WHAT IS START NETWORK? 

Our purpose is to be a catalyst for system-level change that improves the efficiency, effectiveness and ethics of humanitarian action. We do this by working as a network to develop, test & spread new ways of collaborating and resourcing locally-led crisis response and anticipation. 

Our current membership is made up of nearly 100 local, national and international NGOs based all around the world. We also support 10 national and regional hubs made up of civil society organisations and NGOs as our vehicle for devolving power, resources and accountability. 

OUR SOLUTIONS 

DECENTRAISLING & LOCALLY-LED ACTION: Shifting power and resources and decentralising decision-making to locally led networks and organisations. 

EARLY & RAPID FINANCING: Building a global financing system that reduces risk, anticipates, and acts ahead of predictable crises. 

COMMUNITY-LED INNOVATION: Incentivising innovative, locally led, and contextual solutions and learning from them together with people affected by crises. 

For more information about Start Network and what we do, please visit our website.  

OUR VALUES 

WE PUT PEOPLE FIRST: Communities come first in our decision-making and programming. 

WE ARE BRAVE: We have great ambition and are willing to explore new things and take risks to achieve it 

WE OPERATE COLLECTIVELY: We leverage the value of working as a network, sharing risk and resources, and learning together. 

WE ARE INCLUSIVE: We see the value in diverse perspectives and work to remove the barriers that prevent voices from being heard. 

WE ARE OPEN: We work transparently and with integrity, building mutual trust in all levels of our work, from governance to programming. 

WE ARE ETHICAL: We behave and operate based on key principles of anti-racism, non-discrimination, and anti-colonialism. This is a work in progress. 

JOB PURPOSE 

About the role 

Start Network is seeking an experienced individual or consultant on a 12 month fixed-term contract to manage the first phase of our digital transformation journey. We are looking to build an innovative digital function and are offering a dedicated position to focus on key technology priorities identified. This 12-month position will lay the foundations required to ensure that Start Network is prepared for continued, sustainable technology growth.  

This is a cross-cutting senior role that will oversee the delivery of the organisational digital transformation project, leading the implementation and adoption of Start Network’s  3-year digital transformation strategy and business plan. The role will lead on developing effective governance and decision making to enable Start Network to improve our use of automation, digital platforms and emerging technologies. Please see the TOR for more details. 

The role is not technology specific; it will cut across a range of areas such as the development of tools automating humanitarian response processes, integration into cloud platforms, rationalising existing systems, adoption of data analytics, and visualisation, as well as looking to new technologies such as AI and Blockchain. 

The Senior Digital Transformation Lead needs to be continuously scanning an evolving landscape: implementing a framework for opportunity identification to prioritise areas for transformation; managing staff for continuous scanning of latest technology developments and assessing relevance to the organisation’s needs. 

The post-holder will have responsibility for winning sponsorship for projects, by working together with the Business Development directorate on development of proposals for projects with associated prioritisation for funding, undertaking detailed business case and ROI analysis, and agreeing critical success factors and parameters for funding. They will embrace change, adopting a practical problem-solving approach that can find a pathway from the current to target state. 

About you  

To be successful in this role you will be both a technical expert and a capable project manager. You will be comfortable with leading process improvement, and adept at balancing stakeholder requirements with resource management.  

You will have in-depth understanding of process, workflows and technologies associated with areas pertinent to humanitarian response, grant management, membership management, finance and resource mobilisation, cybersecurity and risk management. 

You will possess a strategic mindset and be able to think conceptually about future design options and their implications, as well as being passionate about emerging technologies. Exceptional stakeholder-management skills are required to ensure effective coordination across multiple stakeholder groups with competing priorities.  

You will be able to communicate fluently in English and have a persuasive, clear and consistent communication style to build trust and obtain buy-in through the change and be able to respond to changes in direction or requirements in a fast-paced environment. 

