Head of Awards – SCI Led Funding at Save the Children

Purpose

Head of Awards – SCI Led Funding will provide proactive high-level support to the Director/Head, Award Management and Donor Compliance to ensure awards delivered on time, on budget and with compliance. Award Management is a key function across Save the Children International and Members, ensuring efficient use of funding and its coordination across our 55 country offices and 17 Save the Children Members.

The role offers a leadership opportunity for an individual highly experienced in awards/grants management. It requires an individual capable of providing strategic leadership to a dynamic team, which is responsible for supporting and managing a portfolio of awards currently valued at $204m life of award.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leads the award management effort for the Centre-managed portfolio; provides senior award management oversight of the Centre-managed funding portfolio under the AM function – Sponsorship, Humanitarian Fund, Pooled Funds, Emergency Health Unit and any new centre-managed funds/portfolio in future – responsible for delivering an efficient and effective award management function for this portfolio.
• Functional ownership of the SCI Directly Received awards procedures and ways of working – ensure design, develop, deliver/implement and continuous improvement of Quality Framework offering on SCI Directly Received to ensure best practice systems and processes
• Centre approver for SCI Directly Received escalations (where required) on AMS to ensure compliance with the Fundraising Protocol – engaging with the Fundraising Protocol Specialist in Programme Funding and Institutional Partnerships as required
• Member of the senior team in the AM function for the Centre team and with Regional Awards Leads, working to drive award management standards across SCI
• Engages and supports in governance fora, via the SCA Award Management Leadership, providing a voice for the SCI Led portfolio

Furthermore, s/he will provide deputy support to the Director/Head of Award Management and Donor Compliance where required on all aspects of operational Awards Management. In doing so, the role is able to provide strong functional leadership to countries, regions, members on operational awards issues escalated to the Centre, on continuous improvement of processes guidance and ways of working to manage our portfolio successfully, and works cross-functionally to drive success.

In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder should expect to work outside the normal job description and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

This position may occasionally require travel to Save the Children offices around the world to support Centre, Regional and Country staff.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• Extensive INGO experience and an excellent grasp of operational issues, with proven experience of establishing and running the function in the field, ideally a former Country Office Head/Director of Awards Management
• Proven track record of active contribution to a senior management team, and providing strategic support across multiple sectors and/or regions
• Substantial exposure to the humanitarian and development sector, specifically with demonstrated expertise in grant management and donor compliance at scale.
• Knowledge of the requirements of major institutional donors including budgeting, eligibility issues, compliance management, and reporting; experience of engaging with donors at a strategic level
• Well-developed skills in staff management. Proven coaching and capacity building skills
• Very strong attention to detail, problem solving skills, and ability to analyse trends
• Computer literate (i.e. Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, awards and financial systems)
• Cultural awareness and ability to build relationships quickly with a wide variety of people
• Patient, adaptable, able to improvise, and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure
• Strong communication (written and spoken) in English, and strong interpersonal skills, with experience in managing multicultural teams
• Self motivation, flexibility and able to make judgements as to when to take the initiative on the Director’s behalf
• Demonstrated experience in complex stakeholder management, with the ability to thrive and lead others in a matrix management environment.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
• Solid project management skills related to organisational development projects and international, cross-functional teams with a proven history of delivering results.
• Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy in.
• Commitment to Save the Children values.
• Ability and willingness to change work practices and hours in the event of major emergencies including travelling at short notice and for extended periods of time
• Attention to detail and the ability to follow tasks and ideas through to completion
• A high degree of flexibility and adaptability in order to respond to changing needs

Desirable

• Experience with award management policies, procedures and systems and Save the Children’s award management system (AMS)
• Understanding of financial reporting from Save the Children’s accounting software (Agresso)
• Experience of Project Management, M&E Management or Funding Coordination