Head of Programme Quality (Interim)

Programme Quality in War Child is achieved through a combination of thematic technical quality, learning, and accountability. The Head of Programme Quality (interim) leads the head-office based Quality Team to ensure that programme development and implementation is informed by relevant quality standards and that evidence for the impact of our work underpins delivery of programmes, advocacy and new initiatives. The Head of Programme Quality (interim) inspires the organisation to strengthen adoption of high quality approaches, reaching the wider sector to integrate learning into our programmes and working with our country teams and technical leads to research and develop programme approaches and drive our practice-led innovation work that bring new solutions to the challenges facing children affected by conflict. It’s a senior leadership role within the organisation forming part of the War Child Management Team.

If you share our values and believe that children’s lives should not be torn apart by war, we want to hear from you.

About us

War Child, the specialist charity for children affected by conflict. For more than two decades we’ve delivering high-impact programmes that are rebuilding lives across Afghanistan, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Central African Republic and Yemen. We understand children’s needs, respect their rights, and put them at the centre of the solution – from reintegrating children formerly associated with armed groups and armed forces (CAAFAG) in the Central African Republic to reuniting children with their families in Afghanistan. We look forward to a world in which the lives of children are no longer torn apart by war. This is a vision that can only be realised through the collective actions of children themselves, communities and their leaders, organisations like War Child, governments and key decision makers.

Your role

The Head of Programme Quality (interim) leads the Programme Quality team during an expected 9 to 12-month period ahead of and during the expected merger of War Child UK with War Child Holland within a new War Child Alliance. The Head of Programme Quality (interim) is responsible for ensuring that technical quality standards inform War Child programme development and underpin the results of our work. Leading a team of technical advisors, the post leads the development and application of programme learning for continual improvement and generates evidence for the impact of our work. You will set strategic direction for quality improvement, influencing programme teams to achieve quality standards. You will have a visible presence on sector networks and inspire collaboration across teams to develop new approaches across our country programmes. The role ensures that the War Child Board of Trustees is involved in the progress of our programme quality agenda.

Child safeguarding and Adults at Risk

Our work with children and at-risk adults to keep them safe is the most important thing we do. We are committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults in all areas of our work. We have zero tolerance for any behaviours and practices that puts children and/or vulnerable adults at risk of abuse and/or harm

Child safeguarding and Adults at Risk

Our work with children and at-risk adults to keep them safe is the most important thing we do. We are committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults in all areas of our work. We have zero tolerance for any behaviours and practices that puts children and/or vulnerable adults at risk of abuse and/or harm

Your responsibilities

• Line management and coaching of War Child UK’s Programme Quality team to build a strong team culture, high morale, regular performance management and shared priority setting.
• Lead and guide War Child UK’s Programme Quality team in its preparation for and implementation of the expected merger with War Child Holland to ensure that the merger process is as smooth as possible for all concerned. This should include working closely with War Child Holland counterparts to strengthen relations and contribute to the development of a shared future Programme Quality team.
• Lead the development, coherence and direction of War Child UK thematic strategies, MEAL approaches, in the context of a defined programme quality strategy.
• Develop and evaluate the technical advisory expertise at War Child UK, giving high quality guidance, oversight and advice.
• Responsible for working with the Programme Funding Team to ensure that programme quality is embedded fully in to all stages of programme management cycle.
• Prioritising the work of the Programme Quality team to ensure that country programmes receive necessary technical capacity support to improve programme quality.
• Responsible for effective learning within and across War Child UK, using both the experience of our programmes and drawing on trends and resources from the sector to improve programme quality to promote innovation and identify good practice.
• Develop and maintain a wide range of external sector relationships including with relevant donors, research and academic institutions, ensuring strong visibility and representation.
• Lead on identifying research needs and opportunities within War Child UK which contribute to our Theory of Change and translating these into technically robust programme interventions which develop War Child’s work in new directions, including commissioning relevant research and publications
• Develop and manage the Programme Quality budget in accordance with the Global Finance Manual;
• Cooperate with other team heads in War Child UK to develop an effective Management Team for the organisation, contributing solutions and problem solving for operational and organisational challenges. Ensure excellent cross-team working, and work with the other leaders in the Programmes Team to ensure that Trustees have oversight of War Child UK programme quality, in particular through working with Programme Quality Committee.
• Contribute to creating a culture committed to the safeguarding of children and adults and compliant to WCUK’s Child Safeguarding and Adults at Risk Policies.

These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the role.

You are

• A proven leader with excellent people management skills, including leading a team of specialists, managing change, performance and development, and supporting employee wellbeing.
• Extensively experienced in international aid and development with demonstrable experience of developing and implementing a programme quality agenda at an institutional level, able to lead and inspire a team to manage multiple priorities and develop new approaches.
• Knowledgeable about the realities and challenges of humanitarian work in conflict settings, including experience of supporting programme quality within NGO/agency country or regional programmes. Overseas experience in an international non-profit organisation is essential.
• Passionate about achieving programme quality with a record of building continual improvement.
• Knowledgeable about War Child’s priority thematic areas of Child Protection, Education and Livelihoods, including understanding of the concepts related to cash-based programming applied to War Child thematic areas.
• Committed to and have an understanding of safeguarding within the humanitarian and development sector.
• Able to set strategic direction for the Programme Quality function, including actively contributing to annual planning processes and translate these into easy to understand objectives and activities.
• Able to collaboratively participate in decision making and problem solving
• A confident external representative and advocate