Head of Impact, Innovation and Influencing.

Service Corporation International · Madagascar

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ROLE PURPOSE:  

The  Head of Impact, Innovation and Influencing supports strategic positioning with donors and partners and leads project design processes to ensure that the country office strategy is effectively delivered in line with child rights programming principles.

The Head of Impact, Innovation and Influencing also ensures that a robust Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) system is in place, enabling the country office to generate, utilize, and share evidence across the global organization. The role also ensures that reliable data is used to inform strategic and operational decision-making. 

A key aspect of the position is building the capacity of technical specialists through mentoring, coaching, and professional development to strengthen program quality in line with global standards and key performance indicators. As a senior leader within the country office, the The Head of Impact, Innovation and Influencing  plays a critical representational role with government counterparts, donors, partners, peer agencies, Save the Children Members, and other stakeholders.

SCOPE OF ROLE: 

Reports to: Country Representative, Madagascar

Dotted-line reporting to: Director of Impact, Innovation, and Influencing

Staff reporting to this position:

• MEAL Coordinator
• Technical Specialists (Child Protection & Gender, Education, and any additional technical specialists recruited to support the Madagascar programme)
• Partnership & Program Development Manager

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY :

Strategy, Planning and Reporting

• Lead the development and periodic updating of the Child Rights Situation Analysis, incorporating comprehensive analysis of the country context and child rights principles, while ensuring meaningful participation and buy-in from staff, partners, and other key stakeholders.
• Lead the Senior Management Team (SMT) in the development, review, and implementation of the Country Strategic Plan (CSP), ensuring alignment with Save the Children’s global strategy, Ambition 2030, and the integration of child rights principles across all programming and advocacy initiatives.
• Facilitate the development and implementation of thematic and cross-cutting strategic priorities, including gender equality and social inclusion, to guide both current and future development and humanitarian programming.
• Promote ownership, accountability, and commitment to the Country Office strategy across all functions and departments through effective communication, regular progress updates, and inclusive engagement in strategic reviews.
• Represent the Country Office and the voices of children in global discussions, communities of practice, and working groups, contributing to strategy development and policy formulation.
• Lead and support organizational change initiatives, including the rollout of new ways of working, systems, and processes that strengthen performance and accelerate achievement of CSP objectives.

Program Design and Development

• Review and strategically position the Country Office for funding and partnership opportunities, based on pipeline tracking and intelligence provided by the Partnership and Program Development Manager.
• In consultation with the Country Representative and Save the Children Members, ensure proactive engagement with donors and partners to strengthen strategic positioning and preparedness for emerging funding opportunities.
• Lead the design and development of high-quality, competitive, and evidence-based proposals that:
  •   Reflect findings from needs assessments, research, evaluations, and lessons learned.
  • Apply child safeguarding and safe programming principles throughout the design process.
  • Foster meaningful collaboration with partners and stakeholders.
  • Integrate gender-sensitive and inclusive approaches at all stages.
  • Include robust Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) frameworks aligned with the Global Results Framework and Save the Children’s Breakthroughs.
  • Incorporate relevant Common Approaches, innovation, and learning agendas.
  • Ensure budget adequacy and alignment with programme design and delivery requirements.
  • Promote meaningful participation of children, communities, and key stakeholders in programme design.

Program Quality and Technical Excellence

• Ensure the delivery of high-quality, integrated, and evidence-based programmes across both development and humanitarian contexts.
• Monitor and continuously strengthen programme quality and technical excellence through regular field visits, programme reviews, technical support, and quality assurance processes.
• Drive innovation and learning by identifying best practices, emerging needs, and opportunities for programme improvement.
• Monitor Programme Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and collaborate with programme and operational teams to strengthen programme quality, effectiveness, efficiency, and compliance with organizational standards.
• Work closely with the Country Representative to ensure that Quality Framework standards, policies, and procedures are consistently applied throughout the project lifecycle and across the programme portfolio.
• Ensure technical specialists proactively communicate programme design, implementation, learning, and capacity-building requirements to relevant departments and functions.
• Build, develop, and lead a high-performing team of technical specialists capable of delivering Country Strategic Plan priorities and objectives.
• Foster strong collaboration with Save the Children global, regional, and member technical advisors, securing technical support and expertise as required, including during emergency responses.
• Promote active participation of technical specialists in internal and external communities of practice to ensure programming remains aligned with global evidence, best practices, and emerging trends.
• Oversee the quality review of donor and member reports, ensuring technical accuracy, compliance, and evidence-based reporting.
• Ensure effective coordination and integration across technical sectors to maximize programme quality, efficiency, and impact.
• Champion child safeguarding and safe programming by embedding safeguarding principles throughout programme design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation in accordance with Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding Policy.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning (MEAL) and Knowledge Management

