The Head of Quality Management will play a key role in the International Programme Operations team and the organisation as a whole, as it will be responsible for defining and implementing Save the Children International’s (SCI’s) approach to Quality Management. The purpose of which is to ensure that quality is the key driver for all of SCI’s work at all levels / entities and across all functions / departments – both programming and operations.

Save the Children’s Quality Management team is at the vanguard of change. It is a team that strives to simplify how we work in the pursuit of impact and strategy delivery; bring coherence to the way in which we assess, plan, and deliver continuous improvement across all functions; overhaul our existing Quality Framework to ensure that policies, procedures, and standards are up-to-date and of high quality; and seeks to deliver greater alignment across the movement  in how we assess the quality of our work.

Given the size and complexity of the organisation, the postholder needs to be someone who can establish and nuture relationships with a diverse group of senior stakeholders, bridge ‘big picture’ pragmatism with high levels of detail and not be afraid to hold a mirror up to the organisation where needed.

Save the Children is a large and complex organisation with many interdependencies, layers, and duplicative processes across assessment, planning and reporting processes. This role is critical in achieving cross functional buy-in and driving forward complex changes in this area – ensuring that functions align their planning and reporting requirements with these core processes, and only request information from Country and Regional Offices that is deemed mission-critical, minimally burdensome and of value to those involved.

The role will lead the ongoing development of the Quality Framework, to ensure this is effective in supporting staff across SCI to deliver programmes for children with quality and compliance. SCI’s Quality Framework (QF), contains all of SCI’s Policies, Quality Standards, Procedures, Tools and Supporting Guidance. Up to 16,000 staff members are required to follow the mandatory documents (SCI’s Policies and Procedures) contained in the QF. It is therefore crucial that these are high quality, comprehensive and easy to access and use.

The role will be responsible for strengthening the organisation’s approach to quality management primarily within SCI, but also as part of Save the Children Association’s (SCA’s – incorporating all of Save the Children’s Member Offices) wider approach

Budget Responsibilities: N/A

Role Dimensions: This role will manage multi-stakeholder relationships in a complex networked organisation and in a number of geographies. The role will involve regular liaison with mostly senior level colleagues from SCI Country Offices, Regional Offices, the Centre and Members, including those working at the senior leadership level.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Strategically lead improvements in SCI’s quality culture and develop staff capacity in Quality Management at all levels of the organization, and across all areas of work, so as to deliver the Impact agenda.

 With the team, and in collaboration with Functional Directors and Senior Leadership, develop and implement a quality management strategy and approach for SCI which can be applied across SCI and within individual functions/departments and initiatives, to ensure quality is the key driver for all of SCI’s work – in the Centre, Regions, and Countries, and across all areas of SCI’s work – in both programming and operations.

Coordinate with key staff and committees involved in quality management processes to influence alignment between the different components e.g IP Ops Planning and Strategy Team, Annual Planning processes, Management Information, Quality Framework and Risk Management (e.g., Audit and Risk Committee, Global Assurance), Lead strategic thinking together with the Member & Organisational Development team to identify opportunities of alignment and collaboration on quality management-related issues for SCA Members.

Collaborate with others to assess and identify further opportunities to deliver the Simplification Agenda ensuring that all asks of SC Offices from the centre and Members are business critical.

Support the International Programmes SMT to fulfil their duties as gate-keeper for any new planning and reporting requirements placed on SC Offices in countries and regions by the Centre, with particular consideration for alignment with the Global Strategy, overall reporting burden and added value to those involved.

Promote and Champion improvements in action orientated cross functional collaboration and leverage existing channels and platforms eg Horizon Planner, CD Dialogues, Pain Points survey, to break down siloed ways of working and deliver joined up impactful leadership and support to ROs and COs/NOs inline with CROOM

Support the Senior Quality Framework Manager to Lead the Cross Functional Leads Forum in the centre and support it’s ongoing work to collaboratively resolve County Office pain points as required. This may include identifying root causes, planning and running projects to resolve these.

Represent the Quality Management team to stakeholders with credibility and knowledge.

 Lead thinking behind effective change and communication strategies

 Lead, advise and/or support the design and delivery of effective change management and communication strategies, including providing leadership, guidance and support to QM Team on the same, so as to ensure effective delivery and impact. Ensure team has the required resources to effectively deliver change, includes support to trainings and orientations as required.

