Head of Programme Development, Innovation & Learning - Chance for Childhood

We are a child-centred international non-governmental organization supporting children and young people in Africa who face inequalities such as lack of access to education and safe spaces, providing them with the tools and skills they need to build their own futures. We don’t work alone. Together with partners, supporters, children and their communities, we protect, educate and create lasting change for every child threatened by violence, neglect and conflict.

We believe that no child should have to fight for a safe, happy childhood. We exist to ensure that every child in Africa can thrive from their early years through to adulthood. Currently, we have programmes in Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and DRC.

Chance for Childhood believes that no child should have to fight for a safe, happy childhood. We exist to ensure that every child in Africa can thrive from their early years through to adulthood. Together with partners, supporters, children and their communities, we protect, educate and create lasting change for every child threatened by violence, neglect and conflict. We specialise in ensuring access to inclusive education and safe spaces so that children can play, grow, learn and thrive. We are a Ghanaian NGO that belongs to the Chance for Childhood family registered in the UK.

Job Description

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Responsible for: 3-5 post holders across Africa and the UK.

Salary: £45,000-50,000 per annum (full-time equivalent)

Job type: Full-time, 5 days a week

Location: Based in either Ghana, Uganda or Rwanda with travel to country offices

Other benefits: Annual leave, employer pension, medical insurance cover and flexible working

At Chance for Childhood (CfC), we believe in a world where every childhood is filled with safety, belonging and play. We exist to ensure that every child can thrive from their early years through to adulthood. Together with partners, supporters, children and their communities, we fight for children across Africa threatened by poverty, violence, neglect and conflict to lead independent lives through urgent action in education, health and economic resilience.

We specialise in providing access to inclusive education and safe spaces, enabling children across Africa to play, grow, learn, and thrive. We have staff and offices in the UK, Rwanda, Ghana and Uganda as well as community partners across Africa.

With the termination of our 2025 strategy we look forward to launching the 2030 strategy though our values remain the same. At the end of December 2024; we merged with Hope for Children, a charity whose values and mission are similar to those of Chance for Childhood, to deepen our impact for the children and communities we serve.

ROLE PURPOSE

The post holder will lead the strategic direction, design, and implementation of Chance for Childhood’s programme portfolio. This includes overseeing proposal development, donor engagement, programme implementation and monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL). A core focus of the role is to drive institutional fundraising while also cultivating emerging funding streams such as social investment and outcome-based financing.

Working in close collaboration with the Fundraising, Communications and Marketing team, the role ensures the production of high-quality proposals and impact-driven delivery and reporting. As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the post holder contributes to shaping organisational strategy, leadership, and growth.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership for the development of Chance for Childhood’s programme portfolio. Ensure the organisation is recognised for high-quality, effective programming aligned with its global strategies.
• Ensure the programme portfolio reflects multi-sectoral and dual-mandate priorities, in line with the global strategy and Theory of Change.
• Promote a culture of innovation, ambition, learning, and excellence by supporting and guiding staff in their daily work.
• Actively contribute to the SMT, fostering collaboration and strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Programme Development, Management and Delivery

• Develop and submit a comprehensive Programme Development Strategy and Process aligned with the global strategy, for review and approval by the SMT.
• Oversee the implementation of Programme Development Strategy and reporting monthly on the progress made towards set milestones.
• Identify, research, and share information on new funding opportunities from bilateral, multilateral, and institutional donors.
• Build and maintain relationships with external stakeholders and potential partners for large-scale or strategic funding opportunities.
• Support the design of strategies for leading or partnering in funding opportunities.
• Track upcoming funding opportunities and donor engagement processes, providing monthly updates to the SMT.
• Oversee the development of context-specific strategies, programme plans, and budgets that align with CfC’s global strategy and partnership model.
• Monitor project delivery milestones across the programme portfolio to ensure timely and effective implementation.

Program Design and Proposal Development

• Lead the development of high-value, complex proposals and bids, drawing on global, regional, and national technical expertise to ensure high-quality submissions to funders and/or partners.
• Form and coordinate proposal development teams, ensuring clear planning, regular communication, and timely updates throughout the process.
• Drive cross-departmental collaboration in proposal development, working closely with field teams, technical staff, Finance (for costings), and HR (for staffing needs).
• Providing technical assistance and capacity strengthening to partners on proposal and new business development as needed.
• Ensure all proposals undergo full internal review and sign-off in line with the proposal development process.
• Write key proposal sections, particularly the standard inputs – including capacity statements, country context and programme experience in collaboration with technical experts, operations, finance, HR and safeguarding teams.
• Ensure the SMT and field office technical staff receive regular updates on local, national and regional context analysis, recent and relevant research findings and assessments.
• Facilitate technical input to ensure programmes reflect CfC’s global expertise and are adapted to local contexts. Engage consultants for large-scale proposals where additional expertise is required.
• Develop and circulate Proposal Development Plans (PDPs) in consultation with Fundraising, Finance, and Operations. Track timelines and ensure regular updates to all involved.
• Represent CfC, alongside technical experts, in consortium meetings during proposal development.
• Ensure all programmes align with the Programme Quality Framework and Theory of Change incorporating key elements such as child participation, safeguarding, gender, resilience, evidence-based approaches, accountability, risk management, and sustainable partnerships.
• Coordinate the calculation of Value for Money in proposals, as required by donors.

Donor Engagement

• Lead the development and regular updating of the donor engagement strategy, aligned with the fundraising strategy and global organisational goals.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with donor agencies at global, regional, and country levels, in close collaboration with country office teams.
• Participate in donor visits to project sites, as needed.
• Coordinate and take part in regular check-in meetings with key institutional donors to provide programme updates and reinforce partnerships.
• Collaborate with SMT to set ambitious donor engagement targets and influence donor strategies.
• Support the CEO and other Senior Management Team SMT members in representing CfC at donor forums, workshops and conferences.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning

• Develop strong, context-appropriate systems for monitoring, evaluation, learning, and knowledge management. Include clear risk mitigation strategies and regular reviews to safeguard staff and ensure programme sustainability.
• Review project reports regularly and maintain open communication channels that promote cross-organisational learning, especially at regional and thematic levels.
• Foster a culture that prioritises internal learning and external knowledge sharing.
• Collaborate closely with the Fundraising, Communications and Marketing team to identify and share compelling content that demonstrates programme impact.

Required Skills or Experience

• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in the international NGO sector, including at least 7 years in senior leadership roles.
• Proven success in securing and managing grants from major institutional donors (i.e. bilateral, multilateral, and major philanthropic organisations).
• Experience designing and delivering impactful programmes in development contexts - ideally across more than one of our priority areas: inclusive education, child protection, health and economic resilience.
• Experience managing large-scale, multi-country and multi-partner programmes, with a preference for experience in sub-Saharan Africa.
• A motivating leader with the ability to inspire, empower, and support high-performing, diverse teams.
• Strong financial acumen, including oversight of complex, multi-year, and multi-currency budgets.
• Skilled in developing and managing robust monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems.
• Excellent relationship-builder with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders, including donors, partners, and communities.
• Fluent in written and spoken English.
• A strong appreciation and sensitivity to the different cultural contexts in which Chance for Childhood works with a commitment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Aligned with Chance for Childhood’s mission and values.
• Committed to continuous learning and professional growth.
• Must have the right to work in the country from which they are applying, Ghana, Uganda or Rwanda.

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