Duration: Permanent   

Salary: £65,000 per annum 

Hours: 35 hours per week. Other flexible arrangements will be considered 

Disclosure Level: Basic.  This role involves no direct with children  

Team: Programme Funding Operations 

Reports to: Programme Impact & Partnership Assurance 

At the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), we pull together to achieve the best possible results for children in danger around the world.  We believe in an inclusive workplace and in the power of fulfilled colleagues who share the same values and goals, enjoy their work and are motivated to do their utmost for children.   

Our work is guided by the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which recognise the universality of children’s rights. 

ABOUT THE TEAM  

The Programme Funding Operations (PFO) Team sits within the Programme Impact & Partnership Assurance Department. This department also includes the International Programme Impact Team and the Partnership Research and Assurance Team and is part of the wider Partnerships & Philanthropy Directorate.  

The PFO team contains two core functions – Proposition Development and Grant Management, each comprising a team lead and 2 team members, plus holds responsibility for the department wide information management function. Working closely with the International Programmes Impact team, the PFO teams work to ensure that UNICEF UK partners and supporters receive compelling, quality propositions, proposals and reports about UNICEF’s work and to ensure that funds raised by UNICEF UK are managed through clear and feasible contracts, with funds accurately and efficiently transferred to the appropriate UNICEF global programmes.  

ABOUT THE ROLE 

As Head of Programme Funding Operations you will be a critical enabler of ambitious funding growth for UUK, through the development and maintenance of coherent systems, processes and policies to support end to end processes of programme information management, proposition development and grant management. A key focus will be anticipating and managing key risks and operational support needs across the pipeline and portfolio in order to support growth.  

You will work closely with Head of International Programmes Impact to ensure strategic alignment between operational funding processes and programme goals, and co-ordinate with Head of Partnership Research and Assurance for effective information sharing on specific partnerships. Other key collaborative stakeholders include Heads and Directors across Partnerships & Philanthropy, Marketing and Finance.  

You will line manage 3 people directly, with a total of 7 people in the wider team.  This role does not manage relationships with donors directly, nor manage programme delivery in UNICEF countries. The role focuses on maximising the effectiveness of processes needed to connect external facing fundraising with delivery of programmes.  

What we will expect you to achieve 

• Lead collaboration with Team Leads in Proposition Development and Grant Management, to develop, embed and communicate policies, processes and systems that provide quality assurance across the programme funding cycle and support the development of a strategic funding portfolio. 

• Lead operational portfolio oversight on behalf of UUK, including regular analysis of trends, risks and opportunities within the programme funding portfolio, providing insight that enables funding decisions that promote sustainable growth, strategic alignment and risk management. 

• Collaborate with Head of International Programme Impact to ensure that impact and quality considerations are accurately reflected in funding development processes and systems 

• Lead the development of enhanced programme information management for the organisation, ensuring consistent and user friendly capture of information generated through proposal and report production as well as through programme travel, international colleague presentations and technical expert updates.   

• Provide operational surge capacity to Team Leads in Proposition Development and Grant Management in periods of high demand or complex proposal and contractual development.  

• Take an active role as part of the management team within Programme Impact & Partnership Assurance department, engaging with departmental and organisational initiatives on EDI, team building and learning and development.  

• Demonstrate and model a commitment to our shared values, behaviours and inclusive practices (known as Our Shared Commitment) in all aspects of your work. 

BEHAVIOURS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS 

Effective Behaviours 

Leadership 

Promotes a results focused culture, engaging and guiding others to achieve ambitious goals.  

Translates strategic direction into medium- and long-term plans and objectives for own team and department, leading effective change management as required.  

Analytical 

Builds systems and collects data that enable interrogation and analysis of data to manage risk and maximise opportunity within the award management cycle.  

Takes a problem-solving approach to prioritises and sustain focus on work that will have the greatest impact on agreed aims  

Efficiency and effectiveness 

Develop systems and ways of working that enable teams to anticipate and manage high volumes of workflow with competing deadlines while ensuring risks are mitigated and quality is maintained.  

Creating and innovating 

Draws on sector knowledge and innovative approaches to create processes and operations solutions that can support ambitious growth in proposal and grant driven income.  

Supporter driven and mission aligned.  

• Is committed to children and their rights and motivated to work towards achieving a world that is fit for every child 

Relevant Experience 

• Leading high performing teams 

• Managing high value proposal and grant management portfolios for diverse donors, from foundations and corporate partners to philanthropists 

• Developing and using programme funding systems and processes (e.g sign off protocols and quality monitoring protocols, cost recovery guidance, portfolio risk management tools) 

• Developing and managing programme information resources, supporting partnership engagement and funding products for both partnership and direct marketing audiences 

• Experience in a fundraising environment, ideally within the international development sector. 

Specific Skills/Knowledge 

• Knowledge of funding trends within international development 

• Knowledge of programme funding tools and process, including log frames, theory of change, programme budget development, contract negotiation and compliance.  

• Knowledge of philanthropic and partnership funding audiences and trends within wider UK fundraising  

• Understanding of working effectively within a global organisation