Manager, Transformation Project Management – Data Governance

Save the Children International has an exciting opportunity for a Manager, Transformation Project Management – Data Governance to join our global team.

Team and Role Purpose

Across all sectors, AI, Data, and Digital capabilities are now essential enablers that help organisations make better decisions, improve quality, and operate more efficiently. In the development and humanitarian sectors—where every dollar directly contributes to improving children’s lives—this becomes even more critical.

Our organisation relies on a wide range of systems, tools, and processes that create, store, and share data. We also have pockets of expertise and improvement initiatives across teams. However, to fully unlock the value of our information and ensure it is used responsibly, we need a unified approach.

Data Governance provides this foundation. It ensures our data is accurate, reliable, timely, consistent, and usable, and that leaders across the organisation understand how enterprise data can be used—and their responsibilities as data stewards. Strong Data Governance is also a central pillar of our Data and Analytics function, ensuring that data is gathered, stored, processed, and shared in a consistent and trusted way across the SCA architecture.

By embedding robust data governance practices, we enable better insights, stronger accountability, and more effective decisions—ultimately helping us deliver greater impact for children.

Role purpose

The Project Manager for the Data Governance initiative will play a key role in establishing the foundational structures, processes, and behaviours required to manage data effectively in our organisation. Building on the baseline assessment completed in 2025 / 2026, the initiative will focus on putting in place the essential building blocks of effective data governance, including the definition of data domains, identification and onboarding of data owners and data stewards, upskilling of individuals engaged in data governance and putting in place specific controls linked to our prioritised areas to enable delivery and maintenance of quality data. The immediate priorities for the team will be focused on our finance and HR controls and will act as a key enabler to the delivery of our FMS SaaS project.

The Project Manager will be part of a wider project team that includes the Head, Data Governance, two Data Governance Analysts and a Global Change Manager. In this role, the Project Manager will be accountable for ensuring adherence to the Project Lifecycle including setup and maintenance of the plan, facilitating key governance forums, completing required status updates, coordinating key engagements with stakeholders, delivering core Project Management deliverables, partnering with wider projects to effectively manage dependencies and beyond. It will be essential that the role holder has solid project management experience including working at a global level, and is comfortable driving transformation in a space where they will need to use influence as opposed to having direct line accountability given the broad remit of the initiative and the need to drive change across multiple functions.

• Job Title: Manager, Transformation Project Management – Data Governance
• Reports To: Director, Transformation Development
• 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: Any
• Contract Length: Fixed Term Contract (12 months Maternity cover)
• 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
• International Travel: up to 10%
• Budget Responsibility: Management of the project budget in support of the overseeing Director
• Remit: Global

Principal Accountabilities

• Drive the delivery of the project using the Project Management toolkit that has been developed within SCI
• Prepare and conduct project definition workshops, to confirm and document project scope and approach, ensuring this reflects the critical business objectives and timing defined by the Head, FMS Transition
• Establish and manage ambitious but achievable plans for each workstream and for the overall project, taking into consideration business deadlines, dependencies, resources, and costs
• Identify opportunities for consolidating activities across workstreams for economies of scale or simplified implementation
• Drive the project to a regular beat: monitor workstream activity, manage adherence to plan and resolving obstacles to delivery. Note that workstream leads will typically be business SMEs role includes coaching and supporting them in driving the activities within a workstream.
• Put the project controls in place (i.e. plan, resources, risks/issue management, finances, dependencies, scope management) and use them to drive the delivery of the project, proactively identifying and managing project risks and issues and driving actions to mitigate or resolve.
• Provide regular status reports that support effective decision making with the project, at the Management Review Group (MRG) or equivalent and across the portfolio of projects, with clear escalation and decision making.
• Set up and maintain the repository of documentation for each stage of project lifecycle, ensuring that all documentation has a clear purpose in driving the project forward.
• Implement best practices and procedures in project management within the project and contribute to the continuous improvement of the project management toolkit.
• Work with the Global Change Manager assigned to the project to ensure all change activities are incorporated into the plan and that there is a communications plan that includes channels to stakeholders in geographically disperse locations.

Experience and Skills

Essential

1. Extensive experience and knowledge of data governance in a complex global organisation
2. Demonstrable experience and in-depth knowledge of programme and project management practices and standards
3. A proven ability to deliver projects on time / on budget, using project management processes and tools including risk management, benefits management, financial management and quality assurance
4. Proven experience of using and leading change management activities including change impact assessment, stakeholder management, managing resistance, building change capacity, designing and defining roles and responsibilities.
5. A proven ability to apply analytical and problem solving skills, and to work collaboratively to deliver of effective solutions to project related issues
6. Developed organisational awareness and ability to understand any sensitivities within a complex multi-stakeholder structure; and think creatively and strategically to overcome obstacles to cooperation and progress
7. Team leadership abilities with the ability to motivate and mobilise individuals outside their reporting line
8. Business requirements collection, and process/workflow analysis skills
9. Excellent communication skills (written & oral English), including the ability to communicate and influence at all levels of the organisation
10. Cultural awareness and experience of delivering solutions internationally

Desirable

• Able to demonstrate instances of initiative that have delivered organisational benefits
• Familiarity with project management tools (e.g., JIRA, Trello) and office suites (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• Non-profit sector knowledge/experience
• Proficiency in a second core language of Save the Children (French, Spanish, Portuguese or Arabic)

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
• Understanding of a structured Project methodology (e.g. PRINCE2) or accredited Project Management training (APM or PMI)

Desirable

• Non-profit sector knowledge/experience (especially international development projects)
• Second language – French, Spanish or Arabic

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.