Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

SOS Children's Villages is an independent, non-governmental international development organization which has been working to meet the needs and protect the interests and rights of children since 1949.

Responsibilities or duties

Strategy and Programme Quality and Delivery: Oversees the development of Member Association (MA) capabilities in designing and implementing national strategies, programme development, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL), and advocacy. This includes providing guidance, training, tools, and standardized, replicable processes.

Compliance, Risk, and Safeguarding: Oversees support to MAs in strengthening capabilities to implement the Federation’s safeguarding approach and manage incidents effectively. Supervises initiatives aimed at enhancing governance, risk management, and compliance capacities across MAs.

Internal Operations Capability: Oversees support to MAs in building capacity within internal operational services, particularly in human resources, finance, and ICT, including cybersecurity.

People Management: Leads, manages, and develops direct reports and departmental staff, ensuring effective performance and professional development.

Safeguarding: Promotes awareness and implementation of safeguarding policies and principles aimed at protecting programme participants, families, communities, staff, and partners from all forms of harm, including abuse, exploitation, harassment, violence, and discrimination. Ensures the immediate reporting of any safeguarding concerns, allegations, or incidents in accordance with established procedures. Acts as a role model by upholding and demonstrating values-based conduct within the organization.

Responsibilities to uphold safeguarding standards and promote a safe environment

As someone working for or on behalf of SOS Children’s Villages, you are responsible for helping to create and maintain a safe and protective environment for staff, as well as for the children, young people, and adult programme participants supported and cared for by SOS Children’s Villages. You are expected to:

• Commit to the Code of Conduct and reflect on the safeguarding implications of your work on an ongoing basis.
• Actively participate in team discussions to identify risks and share and apply preventative and mitigation measures and strategies.
• Integrate safeguarding principles into your daily decisions and tasks.
• Report any safeguarding concerns promptly and in line with procedures.
• Promote values-based culture, accountability and zero tolerance of harm.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

Requirements

• A minimum of 15 years progressive and relevant experience in provision of global support services to a large number of diverse national organisations / members
• At least 5 years senior level experience in an INGO or equivalent global organisation
• Willingness to travel 30%
• Excellent English language skills, desired: French, Spanish & Arabic

Technical Skills

• Strong track record of capacity building in national organisations
• Extensive experience in the provision of shared services
• Experience of role modelling and supporting an effective values-led and organisational working culture including safeguarding
• Experience of working with a highly diverse and multicultural staff body in a relevant leadership role
• Specific expertise in one or more areas of the support services (desired)

Other Competencies and Soft Skills

• Authentic commitment to and role modelling of the vision, mission and values of the SOS Children’s Villages federation in its work for children
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, ability to collaborate, engage and build trust amongst stakeholders, in a complex networked global system, able to influence without direct authority
• Strong strategic thinking
• Passion for service delivery, provision of outstanding customer experience and strong experience in stakeholder management

Ways of working:

• Global collaboration and communication – Working effectively across countries, cultures, and time zones by maintaining clear communication, transparency, and shared understanding within distributed teams.
• Cross-functional collaboration – Working closely with colleagues across different functions and areas of expertise to combine knowledge, solve problems collectively, and deliver meaningful outcomes aligned with the organisation’s mission.
• Effective collaboration within matrix structures – Working constructively within solid and dotted reporting lines by maintaining open communication, aligning priorities with both line and functional managers, and ensuring clarity on roles, responsibilities, and expectations to support coordinated delivery across teams.
• Flexibility and adaptability – Remaining responsive to evolving contexts and adjusting priorities, approaches, and ways of collaboration as projects, services, or organisational demand evolve.
• Ownership and accountability – Taking responsibility for advancing tasks and initiatives, proactively addressing obstacles, and ensuring that commitments, decisions, and actions are carried through to completion, taking initiative within your scope of responsibility rather than waiting for direction.
• Strengthening member associations and their autonomy – Ensuring that knowledge, tools, and lessons from projects and services are shared with member associations so they can learn from the work carried out and progressively strengthen their capacity and independence.
• Continuous feedback and transparency - Contributing to a culture where feedback and data are shared openly and constructively, enabling teams and stakeholders involved to reflect, learn, and continuously improve their work and impact.

Experience needed

15 years progressive and relevant experience in provision of global support services to a large number of diverse national organisations / members. At least 5 years senior level experience in an INGO or equivalent global organisation.

Any other provided details (e.g., benefits, work environment, team info, or additional notes)

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• Oversees the development of Member Association (MA) capabilities in designing and implementing national strategies, programme development, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL), and advocacy. This includes providing guidance, training, tools, and standardized, replicable processes.
• Oversees support to MAs in strengthening capabilities to implement the Federation’s safeguarding approach and manage incidents effectively. Supervises initiatives aimed at enhancing governance, risk management, and compliance capacities across MAs.
• Oversees support to MAs in building capacity within internal operational services, particularly in human resources, finance, and ICT, including cybersecurity.
• Leads, manages, and develops direct reports and departmental staff, ensuring effective performance and professional development.
• Promotes awareness and implementation of safeguarding policies and principles aimed at protecting programme participants, families, communities, staff, and partners from all forms of harm, including abuse, exploitation, harassment, violence, and discrimination. Ensures the immediate reporting of any safeguarding concerns, allegations, or incidents in accordance with established procedures. Acts as a role model by upholding and demonstrating values-based conduct within the organization.
• Commit to the Code of Conduct and reflect on the safeguarding implications of your work on an ongoing basis.
• Actively participate in team discussions to identify risks and share and apply preventative and mitigation measures and strategies.
• Integrate safeguarding principles into your daily decisions and tasks.
• Report any safeguarding concerns promptly and in line with procedures.
• Promote values-based culture, accountability and zero tolerance of harm.

• Strong track record of capacity building in national organisations
• Extensive experience in the provision of shared services
• Experience of role modelling and supporting an effective values-led and organisational working culture including safeguarding
• Experience of working with a highly diverse and multicultural staff body in a relevant leadership role
• Specific expertise in one or more areas of the support services (desired)
• Authentic commitment to and role modelling of the vision, mission and values of the SOS Children’s Villages federation in its work for children
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, ability to collaborate, engage and build trust amongst stakeholders, in a complex networked global system, able to influence without direct authority
• Strong strategic thinking
• Passion for service delivery, provision of outstanding customer experience and strong experience in stakeholder management
• Global collaboration and communication
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Effective collaboration within matrix structures
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Ownership and accountability
• Strengthening member associations and their autonomy
• Continuous feedback and transparency

• A minimum of 15 years progressive and relevant experience in provision of global support services to a large number of diverse national organisations / members
• At least 5 years senior level experience in an INGO or equivalent global organisation
• Willingness to travel 30%
• Excellent English language skills, desired: French, Spanish & Arabic