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES 

LEADERSIP AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT  

• Deliver the digital transformation project objectives to brief and to deadline 

• Develop and execute a comprehensive digital transformation strategy aligned with the organisation's strategic goals, mission and vision 

• Review internal business processes to ensure they are aligned with a new technology and project management approach 

• Identify, prioritise, and implement digital initiatives to optimise organisational processes, systems, and data management 

• Oversee the development and implementation of digital tools and platforms to support program delivery, including data collection, analysis, and visualisation. 

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify opportunities for digital solutions and ensure successful adoption, fostering a culture of innovation within the organisation 

• Ensure data privacy and security compliance throughout the digital transformation process 

• Evaluate the effectiveness of digital initiatives and measure key performance indicators (KPIs). 

PARTNERSHIPS 

• Build strong partnerships with external stakeholders, including technology providers and donors. 

• Monitor industry trends and emerging technologies to identify opportunities for innovation. 

• Together with Business Development directorate identify opportunities for development of new relationships with tech companies and donors to support Start Network’s digital ambitions.  

THIRD-PARTY SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT 

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with third-party software vendors and solution providers. 

• Negotiate and manage contracts with third-party suppliers, ensuring best value. 

• Oversee the integration of third-party solutions with existing systems and infrastructure. 

PROJECT TEAM MANAGEMENT  

• Build and lead a high-performing digital transformation task team, fostering a culture of innovation and digital excellence.  

• As this role combines both a hands on implementation element and a need for longer-term strategic planning, it is recognised that additional human resources will be required to support the delivery of these deliverables. There are a number of existing roles with Start Network that will be seconded to the Digital Transformation project throughout the 12 months; 

• Digital Manager (5 days a week) – to assist in mapping out organisational priorities and help with project implementation. 

• Salesforce and Digital Projects Lead (5 days a week) – advice on our use of Salesforce as a CRM and integration of systems. 

• Data Manager (3 days a week) – provide guidance on existing data flows and assist in standardising data procedures. 

• System Administrator (TBC) – to provide practical support in the consolidation, management and routine requests across our technology stack. 

START NETWORK CULTURE  

• To carry out the responsibilities of the role in line with the Start Network Code of Conduct and with a commitment to safeguarding adults and children  

• A commitment to the Start Network vision, principles, values, and approach  

• The Start Network team is an agile group of individuals who use their experience and skills across the network, so flexibility to work in and with different teams and functions is a part of our culture. 

PERSON PROFILE 

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE 

• Substantial demonstrated experience in strategy development and planning,  people and process management;  

• Demonstrated technical and hands-on expertise in a range of digital technologies and platforms (including Salesforce) 

• Demonstrated experience leading and managing complex projects; expertise in organisational, and problem-solving skills. 

• Demonstrated experience successfully building, coaching, and motivating high performing, remote, diverse and inclusive teams  

• Excellent networking and stakeholder management  and influencing skills, including gaining buy-in from key stakeholders at different levels  

• Experience working in a complex, matrixed organisation. 

• Strong understanding of humanitarian contexts and challenges. 

• Experience applying technical solutions to address programmatic issues 

• Exposure to INGO or UN programmatic areas, including in humanitarian response, anticipatory action and disaster risk financing 

• Strong technical knowledge (software development is not essential but advantageous) 

• Influence stakeholders to address difficult or complex issues by listening to diverse perspectives, finding common ground, and avoiding criticism or complaint  

• Communicate confidence and compassion to others to represent their voices by enabling space, sharing encouraging words, motivating language, and offering help  

• Promote different ways to engage different audiences, advising others on how to maximise impact through feedback and coaching  

• Manage ambiguity by weighing up risks and uncertainties with opportunities in pursuit of our vision based on the evidence available  

• Enable others to support and deliver cross-organisational initiatives by removing barriers, such as reallocating work, reprioritising, and coaching others to do the same  

• Provide leadership by inspiring and unlocking motivation in others across the network to lead and hold them accountable for the results  

• Create and promote a learning culture, authentically sharing own learning and supporting others to do the same at organisational, team and network level  

• Set strategic direction and provides clarity of vision, purpose and culture, enabling space for the team, members, hubs and other stakeholders to shape the journey  

• Provide an enabling environment for the organisation to try out new approaches to technology, financial and people management through openness to experimentation and learning from outside the sector