Manager, Global Awards

Save the Children International has an exciting opportunity for a Manager, Global Awards to join our global team.

Team and Role Purpose

To provide expert strategic and operational award management service to global teams, ensuring efficient, compliant, and high-quality use of award funds to deliver impactful programmes for children, while leveraging Global Awards and funding expertise to strengthen organisational capacity across globally implemented, managed, and supported funds and awards. The team supports global functions and programme teams through coordination, technical support, and award lifecycle management, ensuring effective planning, delivery, and oversight across the portfolio. We directly support globally managed award-funded programmes and pooled funds to ensure consistent and effective delivery across the award lifecycle, contributing to strengthened organisational performance and delivery of results for children.

Role Purpose

This role will provide hands-on award management, donor compliance, and sub-award management support, while also leading and overseeing a portfolio of globally managed and exceptionally held awards at Global Team level to ensure contracting, delivery, and close-out are delivered with quality and compliance.

The role holder will line manage one or more Global Awards Advisors (depending on portfolio size and cost recovery), ensuring effective prioritisation, performance, and consistent delivery across the portfolio. They will work collaboratively with members, donors, countries, and global teams to ensure smooth and effective management of development and humanitarian programme awards, sub-awards, and contracts.

The position holder may backstop the Senior Manager, Global Humanitarian Awards and provide support to the Director of Award Management and Donor Compliance as required on AMDC-related risks, issues, and problem solving, while contributing to oversight across the wider awards management remit.

The role will also be responsible for capacity building of staff, strengthening team capability, and improving internal ways of working to enhance efficiency, consistency, and quality across globally managed and implemented awards.

In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

• Job Title: Manager, Global Awards
• Reports To: Senior Manager, Global Humanitarian Awards
• Work Pattern: Hybrid/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: Remote, but must be willing to flex to GMT+2 to meet the needs of project(s) meetings/collaboration required
• Contract Length: Fixed Term Contract (12 months)
• Right to Work: The successful candidate must have the right to work in the country where the role is based, for the duration of employment.
• Language Requirements: English (Arabic, Spanish or French a plus)
• International Travel: up to 10%
• People Management: Manager of a team: Yes; Manager of multiple teams: No; Number of direct reports: 1 (expandable, depending on portfolio size and cost recovery)
• Remit: Global

Principal Accountabilities

• Lead and oversee a portfolio of global and multi-country awards, including sub-awards, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and effective implementation of award management systems and processes, while ensuring appropriate delegation and oversight of delivery through Global Awards Advisors.
• Lead the Award Kick-off of new awards by ensuring engagement of all relevant stakeholders across the organisation, with clear roles, timelines, and accountability across the team and wider stakeholders.
• Lead and oversee monthly Award Review Meetings for the assigned portfolio, ensuring high-quality Budget Versus Actual (BVA) analysis is prepared and presented, and that actions are clearly tracked, owned, and followed through by Advisors and stakeholders. Champion equitable partnerships in sub-award management, including direct engagement with partners and continuous improvement based on partner feedback.
• Oversee and ensure effective close-out of legacy regional and global awards, ensuring plans are developed early, responsibilities are clearly assigned, and delivery is tracked across Advisors and stakeholders. Ensure high-quality documentation and full compliance with donor and organisational requirements, including engagement of finance, supply chain, and budget holders, and capture of lessons learned.
• Lead capacity building and performance development of Advisors and wider stakeholders across implementing offices through targeted training, coaching, and technical guidance, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.
• Ensure quality assurance and oversight of AMS data, confirming that all award records accurately reflect status, documentation is complete, and data integrity is maintained across the portfolio through Advisor delivery.
• Oversee and coordinate donor reporting processes, ensuring timely, high-quality submissions supported by auditable records, and maintaining effective communication with Save the Children Members and Donors regarding funding, allocations, and performance.
• Lead the analysis and resolution of financial variances, ensuring proactive management of risks and issues, and working closely with Finance, Advisors, and stakeholders to support audits and engagement with auditors as required.
• Monitor and manage portfolio-level risks, ensuring early identification, escalation, and resolution of financial, operational, and compliance risks in line with donor and organisational standards.
• Provide senior-level support and flexibility to support, deliver, or lead on functional requests from the Senior Manager, Global Humanitarian Awards, ensuring timely resolution of risks and issues, and proactive support to countries and Global Teams.
• Champion a culture of inclusivity, diversity, equity, and integrity, leading by example within the team and across stakeholders, and proactively addressing behaviours or practices that do not align with organisational values.

Experience and Skills

Essential

1. Proven track record of in-country award portfolio management and knowledge of major donors’ compliance requirements, with an understanding of operational programming, including the realities of the context.
2. Financial Acumen: Strong understanding and skills in financial management, budgeting, and reporting and enhancing compliance and quality standards in financial and award management processes.
3. Project Management: Proficient experience in managing complex projects and programmes, ensuring compliance with donor requirements. Excellent planning and coordination.
4. Attention to Detail: Consistent accuracy in handling finances, data, and documentation.
5. Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage, influence, and inspire partners and team members.
6. Problem-Solving: Capability to address and resolve issues effectively, demonstrating analytical thinking.
7. Team Leadership: Capacity to lead and motivate a team, fostering a positive and inclusive environment.
8. Cultural Competence: Ability to understand, respect, and work effectively with diverse populations.
9. IT Proficiency: Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel, and familiarity with financial software and databases.

Desirable

• Experience managing awards (grants and contracts) of major donors such as DFID/FCDO, USAID, UN, EU, ECHO, etc
• Commitment to keep up to date with the latest developments in the field through continuous learning and professional development.
• Previous line management experience is desirable

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• A relevant degree in international development, business administration, finance, or a related discipline that provides a foundation in award management principles and practices.

Qualifications:

• Formal training or certification in project management, grant management, or financial management is preferred but not mandatory if practical experience can be demonstrated.

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.