About ChildFund Australia

ChildFund Australia is an independent international development organisation working to reduce poverty for children in developing communities. Our mission is to partner to create communities and systems change, which enables vulnerable children and young people, in all their diversity, to assert and realise their rights.

We're also a member of the ChildFund Alliance – one of the world’s oldest and most experienced child-focused development agency networks. With a global network of 12 organisations, the ChildFund Alliance assists almost 23 million children and families in 70 countries around the world.

ChildFund Australia directly implements and manages development programs in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Vietnam, while also supporting projects delivered by partner organisations throughout Asia, Africa and the Americas; our work is funded through, among other sources, generous public donations and government grants.

Join us in realising our vision of a world without poverty where all children and young people can say: "I am safe. I am educated. I contribute. I have a future."

About the role

As the Head of Programs, you manage and coordinate ChildFund’s program portfolio. You will ensure strong program management systems across ChildFund’s development and humanitarian programming and lead the team of Technical Advisors. You are committed to learning and actively supporting staff to learn with you. You form part of the leadership group of the IPT, working closely with the Director of International Programs, Strategy & Partnerships and the Director of Sustainable Grants and Program Effectiveness.

This role is a permanent full time role based in our office in Surry Hills, Sydney. We’re also supportive of flexible working arrangements, including allowing our employees to work-from-home some of those days if the responsibilities of the role permit it.

Key duties of the role

• Provide leadership and overall coordination of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of ChildFund Australia’s development and humanitarian programs.
• Ensure implementation, monitoring and reporting of projects in accordance with relevant Government, ChildFund Australia and Donor standards, policies, and priorities.
• Lead, supervise and mentor program technical staff and ensure an empowering work environment.
• Ensure the efficiencies of established systems, processes and frameworks, and facilitate the provision of technical assistance that enables ChildFund Australia to deliver quality programs.
• Promote and integrate gender equality, disability, and social inclusion into day-to-day work.
• Act as the organisational focal point for the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse or harassment (PSEAH).

Qualifications & Experience

• Tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline
• Past professional experience in an (I)NGO setting or government context with a minimum of 5 years of experience in managing multi-sector programs
• Strong people management and mentoring skills
• Experience in partnership management and capacity sharing across local civil society organisations
• Ability to development and analyse budgets and financial reports
• Strong understanding and commitment to safeguarding, gender equality and inclusion

Desirable Qualifications & Experience

• Experience in a child rights or child/youth focused organisation and experience in key technical areas (child protection, education, health or disaster risk management)
• Experience with institutional donor funding (i.e. DFAT, MFAT, UN and others)

Skills & Qualities

• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, building strategic alliances and partnerships in countries where ChildFund Australia operates and in Australia
• Effective communicator with coordination skills
• Creative thinker and motivator, energetic, with an entrepreneurial spirit
• Comfortable in navigating relationships in different cultural contexts

Working at ChildFund Australia

Some of the benefits of working with ChildFund Australia include:

• A remuneration package continuously benchmarked against local employment conditions to ensure we offer competitive employment conditions appropriate to our sector
• Support for flexibility in the ways you work, which allows our people to to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
• A hybrid working model (we currently allow employees to work from home 50% of the time).
• Not-for-profit salary packaging benefits. This allows our employees to reduce their tax liability on a portion of their income.
• Access to mental health support through our EAP, Uprise, a service that gives our employees access to professional psychological support for personal, family, mental health, and employment-related matters for you and your family.
• Support for employee learning & development, including through on-the-job & external training, coaching, workshops, and our online learning platform, the ChildFund Academy.

Department: International Programs

Location: ChildFund Australia, Level 8, 162 Goulburn Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Employment: Full Time

Reports to: Director of International Programs, Strategy and Partnerships

Other Information: Must have full working rights in Australia.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so please don't hesitate to apply as soon as possible!

Email us at [email protected] using the subject line: Head of Programs enquiry via EthicalJobs if you have any other questions about the role.

A position description is attached.

ChildFund Australia believes in a global community where children are safe and can reach their full potential. We take extensive steps to safeguard children in any work done by our people, i.e., our staff, volunteers and interns, supporters, partners, board members, ambassadors and suppliers. We strive to keep children safe through child safe practices, and rigorously ensure we prevent, oppose, and combat all exploitation and abuse of children and vulnerable people. As part of this commitment, all people working with us will undergo relevant background checks before joining ChildFund Australia.

At ChildFund Australia, all staff must remain alert and responsive to any child safeguarding or sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment (SEAH) risks. Staff will acquire the knowledge and skills needed to understand our Child Safeguarding and PSEAH policies & procedures, promote strong safeguarding practices, and conduct themselves consistent with these policies.

In line with our values, diversity of people and ideas is critical to our work and our success at ChildFund Australia. We strive for a team culture that is welcoming, inclusive, and supportive. Childfund is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and strongly encourages people from all backgrounds, abilities, and identities to apply for any vacancies.