Establish collaborative working relationships and effectively influence senior-level audience of the necessity of change and be able to drive decisions. Where applicable, constructively challenge functions and leaders to deliver the identified change.   Be skilled in communicating complex concepts in a simple way, tailoring communications for different audiences

• Agile thinking with an ability to swiftly adapt and respond to challenges and proven competency in leading workshops, webinars, and effective decision-making meetings.
• Manage upwards communication effectively by keeping the IPCI Director informed of key developments and briefed on key messaging.

Provide strategic leadership & thinking towards the implementation of enhanced, standardised Knowledge Management platform and processes and Elevate the Quality Framework (QF)

• Drive improvements in organisational knowledge management platform and processes providing leadership and support to Content Strategist, and others, in ensuring cohesive KM methodology is applied and adhered to across all outlets and avenues of SCI, in order to deliver the highest quality programmes and services and effectively engaging with senior leadership to broker functional engagement, resources and commitment.
• Follow best practice developments within the sector and provide thought leadership on KM improvements with key stakeholders (e.g. IT, Cross-Functional Leads) so as to drive sector leading Quality Framework platform
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with Senior Leaders within SCI (SLT & ELT) and SCA so as to effectively engage and influence understanding and use of Quality Framework as the core organisational reference materials.
• Collaborate with Functional Directors and Senior Management to drive accountability, and improvements as required, to the Quality Framework
• Accountable for effective implementation of the QF Procedure ensuring functional alignment to organisational definitions and appropriate governance is adhered to
• Be a Champion for the Quality Framework identifying opportunities to emphasise the role the QF, and the Quality Standards it contains, has in managing quality and compliance within the global organisation. Drive increased awareness, understanding and alignment of the QF
• Support the Content Strategist and Senior QF Manager to ensure that all organisational policy and procedure documents meet internal standards and that timely improvements and innovations to the Framework are identified and delivered.

Firmly embed the Quality Standards in Save the Children’s ways of working

• Accountable for ensuring that the Quality Standards Self-Assessment (QSSA) is prioritized across all areas of SCI’s work and identify, develop and implement solutions for addressing any gaps or barriers.
• Collaborate with others to provide strategic information to Senior Leadership on SCI’s performance and approach to quality management, including in Board reports, key internal forums (e.g. IPMP), Annual Health of the Organisation Report, and so on.
• Ensure information being reported upwards is being used effectively for quality management – to inform decisions and continuous improvement, and ultimately results in support being provided to COs from ROs, and from the Centre to ROs where needed.
• Ensure the Quality Standards are (i) reviewed and updated every three years, ii) embedded in key management processes for strategy, annual planning and reporting and (iii) streamlined with other management processes such as audits, risk management, performance indicators and so on.
• Work with the Sr Quality Framework Manager to ensure that the QSSA is improved with each cycle based on feedback.

                                                                                                                                                                             Provide supportive, empowering line management support to the Quality Management Team

Oversee and support the work of direct reports, ensuring that workplans are kept updated and adjusted where needed; that performance and learning objectives are not only set but actively supported through regular quality conversations as per the SCI Develop to Perform framework;

Ensure that the team moves as ‘one’ with collaborative planning and problem-solving.

With the team, develop and implement a clear, simple, and practical ‘offer’ document that explains what the team will do, can do, how they do it and how other functions can tap into this expertise.

Foster a collegiate and positive team dynamic.

Act as a point of escalation for the team when issues or challenges arise in upholding their accountabilities

Deputise for the Director as required and lead on delegated defined areas as agreed

Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions

Willing to take disciplined risks.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (SCI Values in Practice)

Accountability:

Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values

Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same

Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others

Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters

Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength

Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

Integrity:

Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS 

Bachelors’ degree level education preferable / equivalent work experience.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Significant years of leadership and management experience in a large and complex INGO.

Strong experience of designing and implementing quality management / continuous improvement approaches in the aid and development sector.

Strong experience of designing and implementing change management and organisational development initiatives that aim to strengthen staff behaviours and organisational culture.

Excellent coordination and relationship building skills using a positive, flexible and collaborative approach to achieve project outcomes.

Ability to plan ahead, anticipate requirements and obstacles with sound judgement, juggle competing priorities, and work effectively under pressure to tight deadlines