About Us

Save the Children UK believes every child deserves a future. In the UK and around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm.  When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave.  We ensure children’s unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach.

About the role

Save the Children has an ambitious strategy, which requires us to take and manage an appropriate amount of risk – often in complex environments – to improve the lives of the most marginalised children and communities that we work with. We are a large, dynamic charity and risk touches every part of the organisation and all aspects of what we do.

An exciting opportunity to contribute as a member of SCUK’s Corporate Senior Leadership team, as Head of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) you will advise the Board of Trustees and senior management on risk management issues and initiatives and build credibility within the organisation as a trusted business partner.

You’ll define, embed and champion a strong and mature culture of risk management, ensuring that SCUK effectively manages the risks it needs to take in order to deliver on its mission.

You will work with senior leaders across Save the Children International (SCI) and the 30 national members of Save the Children Association (SCA), to help shape a common risk framework for SCA and an integrated approach to decision-making around risk.

In this role you will:

• Work closely with the Board, Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and Corporate Senior Leadership Team (CSLT) to set SCUK’s strategic risk management vision.
• Act as a thought-leader on risk matters and ensure that understanding and managing risk is central to all SCUK’s strategic decisions, as well as to the implementation of its strategy.
• Build sustainable capability in SCUK’s risk management function – engaged and high-quality staff; strong and integrated processes and policies; robust data systems.
• Provide professional leadership and line management of the Risk team with one direct report, including management of the budget.
• Act as a member of the Corporate Senior Leadership Team, striving constantly to lead the development of innovative solutions, ensure there is buy-in for the Risk agenda and support the agreed leadership mandates.

About you

You’ll be a strategic thinker, ideally having previous leadership experience within a risk management function in an international organisation.

With excellent interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching, you’ll thrive on the diversity of people and perspectives, building effective relationships and working collaboratively to achieve shared goals.

To be successful, you’ll demonstrate:

• Proven and demonstrable track record of effecting significant change and improving risk management in a global organisation.
• Strong understanding of the ‘three lines’ model and experience of driving meaningful partnerships across the three lines.
• Knowledge of applicable laws and regulations related to risk management, including compliance and audit requirements.
• Good understanding of safeguarding, fraud, insurance, BCP, information security, health and safety, and other key risk areas for international NGOs.
• Demonstrable ability to analyse complex sets of data and situations and to translate them into simple terms.
• Experience serving as a champion and advocate for practical risk management through relationships with peers and superiors.
• Ability to report and engage effectively with Boards and their committees.
• Strong moral leadership and cultural sensitivity.
• Commitment to Save the Children’s vision, mission and values.

To learn more about the position, please review the Job Description in the attached Documents.