program team, provides strategic leadership and support across regional and multi-country programs, ensuring of growth, quality design and delivery, compliance, and alignment with the Country Office’s Country Strategic Plan and global vision.
• Lead new program development and resource mobilization efforts, identify funding opportunities, and work with donors and non-traditional partners, such as private sector, social enterprise, and start-up, to develop new concepts leveraging existing programmatic outcomes, expertise, and capacity of the Regional and Multi-Country Programs and Team and ensure the financial viability of these programs. 

Organisational Leadership & Culture

• As a core SMT member, provide strategic input to the Country Office’s direction, performance and culture.
• Model agile, inclusive, and high-impact leadership, championing accountability, wellbeing, innovation, and performance across teams.
• Lead, manage, and coach a diverse team across MEARL, technical sectors, business development, advocacy, and media and communications.
• Foster talent development, national leadership, and a culture of curiosity, courage, and continuous improvement.
• Serve as Officer in Charge and take up additional responsibilities on behalf of the Country Director, along with other SMT members, when required. 

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks 

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency 

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Required:

• Master’s Degree in relevant social science, human rights, development studies, NGO management or equivalent fields 
• A minimum of seven years of progressive senior management and/ or development experience in a corporate, social enterprises, or an NGO environment, including experience directing and implementing programs for children
• Experience in more than one of Save the Children's thematic sectors: education, child protection, child rights governance, health and nutrition, child poverty, emergencies 
• Basic understanding of advocacy, policy, and government systems in the host country
• Experience managing teams for resource mobilisation and submitting proposals in excess of US$10 million
• Credibility to lobby, influence and represent Save the Children at all levels
• Strong skills and proven experience in new program development, project design, and donor proposal design with corporate, foundations and institutional donors
• Strong skills and proven experience in leading strategic planning, change management and program management processes; also from the knowledge and learning perspective 
• Developing and managing monitoring, evaluation and learning systems
• Excellent listening, inter-personal, communication and networking skills; and an ability to work with diversified populations 
• Skills such as training, capacity building, coaching, mentorship, problem solving, and understanding of project cycle management and coordination 
• High level of self-awareness and willingness to take criticism as an opportunity for growth and self-development
• Ability to research, write and represent well, manage time, multi-task and delegate tasks

Preferred:

• Experience working with high level government agencies and academics on issues related to children
• Experience in innovative and/or blended financing project design and implementation
• Experience in establishing resourced partnerships with social enterprises and corporate in social impact programs