Director of Programmes, Policy and Advocacy (Maternity Cover)

Job Purpose and Key Responsibilities 

The Director of Programmes, Policy and Advocacy is a senior leadership and strategic role within CIUK.  A key member of CIUK Senior Leadership Team (SLT) with overall responsibility for the programmes, policy, and advocacy.  The role is responsible for providing leadership to the directorate, contributing to the development and implementation of organisational Strategy, raising income from FCDO and other institutional donors, contract delivery and compliance, and safeguarding focal point on the leadership team. The postholder will provide expert support and advice to the CEO, the Board and the Impact and Transformation Sub-committee of the Board across programme, policy, and advocacy. Together with fellow SLT members the Director has collective responsibility for the delivery of the CIUK strategy, ensures effective cross organisational work to this end, and ensures CIUK becomes a great place to work, supporting an anti-racist, feminist, diverse and inclusive organisational culture.

Within the confederation, the post-holder is an important voice in shaping and influencing organisational thinking, policy, and operations within the CARE International confederation, being a member of the Global and European Programme Directors working groups.

CIUK’s restricted income from donors is significant and is CIUK’s largest income stream. As such, the post holder must be an expert in the delivery of restricted-funded programming and in particular in the ways of working of FCDO as a donor, and have the ability to influence senior donor counterparts. They must have significant experience of working for an INGO like CARE to deliver complex programming in challenging contexts. Our largest programmes are complex multi-partner consortia in fragile contexts with budgets of up to £60m.

As a leader of a large team, the role-holder requires strong people leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to translate strategy into action, motivate colleagues and demonstrate to team members how their role links to organisational strategy and objectives. 

Why work for us?

The Programme, Policy and Advocacy Department is at the very centre of CARE International UK (CIUK) new strategy ‘Women leading change in times of crisis’, as it is the engine room for our programme impact. It is also driving the thought leadership around how to change our role to promote greater local leadership of CARE’s work, and support women’s voice and leadership in climate and humanitarian action.

Whilst our extremely capable permanent Director of Programme, Policy and Advocacy takes a break to welcome an addition to her family, we are seeking an exceptional leader to be part of the Senior Leadership Team of CARE International UK (CIUK).  After a period of challenge and transition we are in a stronger position. You will be joining the UK team at an exciting time as we make real, and accelerate delivery of our new strategy, and build solid working relationships with the new Government.

About you

Your experience of leading a significant programme function within the international development and humanitarian sector is essential.  You will also have experience of working with FCDO, growing institutional income, and overseeing a significant portfolio of grants and contracts.  You will have deep knowledge of feminist and locally led approaches to development, some experience of advocacy and policy making, and a passion to put women and girls at the heart of development.  Your strategic leadership, inspiring people, effective financial, and change management experience, will come together to make you a strong candidate to lead this circa 50 person team with over £200m under management. Previous experience within the CARE confederation would be welcomed.

About the role

The Director of Programme, Policy and Advocacy is a senior and strategic role and a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) with overall responsibility for providing leadership to the directorate and contributing to the development and implementation of organisational strategy and effective cross-organisational work.

The role provides expert support to the CEO, the Board and the Impact and Transformation Sub-committee of the Board. Within the CARE confederation, the post-holder is an important voice in shaping and influencing organisational thinking, policy and operations within the CI confederation, being a member of the Global and European Programme Directors working groups.

CIUK’s restricted income from donors is significant and is CIUK’s largest income stream. As such, you must be an expert in the delivery of restricted-funded programming and in particular in the ways of working of FCDO as a donor and have the ability to influence senior donor counterparts. You must have significant experience of working for an INGO like CARE to deliver complex programming in challenging contexts. Our largest programmes are complex multi-partner consortia in fragile contexts with budgets of up to £60m.

As a leader of a large team, the role-holder requires strong people leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to translate strategy into action, motivate colleagues and demonstrate to team members how their role links to organisational strategy and objectives. 

About CARE

CARE International is one of the world’s leading humanitarian and development charities. We fight poverty and injustice in the world’s most vulnerable places.  We save lives in disasters and conflicts. We stand with women, girls and their communities to achieve lasting change for a better future.

Safeguarding

CARE International UK has a zero-tolerance approach to any abuse to, sexual harassment of or exploitation of, a vulnerable adult or child by any of our staff, representatives or partners. CARE International UK expects all staff to share this commitment through our Safeguarding Policy and our Code of Conduct. They are responsible for ensuring they understand and work within the remit of these policies throughout their time at CARE International UK.

Safeguarding our beneficiaries is our top priority in everything we do, including recruitment. All offers of employment at CARE International UK are subject to:

• satisfactory references. CARE International UK participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.  In line with this Scheme, we will request information from successful applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment.  
• appropriate criminal record checks (including a Bridger check). 

By submitting an application, the applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Equality and Diversity

We are committed to Equality and value Diversity.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and particularly welcome applications from disabled people. We guarantee interviews to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role (see person specification). If you require the candidate brief or need to submit your application in an alternative format, because of a disability, please contact CARE International UK.

We also encourage people from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds or LGBT+ to apply for roles at CARE International UK.

Please note that in compliance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, all job offers at Care International UK are conditional on eligibility to work in the UK