Save the Children International has an exciting opportunity for a Head, Leadership & Capability Development to join our global team.

Team and Role Purpose

To develop and implement innovative talent and learning strategies that attract, select, and nurture diverse talent in alignment with the organisation’s strategic objectives, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and inclusivity while ensuring compliance with organisational policies and principles of equity. By overseeing global talent management, succession planning, performance management, and learning and development, the team ensures leadership continuity and organisational growth. Through evaluating the effectiveness of these programmes, the team drives continuous improvement, equipping all employees with the skills and knowledge necessary to contribute to an inclusive and supportive workplace. 

Role purpose

To design and implement an innovative and impactful learning strategy and curriculum to build organisational and individual capabilities across global and country teams, ensuring all staff are equipped with the skills and knowledge to deliver exceptional results. This role drives best practices in learning and leadership development by fostering a culture of continuous learning and inclusivity. It contributes significantly to the organisation's mission by empowering staff to excel in their roles, promoting equity, and enhancing overall effectiveness. 

Job Title: Head, Leadership & Capability Development  

Reports To: Director, Talent & Learning

Work Pattern: Hybrid or Remote with flexible working options available

Location: Any approved Save the Children International office location. For a full list of locations that Save the Children International can hire in, please visit: SCI Careers

Required Time Zone: Any

Contract Length: Permanent

Right to Work: The successful candidate must possess the unrestricted right to work in their current or preferred location for the duration of employment

Language Requirements: English

International Travel: up to 5%

People Management: Number of people managed in total: 4

Manager of a team: Yes

Team Manager (manager of multiple teams): No 

Principal Accountabilities

• Develop and maintains our learning and development strategy, frameworks and a curricula (including leadership, management mandatory training, personal effectiveness and other organisational capability areas) that are customisable and scalable and drive organisational capability   
• Design, delivery and implementation of Global Leadership and Management Curriculum uplifting SCI Leadership and Management behaviours. 
• Collaborates with People Partners, Head of Talent and other stakeholders to assess learning needs, create comprehensive learning plans, design interventions and ensure the execution of high-quality development programs.  
• Foster an inclusive and supportive learning environment by integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into all training materials and methods  
• Evaluate the effectiveness of learning interventions through regular feedback, monitoring, and reporting, ensuring continuous improvement and alignment with organisational goals.  
• Champion the development of cultural competence within the organisation by promoting awareness, understanding, and respect for diverse cultural perspectives in all learning initiatives. 
• Build Partnerships to fund and leverage learning resource that are relevant for Save the Children. 
• Manage Learning and Development budget and influences global funding for L+D. 
• Coaches and builds capability of Learning and Leadership Team and broader learning and development community. 

Experience and Skills

Essential

1. Extensive Experience in Learning and Development: Proven track record in leading the full life cycle of learning and development at scale   
2. Extensive experience: In best practice and thought leadership across learning and development, including leadership and management development,  learning theories, and future focused learning design  
3. Significant experience: In fostering inclusive learning environments and championing diversity, equity, and inclusion within an organization  
4. Significant experience in working with senior leaders and other key stakeholders to align and prioritise learning initiatives with organisational goals. 
5. Significant experience in instructional design - designing, developing, and delivering blended learning solutions 
6. Considerable experience: In innovative learning design and implementation tools and technologies 
7. Strategic Thinking: Ability to set ambitious and challenging goals for oneself and for the team, being future-oriented and thinking on a global scale. Proven ability to create implementable strategies from complex requirements 
8. Prioritisation: Ability to balance competing and conflicting priorities, and make decisions aligned to overall strategy 
9. Creativity and Innovation: Capacity to develop and encourage new and innovative solutions, while willing to take disciplined risks. 
10. Leadership: Demonstrates strong leadership abilities, relatable and easy to talk to, and an approachable team leader who can motivate and support others.

Desirable

• Coaching and Mentoring: Strong skills in coaching and mentoring leaders at various levels. 

Education and Qualifications 

• Recognised HR Qualification with emphasis on learning desirable but not essential 

Working at Save the Children International

Save the Children is the world's leading organisation for children, employing ~25,000 staff. We save children's lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Through our work in 116 countries, we put the most deprived and marginalised children first.

We know that great people make a great organisation, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

The work here is challenging but is also immensely rewarding. At Save the Children, you will be in good company, working with talented, like-minded individuals who are determined to ensure that all children survive, learn, and are protected. Your contribution will help ensure children's voices are heard at the highest levels, and that we achieve our global strategy, Ambition for Children 2030, and reach every last child.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

DEI is core to our vision, values and global strategy. Save the Children is committed to creating a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation, and one which will support us in our vision to ensure every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation.

We are committed to equal employment opportunities, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, disability, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, caring or parental responsibilities, age, or beliefs and religion. We are committed to diversifying our staff to better represent the communities we serve and actively welcome underrepresented groups to apply.

Reasonable adjustments will be made should any candidate invited to interview require this.

Application Information

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application. A full copy of the role profile can be found at SCI Careers. It is recommended that you save a copy of the role profile as it will no longer be available after the advert closes.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the job advert may be closed earlier than advertised subject to the volume of suitable applicants. Please submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.
Due to the high volume of applications we receive, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Candidates who are successfully shortlisted should expect to hear from us within 2 weeks of the advert deadline.

Our Recruitment Process

1. Application review by our recruiting team based on your CV and cover letter
2. Two-stage competency-based interviews with the hiring team
3. Some recruitment may include an additional assessment or case study stage, or a third stage interview
4. If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment, followed by your contract subject to passing background checks

We need to keep children and adults safe so our selection process includes rigorous background checks and reflects our commitment to the protection of children and adults from abuse.  All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our Code of Conduct and all policies and procedures relating to Anti-Harassment, Health and Safety, Safeguarding, and DEI and Equal Opportunities.

Save the Children does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.