• Provide strategic oversight and leadership for the Country Office MEAL function, ensuring that robust systems and processes are in place to generate timely, accurate, and reliable programme data.
• Ensure MEAL is fully integrated throughout the programme cycle, from design and implementation to monitoring, evaluation, learning, and reporting.
• Foster effective collaboration between MEAL staff, technical specialists, and programme implementation teams in the development of: 
  • Results frameworks and logframes;
  • Indicators and performance measurement plans;
  • Monitoring and evaluation frameworks;
  • Quality benchmarks and standards;
  • Data collection, analysis, and reporting tools.
• Lead programme quality improvement initiatives by monitoring and strengthening Programme KPI performance and ensuring that corrective actions are implemented where necessary.
• Ensure high-quality evaluations, reviews, assessments, and research are adequately resourced and conducted to measure outcomes, demonstrate impact, and inform decision-making.
• Promote a culture of evidence generation, learning, accountability, and adaptive management across the Country Office.
• Ensure programme learning and best practices are systematically documented, shared, and applied to improve programme quality, influence policy, and strengthen future programme design.
• Strengthen knowledge management systems and practices to ensure institutional learning is captured, retained, and shared across the Country Office and wider Save the Children movement.
• Ensure accountability mechanisms are functional, accessible, and responsive, enabling children, communities, and stakeholders to provide feedback and actively participate in programme improvement.Ensure the research, evaluation and policy work of the Country Office contributes to generation of evidence for development and improvement of Common Approaches, sound decision making and policy influencing internally and externally. 
• Establish effective program learning and knowledge management systems to support adaptive programming and innovation that improves outcomes for children.

Advocacy and Campaigns:

• Contribute to the development and implementation of the Country Office advocacy strategy and campaign priorities in collaboration with the Country Representative and the Communications & Advocacy Coordinator, ensuring alignment with the Country Strategic Plan (CSP).
• Support the integration of evidence, programme learning, and child rights perspectives into advocacy and influencing initiatives.
• Represent Save the Children in advocacy, networking, and external engagement forums with government authorities, donors, civil society organizations, partners, children, communities, and other key stakeholders.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships that support the achievement of the CSP, strengthen policy influence, and advance positive outcomes for children.

Partnerships:

Play a leading role in identifying, nurturing, and strengthening strategic partnerships with local and international civil society organizations, NGOs, government institutions, academic organizations, private sector actors, and other stakeholders to advance Save the Children’s strategic objectives and contribute to achieving the three breakthroughs for the most deprived and marginalized children

• Ensure partnerships are aligned with Save the Children’s partnership principles, quality standards, and localization commitments.
• Promote effective collaboration and knowledge sharing with partners to strengthen programme quality, innovation, and sustainability.
• Provide technical guidance, mentoring, and capacity strengthening support to implementing and strategic partners, as appropriate to the country context.
• Support partner engagement throughout programme design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and learning processes.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning (MEAL) and Knowledge Management

• Ensure effective accountability mechanisms are established and operational across all projects, enabling communities and stakeholders to provide feedback and ensuring that identified actions are addressed in a timely manner, with critical issues escalated to senior management as appropriate.
• Ensure that research, evaluations, assessments, and policy-related work contribute to the generation of high-quality evidence that informs programme improvement, strategic decision-making, policy influence, and the development and adaptation of Save the Children’s Common Approaches.
• Promote the systematic use of evidence and learning in programme design, implementation, advocacy, and organizational decision-making.
• Establish and strengthen effective programme learning and knowledge management systems that support adaptive management, innovation, continuous improvement, and better outcomes for children.
• Ensure learning, best practices, and evidence are documented, shared, and utilized across programmes, partners, and the wider Save the Children movement.

Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development

• Ensure appropriate staffing and resourcing of the Program Development and Quality (PDQ) team, including securing additional technical support when required to deliver high-quality programme design and implementation.
• Build, lead, and motivate a high-performing PDQ team that fosters collaboration, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure all technical sector staff proactively develop and maintain the technical competencies required to lead and support high-quality development and humanitarian programmes.
• Ensure all PDQ staff clearly understand their roles and responsibilities in delivering quality programmes through effective onboarding, induction, performance planning, and work plan development.
• Manage individual and team performance in line with Save the Children’s performance management framework, applying principles of agile and adaptive leadership.
• Foster a culture of learning and professional growth by ensuring staff continuously strengthen their technical, managerial, and leadership competencies, including child rights programming, child safeguarding, gender equality and inclusion, localization, and Common Approaches.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and professional development opportunities to staff to strengthen performance and career progression.
• Ensure the timely recruitment, orientation, retention, and promotion of staff, while facilitating access to appropriate learning and development opportunities.
• Support the capacity development of technical specialists and thematic advisors, maximizing their effectiveness as technical support providers to field teams, implementing partners, and other stakeholders.
• Promote staff wellbeing, inclusion, diversity, and engagement while fostering a positive and empowering team culture.
• Ensure succession planning and talent development mechanisms are in place to strengthen organizational capacity and sustainability.

