Save the Children International
Director, Regulated Programmes
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Director, Regulated Programmes
Save the Children International
Job Title
Director, Regulated Programmes
Key Details
- Reports To: Director, Quality and Impact
- Work Pattern: Hybrid (flexible working options available)
- Location: UK
- Contract Length: Permanent
- Grade: Executive
- Right to Work: Must hold the right to work in the UK
- Language: English
- International Travel: Up to 20%
- People Management: Manages multiple teams (8 direct reports)
- Budget Responsibility: ~$1 million
- Remit: Global
About the Role
To enhance the culture of quality and impact across Country Offices by ensuring technical expertise is available when and where needed. The role focuses on driving an evidence-based and accountability-driven approach while embedding learning across programmes and operations.
Key priorities include:
- Supporting the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) function through capacity strengthening and global initiatives such as PRIME and indicator roll-out.
- Leading programme incident management, risk escalation, and reporting to uphold accountability and compliance.
- Providing strategic oversight of medical and construction-related risks to ensure safe, high-quality, and compliant programmes globally.
Principal Accountabilities
- Provide strategic leadership for the global Regulated Programmes team, driving quality, impact, and setting priorities while fostering a diverse, inclusive, and high-performing culture.
- Develop and implement risk management strategies for medical and construction programmes, ensuring proactive identification, mitigation, and control of risks.
- Lead medical incident management and escalations, collaborating with senior leadership, Audit & Risk Committee, Charity Commission, donors, and members to ensure transparency and governance.
- Ensure compliance with all external regulatory requirements, including maintaining SCI licences for MHRA WDA(H) and Home Office controlled drugs.
- Promote a strong culture of accountability, safety, and governance, aligning with organisational and legal standards.
- Maintain and review programme risk registers, ensuring mitigations align with the SCARF framework and incorporate cross-functional inputs.
- Proactively manage emerging risks at the Country Office level, escalating significant exposures in line with enterprise risk management principles.
- Collaborate closely with thematic technical teams, including Education, Health, and Climate Change, to ensure technical alignment and integrated programme delivery.
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Experience and Skills
Essential
- Proven strategic leadership and programme management skills, translating organisational strategy into high-quality, impactful delivery.
- Exceptional leadership, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder influence across global teams and diverse contexts.
- Ability to lead organisational and cultural change, promoting collaboration, accountability, and high performance.
- Strong commitment to quality, compliance, safeguarding, and risk management in regulated programmes.
- High integrity, professionalism, sound judgment, and resilience in managing complex, high-risk portfolios.
- Experience working across organisational boundaries, including Supply Chain, Operations, Education, Health, and Climate Change teams.
- Proven ability to build strategic partnerships and foster cross-functional collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders.
Experience & Qualifications
- Essential:
- Postgraduate qualification in Medicine, International Development, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
- Substantial experience in programme regulation, risk management, or compliance preferred.
- Desirable:
- Medical professionals encouraged to apply.
Working at Save the Children International
Save the Children is the world’s leading organisation for children, employing ~25,000 staff across 116 countries. Our mission is to save children’s lives, fight for their rights, and help them fulfil their potential.
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We believe that great people make great organisations. Our employees:
- Play a critical role in achieving our global strategy: Ambition for Children 2030.
- Work in a supportive, inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are valued.
- Are part of a challenging yet rewarding mission—ensuring every child has the chance to survive, learn, and thrive.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Commitment
Save the Children is committed to a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive organisation. We actively seek candidates from underrepresented groups and provide reasonable adjustments for interview accessibility.
Equal Opportunities
We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of:
- Gender
- Sexual orientation
- Race
- Age
- Disability
- Marital or parental status
- Religion or beliefs
- Nationality
Application Information
Submission Guidelines
Applicants must submit:
- A CV
- A cover letter
Application Process: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The advet may close early if sufficient candidates are received.
Recruitment Timeline
- Shortlisted candidates will be contacted within 2 weeks of the application deadline.
- Only successful candidates will receive further updates.
Recruitment Process
- Application review (CV & cover letter assessment).
- Two-stage competency-based interviews.
- Potential assessment stage (e.g., case study or third interview).
- Final decision, background checks, and conditional offer if successful.
Commitment to Safety & Ethical Standards
- Background checks are mandatory for all roles.
- All employees must adhere to Code of Conduct, Safeguarding, Anti-Harassment, and DEI policies.
Important Note
Save the Children does not charge a fee at any recruitment stage.
For full details, visit SCI Careers. Closing dates are subject to application volume. Save the Children does not pay third-party agencies.
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