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Lead, Movement Development & Quality Standards at Save the Children

Save the Children
June 02, 2026
Full-time
On-site
Role purpose


The Lead, Movement Development and Quality Standards will lead the development and management of innovative operating models, building organisational capacity, providing technical expertise and facilitating the adoption of fit-for-purpose models, contributing to building a strong quality culture and ensuring one global quality standard of the work of Save the Children.
We are seeking a Lead, Movement Development and Quality Standards to join the Strategy, Planning and Movement Development Global Team. This role will lead the development and implementation of our operating models work, building organisational capacity, facilitating operating model adoption and management by global entities, and contributing to building a strong quality culture across Save the Children.
The successful candidate will have experience of designing and rolling out effective solutions informed by user feedback, data and evolving organisational needs, as well as a strong understanding of how to build capacity and consistent practice. They will have demonstrable experience of managing complex initiatives, and insight into the management and adaptation of country-level entity operating models in an international NGO.


Principal Accountabilities

Lead on the planning and delivery of our operating models work, and evolve and strengthen operating models across the movement in line with our locally led, globally connected ambitions


Working with stakeholders, identify and prioritise critical operating model gaps with a view to driving resolution forward at the global level.
Manage key operating model updates in line with user feedback, shifting contexts, and organisational needs.
Proactively identify interdependencies and needs arising from other team and global initiatives, ensuring that our operating models work supports and enables organisational priorities and country strategies, in close collaboration with key stakeholders.
In collaboration with the Strategy, Planning and Movement Development Team, facilitate our geopresence work through the adaptation of operating models to local contexts and needs, and the development of resources.
Identify and promote operating model best practices and promising models that are shown to achieve optimal results against strategic, programmatic and operational metrics.


Lead on facilitating confident, effective and autonomous operating models practices by implementing offices and other key stakeholders


Lead on the design and delivery of capacity-building support for global teams and implementing offices.
Development and continuous improvement of resources that provide technical and practical guidance, enabling the adoption and management of operating models by entities globally.
Provide technical support to key stakeholders and networks, including business partners, working groups, and in high risk/high complexity cases.


Support work to evolve and strengthen our approach to quality, organisational development and governance across the movement


Lead and/or support the delivery of Movement Development and Quality Standards initiatives and ongoing workstreams.
Identify and advance opportunities to align operating models with our quality framework and mutual accountability framework.
In collaboration with the Movement Development and Quality Standards team, contribute to improvements in SCI's and the movement's quality standards to build a strong quality culture and ensure one global quality standard of work.
Provide technical expertise and support to drive good governance and quality, and to support good practice such as approaches to shared learning and streamlining of reporting requirements.


Experience and Skills
Essential


Innovation and adaptation: Proven experience in developing and driving new and innovative solutions, resources and processes to meet user needs, demonstrating flexibility, agility, creativity, and willingness to embrace change.
Capacity Building: experience of building capacity of a range of stakeholders with diverse capability gaps and needs, using different techniques.
Operating models: experience defining, designing and evolving/adapting operating models, preferably in the non-for-profit sector and in a range of contexts.
Project and change management: strong project and change management experience, including experience of leading cross-functional project teams to collectively deliver project outcomes. Strong skills in organisation, planning and prioritising competing tasks.
Stakeholder engagement: strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to provide excellent business partnering. Demonstrated ability to develop and manage productive relationships with wide range of stakeholders and senior staff, including those with varying priorities, to achieve a common goal, using credibility, discretion, tact and diplomacy.
Problem solving: experience in solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy in; proactive approach to solving problems, working with and coordinating input from multiple sources.
Communication and interpersonal skills: strong communication skills, ability to engage with a variety of stakeholders in different teams, contexts and levels of seniority. Strong interpersonal, written and oral communication skills, and the ability to distil complex concepts into simple and easy-to-understand messages, gaining buy in from others.
Languages: fluency in English essential; proficiency in other SCI working languages desirable.


Desirable


Experience of working in a large and complex international NGO and/or experience/insight into country office settings


Education and Qualifications
Essential


Degree level education preferable / equivalent work experience.