BEHAVIOURS (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:

• develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Master’s Degree, and experience in relevant fields e.g., Public Health, Human RightsLaw, DevelopmentStudies,NGOManagement, orequivalentfields.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-donor portfolios and leading cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality programme and award management outcomes
• Language competency of both English and French is a requirement.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• Master’s degree in a relevant field, such as Public Health, Human Rights Law, Development Studies, NGO Management, International Development, Social Sciences, or a related discipline.
• Extensive experience in programme development, programme quality, and strategic leadership within complex humanitarian and development contexts.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-donor programme portfolios and leading cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality programme implementation, award management, and organizational performance outcomes.
• Proven experience in strategic planning, programme design, business development, and resource mobilization.
• Strong experience in Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL), evidence generation, and knowledge management.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective partnerships with donors, government institutions, civil society organizations, and other key stakeholders.
• Proven experience leading and developing high-performing teams, including coaching, mentoring, performance management, and capacity strengthening.
• Strong understanding of child rights programming, child safeguarding, localization, gender equality and social inclusion, and humanitarian principles.
• Experience representing organizations at senior levels with donors, government counterparts, partners, and coordination forums.
• Excellent analytical, strategic thinking, communication, negotiation, and influencing skills.
• Fluency in both English and French (written and spoken) is essential.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to manage complexity, drive change, and work effectively in a dynamic and multicultural environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to Save the Children’s values, vision, and mission.
• Ability to foster collaboration across diverse teams and functions.
• Strong problem-solving, decision-making, and stakeholder management skills.
• High levels of integrity, accountability, resilience, and adaptability.
• Commitment to promoting child safeguarding, diversity, equity, inclusion, and the participation of children in programming and advocacy initiatives.

Experience and Competencies

• A minimum of ten (10) years of progressive senior management and/or international development experience, including substantial experience in the design, implementation, and management of programmes that improve outcomes for children.
• Demonstrated experience in one or more of Save the Children’s thematic sectors, including:
  • Education
  • Child Protection
  • Child Rights Governance
  • Health and Nutrition
  • Child Poverty
  • Humanitarian Response and Emergencies
• Strong understanding of advocacy, policy development, and government systems within the country context, including practical experience in child rights programming and application of international frameworks such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
• Proven experience leading strategic planning, organizational development, programme management, change management, and organizational learning processes within complex operating environments.
• Demonstrated success in programme development, project design, and proposal development for institutional, corporate, foundation, and bilateral donors, with a strong track record of securing funding and developing high-quality programmes.
• Strong credibility and ability to represent, influence, negotiate, and advocate on behalf of Save the Children with government officials, donors, partners, civil society organizations, and other external stakeholders at senior levels.
• Extensive experience establishing and managing effective Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) systems that support evidence-based decision-making, programme quality, accountability, and organizational learning.
• Excellent interpersonal, listening, communication, presentation, facilitation, and networking skills, with proven ability to build effective relationships and collaborate successfully across multidisciplinary teams and matrix management structures.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse cultures, backgrounds, and stakeholder groups in complex and challenging environments.
• Strong skills in capacity strengthening, training, coaching, mentoring, facilitation, problem-solving, and project cycle management.
• Proven ability to lead, motivate, and develop high-performing teams while fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and results-oriented culture.
• High level of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and personal accountability, with a demonstrated willingness to seek, receive, and act upon feedback for continuous growth and professional development.
• Demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and sound judgment in managing competing priorities and navigating organizational change.
• Proven experience as both a collaborative team member and an effective leader within an international organization.
• High level of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and personal accountability, with a demonstrated willingness to seek, receive, and act upon feedback for continuous growth and professional development.
• Demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and sound judgment in managing competing priorities and navigating organizational change.
• Proven experience as both a collaborative team member and an effective leader within an international organization.

Personal Attributes:

• Strategic and innovative thinker with a strong commitment to delivering sustainable results for children.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to inspire, influence, and mobilize teams and stakeholders.
• Commitment to Save the Children’s values, child rights approach, and safeguarding responsibilities.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure while maintaining a focus on quality, accountability, and impact.
• Strong ethical standards, integrity, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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