VP, Program Resources and Institutional Learning

Position title : Vice President, Program Resources and Institutional Learning

Location : Flexible, United States

ChildFund office : International Office

Manager / Supervisor title : Chief Impact and Innovation Officer

Position type : Full-time regular

Work environment : Remote

About ChildFund

ChildFund is a dynamic child-focused organization expanding its work with and for children in communities all over the world. Join us as we embark on a new growth strategy and build new capabilities and partnerships to scale our impact for children so they can grow up healthy, educated, skilled, and safe, no matter where they are.

ChildFund’s Values

We aspire for every person in our organization—program participants, supporters, staff, and volunteers alike—to feel free, safe, and confident to be themselves. In our culture of connection, you will have ample opportunity to grow, learn, and lead while contributing your talents and innovations to our inspiring mission.

ChildFund’s Commitment

ChildFund International has a zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH) and all other forms of harm by its staff, partners, and other representatives in the delivery of its mission and services for children. ChildFund is committed to creating a safe environment in the workplace as well as in the communities where it delivers programs and services. ChildFund expects every staff member, partner, and representative to adhere to this commitment and to ensure all organizational policies and standards are followed. This position is subject to a range of vetting checks, including a criminal records check and / or disclosure to ensure program participants are safeguarded.

About This Role

This is a full-time, open-ended position located in the United States, with a preference for candidates in the Eastern time zone.

ChildFund International is in the third year of an ambitious strategy, Growing Connections, with the bold goal of impacting the lives of 100 million vulnerable children and family members by 2030. Over the next decade, ChildFund will change the lives of children through scaling child-centered programs, influencing the child development ecosystem, and growing new capabilities to deepen and scale impact. ChildFund is undergoing an evolution towards a more integrated approach to programming that leverages its sponsorship and grant programming, operating models, and funding streams. This evolution includes a shift towards impact, systems change, evidence and new types of program design.

As a member of the Executive Team, the Vice President, Programs and Institutional Learning (PIL) will be responsible for providing vision and strategic leadership for the Program Resources and Institutional Learning Department, leading cross-organizational, global efforts to strengthen program quality, measurement and learning, as well as program design and products for impact, business development and grant acquisition. The Vice President will head efforts to strengthen ChildFund’s grant-related program offerings as well as its blended programming model that better integrates sponsorship. and grants. In addition to setting the vision, strategy and plans to strengthen program quality and impact across Africa, Asia and the Americas, the Vice President will play a leadership role in positioning ChildFund for major grants across diverse global donors. This includes building Areas of Practice and developing sectoral strategies, products, and materials that can be used for business development and thought leadership. The Vice President will build strategic partnerships to amplify our impact and position for major grants, sometimes leading and sometimes joining consortiums and collaborative impact partnership groups. The Vice president will continue to build on and strengthen ChildFund’s mechanisms for continuous institutional learning about program delivery, quality, and impact and influence the adaptations of programs and operating models to reflect changes in the global development and operating contexts.

The Vice President will serve as the focal point proving thought and practice leadership on locally-led development, digital delivery of programs, and harnessing the nexus of child development with conflicts, the environment, and economic opportunities. Finally, the Vice President will assume accountability for certain assigned global strategic objectives in ChildFund’s Growing Connections Strategy to scale up child-centered programs.

Required Experience and Education

• A university degree is required; an advanced degree is preferred.
• At least 15 years of work experience, including at least 10 years of senior management experience in a global development and nonprofit organization setting strategy and driving progress.
• At least 10 years of experience designing, developing and / or implementing high quality programming in developing countries.
• Demonstrated success leading and / or participating in rigorous business development and major grant fundraising in amounts over $10 million.
• Demonstrated track record of building high performing teams and leading change in diverse global environment.
• Experience working and leading in matrixed organizations.
• Prior experience in project management of enterprise-wide initiatives involving cross-functional teams and / or multi-cultural staff is strongly preferred.
• Prior experience in localization / locally led development.

Primary Responsibilities

In collaboration with Chief Impact and Innovation Officer, set the vision and strategy for the Department of Program Resources and Institutional Learning, as well as the vision and strategy for ChildFund’s programming around the world, and drive the organizational change needed to implement these.

Ensure high-quality program design and products rooted in best practices for impact and scaling; aligned with the changing landscape of global development and funding streams.

Lead and oversee efforts to inspire the adaptation of program practices at the country office level so that they reflect an impact lens and other programming models and approaches required by major grant funders.

Provide leadership in partnership with the Director of Business Development to shape business development strategies, business processes, and activities such as donor cultivation, pre-positioning, relationship building, and proposal preparation.

Lead efforts to ensure thought leadership, high quality of programs and products to support business development, resource acquisition, and program measurement.

In collaboration with Regional Directors, oversee efforts to further define and demonstrate ChildFund’s leadership in locally-led development with over 200 local partners globally and multiple models of partnership.

Cultivate strategic partnerships to achieve impact and learning goals, and to position ChildFund competitively for grants.

Provide strategic leadership and support for all PRIL staff, including senior professionals in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, Research, technical sectors, and Program and Product Design.

Lead and institutionalize mechanisms and activities to capture, disseminate, and utilize learning from internal and external sources.

Guide the harnessing of local resources and connections and profiling of governments and strong local partners to expand and scale ChildFund programs and policy advocacy.

Function as an interlocutor for country offices and International Office teams, ensuring the relevance and application of sound research, monitoring and evaluation, and learning about programmatic results, outcomes, and impact.

Leverage sponsorships and the intersection of child development with the environment, conflicts, humanitarian / disaster, and economic opportunity to deepen and expand program resources, learning, and impact.

Partner with the Strategy team to contribute to strategy implementation, annual planning, and evaluation.

Maintain a strong professional network and exercise influence to enhance ChildFund’s visibility internally and externally.

As a member of the Global Leadership Team, demonstrates leadership qualities and principles which reflect the organization’s core values.

Remain alert and responsive to any child safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills which will enable you to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the child safeguarding policy and procedures, and conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the Child Safeguarding Policy.

Required Competencies

The ability to speak, read, and write fluently in English; fluency or professional proficiency in a second language is beneficial.

Demonstrated deep understanding of child-focused international development concepts and program design best practices, as well as the evolving ecosystem of donors and stakeholders.

Excellent leadership and management skills, including the ability to lead change and cultivate a culture of change and innovation.

Demonstrated diplomacy in building relationships and the ability to work in international settings with diverse cultures.

Excellent communication skills, including presentation skills.

Excellent planning and analysis skills.

Strong relationship-building skills with internal and external stakeholders with the ability to serve as an ambassador and spokesperson for ChildFund programs in professional networks.

The ability to serve as a champion for change and the ability to lead change while cultivating a culture of innovation.

Other Requirements

The ability to travel internationally (25-30%).

Current work authorization and residence in the United States (East Coast preferred).

LI-DNI

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