International Director of Programme Development

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SOS Children's Villages, founded in 1949, is the world's largest non-governmental organization focused on supporting children and young people without parental care, or at risk of losing it.

Child neglect, abuse and abandonment is everywhere. Families are at risk of separation. Locally led, we work in more than 130 countries and territories to strengthen families who are under pressure so they can stay together. When this is not in a child or young person's best interests, we provide quality care according to their unique needs.

Together with partners, donors, communities, children, young people and families, we enable children to grow up with the bonds they need to develop and become their strongest selves. We speak up for each child's rights and advocate for change so all children can grow up in a supportive environment.

**Location**:Innsbruck, Vienna, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Dakar, Faridabad, Skopje

**Duration**:limited contract of 5 years, with possibility of prolongation (full time)

**Mission**

The International Director Programme Development leads the International Program Development Function in the General Secretariat. The objective of the International Programme Development function is to drive programme strategy and policy frames that enable Member Associations (MAs) to deliver high quality, locally relevant and impactful programmes for children and young people without or at risk of losing adequate parental care. It does this by working very closely with -and drawing on the expertise of
- Member Associations, regional offices and other functions in the General Secretariat. Programme strategy and policy frames are holistically informed by the experience, evidence and innovation from the work of SOS Children’s Villages around the globe, and captures the voices and knowledge of children and young people themselves. Best practice and learnings from the alternative care sector and the wider not-for-profit sector are consistently sought; ensuring the Programme Development function enables SOS Children’s Villages to provide global thought-leadership on programmes for children and young people.

International Director Program Development will:

- Lead the development of a global programme strategy and a programme policy, building on the SOS Care Promise, and support their implementation;
- Actively contribute to the development of clear minimum federation standards for high quality, innovative programs that are understood and accepted by all federation stakeholders;
- Ensure that the General Secretariat (GSC) is able to adequately monitor minimum federation program quality standards and support adequate compliance (quality assurance);
- Ensures holistic safeguarding and child rights-based approaches permeate programme development work. S/he serves as a role model for values-based conduct in the organization;
- Be a global thought leader, championing and shaping activities/agendas on programme development and innovation, and participate in coalitions, sector networks and partnerships;
- Mobilize and coordinate global programme development projects focused on programme quality, innovation, growth and ICT for development;
- Ensure SOS Children’s Villages leads and participates in international research in the alternative care sector and family development, further strengthening the thought leadership of the organization in the sector;
- Work closely with the Directors of Advocacy and Communications to ensure a strong linkage between Advocacy, Communications and Programmatic work such that the organization's advocacy and communications are evidence based and programme driven and projects are further strengthened and improved through evidence-based advocacy and communications.
- Grow the capacity and understanding of programme development across the federation;
- Given limited resources, ensure that the Programme Development Function is constantly setting clear priorities and focusing its work for maximum impact.
- Drive implementation of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) across the federation;
- Collaborate and support interlinkages of programme development with the humanitarian actions and projects, ensuring that the organization's humanitarian work builds on the daily programmatic work;
- Leads programme cycle management processes and linked digital systems for effective planning, monitoring, evaluation and research, and learning all following a results-based management (RBM) method.
- In a drive towards research, innovation and development, support and promote strategies and projects that enable the implementation of new services and programmes.

The International Director leads a team of programme development experts and advisors ensuring they have the support, environment and resources needed to grow and perform. S/he is a member of the GSC Leadership Team.

**Tasks & Responsibilities**

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