Head of Awards, Localisation and Partnerships

Role Overview

This senior award and partnership management role oversees the systems, decisions and relationships that keep a complex donor-funded portfolio compliant, financially sound and focused on programme outcomes. Working across Finance, Programme Development and Quality, Operations, Members, donors and local partners, the role provides leadership from funding opportunity assessment through award close-out while advancing the Country Office’s localization priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate funding opportunity records and documentation in the Award Management System (AMS), assess agreement risks, and support go/no-go decisions with Members and senior leaders.
• Produce regular portfolio analysis for senior management and Members, covering the pipeline, active awards, amendments, high-risk grants and closures; work with Finance on funding optimization, match planning and CAM.
• Oversee award workflows and records from approval to close-out, ensuring accurate system data, clear audit trails, timely fund summaries, staff briefings, kick-off meetings and close-out documentation.
• Lead award reviews with budget holders, analyze budget-versus-actual results, agree corrective actions, and coordinate budget coding, forecasting, phasing, reallocations, amendments and extensions.
• Coordinate donor and Member reporting, review reports for accuracy and compliance, manage reporting schedules and feedback, and ensure significant award issues are raised promptly.
• Maintain effective donor and Member relationships on agreements, reports, audits and compliance; communicate amendment needs and develop supporting cases for waivers or derogations where required.
• Lead implementation of the Country Office Localization Strategy, embed partnership priorities in plans and response strategies, and oversee periodic assessments and related improvement actions.
• Guide partner assessment, selection and engagement; strengthen partner capacity and compliance, verify documentation in AMS, and ensure partners contribute to programme design, proposals, planning and budgets.
• Manage and develop the Award Management Team, coach budget holders, address performance concerns and promote accountability and continued professional growth.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in International Development, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting or a related discipline; CPA, ACCA or an equivalent accounting qualification is an advantage.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in award, grant, portfolio or financial management, preferably in an international NGO or donor-funded setting, including a minimum of 7 years in senior leadership.
• Substantial experience overseeing complex, multi-donor portfolios, grant and contract administration, sub-awards, donor compliance and cross-functional teams.
• Strong working knowledge of institutional donor rules and expectations, including USAID, FCDO, ECHO, EU, UNICEF, WFP and other bilateral or multilateral funders.
• Demonstrated capability in staff supervision, coaching and capacity development, alongside experience building award management processes and controls across the grant lifecycle.
• Sound financial skills in budget development, monitoring, forecasting and analysis; able to interpret expenditure variances and support practical corrective action.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, facilitation and relationship-building skills, with the judgment to influence stakeholders in multicultural and complex operating environments.
• Strong analytical, risk-management and organizational abilities, including attention to detail and the capacity to manage competing deadlines in changing conditions.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly advanced Excel, and experience with financial management systems; familiarity with AMS and Agresso/Unit4 or comparable platforms is desirable.
• Experience working with Programme Development and Quality, Operations, Partnerships and Finance teams; background in localization, partner strengthening, humanitarian response, resource mobilization or organizational improvement is an advantage.
• Willingness and ability to travel to field offices and work effectively in challenging environments when required.
• Demonstrated commitment to child rights, Save the Children’s mission and values, and compliance with safeguarding, PSEA, health and safety, security, diversity, equity and inclusion, and conduct requirements.

What We Offer / Why Join

The role offers the opportunity to shape how a substantial programme portfolio is managed while strengthening equitable partnerships and local leadership. It brings together strategic oversight and practical delivery, with the potential to improve award quality, partner capability and accountability across the programme cycle.