Asia and the middle east programme manager jobs

About Saferworld

Saferworld is an independent international organisation working in partnership with civil society to prevent violent conflict and build safer lives. We work in solidarity with people affected by conflict to improve their safety and sense of security, and we build conditions for peace and justice. We also support analysis and learning to influence local, national and international policies and practices that help foster lasting peace and justice. Our priority is people – we believe in a world where everyone can lead peaceful, fulfilling lives free from fear and insecurity. We operate on a not-for-profit basis with partners in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, with nine offices across those regions and offices in the UK, USA and Belgium.

Saferworld is committed to providing a safe, trusted environment that safeguards our staff, partners and communities. Our organisational integrity is derived from the values and principles that underpin and guide our work.

We are seeking a strategic and inspiring Head of Funding and Programme Development with a proven ability to lead, motivate, and mobilise resources in a values-driven environment. This role calls for a leader who is deeply committed to equitable partnerships with communities and organisations in conflict-affected settings, guiding teams to raise resources effectively while advancing peace and justice outcomes. Grounded in a people-centred vision of change, you will foster collaboration, champion locally-led approaches, and steer efforts toward resourcing sustainable, community-driven, and collective visions of peace.

About the role

• The Head of Funding and Programme Development will shape Saferworld’s income profile in alignment with our organisational strategy and change process. The post-holder will lead the development and implementation of Saferworld’s funding strategy, ensuring it supports our strategic, programmatic and operational priorities.
• The role will focus on strengthening the quality, flexibility and diversity of Saferworld’s funding base, nurturing relationships with strategic institutional donors, growing philanthropic funding, and identifying new income opportunities.
• This is an exciting opportunity to influence Saferworld’s fundraising and programme development approach during a pivotal period for the organisation. The role will line-manage a small team across programme development, philanthropy and funding.

Key responsibilities

• As part of Saferworld’s senior leadership, you will support organisation-wide initiatives and contribute to strategic decision-making. You will monitor funding trends, identify emerging issues relevant to Saferworld’s work and partnership approaches, and develop appropriate strategies to respond.
• Working closely with the Senior Operations Team, you will ensure funding plans are developed across business units and thematic/regional areas, and that income pipelines are maintained while quality assurance and active cost recovery are proactively pursued. You will oversee the funding and prospects pipeline, produce data and analysis to support decision-making, and provide regular reporting to senior leaders and the Board.
• Externally, you will represent Saferworld with key donors, partners and networks, building strategic relationships and identifying funding opportunities.
• You will lead the development, implementation and monitoring of Saferworld’s funding strategy, ensuring a balanced, ethical and diverse portfolio of restricted and unrestricted income streams. This will include securing quality funding against agreed targets and supporting income diversification through trusts and foundations, commercial funding, and other sources.
• You will work closely with Saferworld’s Grant Management Team to ensure a coordinated and strategic approach to donor relationship management and cultivation. You will also lead the design of multi-country and thematic proposals, as well as consortia bid development, to strengthen partnerships and support new ways of resourcing Saferworld’s strategy.
• The post-holder will set standards for collaborative and participatory programme design, manage proposal development processes from opportunity notice to contract signing, and ensure learning from donor feedback is used to strengthen our fundraising approach.
• You will lead the Funding Leadership Team to ensure cross-organisational ownership of fundraising efforts, and work closely with regional, thematic, policy and grant management colleagues throughout the funding cycle.

People and leadership

• You will line-manage the Funding and Programme Development Team and foster an environment where staff feel empowered, take responsibility and are accountable for achieving organisational objectives.
• You will ensure the team facilitates strong participatory programme design and proposal development with partners and staff, embedding Saferworld’s organisational values and principles. You will also support the team to work closely with colleagues across the organisation, grounding proposals in learning, evidence and evaluation findings.

About you

• You will bring proven senior leadership experience in funding, with a track record of developing and implementing funding strategies and raising income through a range of donors, including individuals, institutions, trusts and foundations. You will also have experience securing high-value contracts and grants of seven figures.
• You will have strong experience of leading complex participatory programme design, including developing budgets, monitoring frameworks and proposals. You will be confident coordinating programme development processes with multiple teams and partners to ensure a collaborative and inclusive approach.
• You will have a proven track record of motivating, mentoring and managing a team, and supporting that team to think creatively about fundraising. You will also be confident developing networks, building alliances, and nurturing relationships with individuals, collaborators and funders.
• You will bring a strong understanding of key political, development and humanitarian trends and debates, particularly linked to peacebuilding, development, human rights, governance, and security and justice. You will also have sound knowledge of UK civil society and charity regulatory requirements, and an understanding of the current international aid, peacebuilding and human rights funding environment.
• Experience of working and/or living in conflict-affected contexts, and understanding of peacebuilding and conflict prevention, are desirable.

Skills and qualities

• You will have excellent leadership and management skills, including strategic planning and business development. You will be able to provide sound financial and compliance advice, demonstrate good financial stewardship, and bring a creative, proactive approach to your work.
• You will be able to set priorities while working under pressure, adjust to multiple demands and shifting priorities, and move between hands-on involvement in proposal writing and strategic oversight.
• You will bring strong communication skills, including experience of communicating across cultures and with diverse audiences. You will understand the power imbalances that may be reflected in programme design and budgeting, and bring a strong commitment to inclusive processes and to shifting power and resources to partners.
• You will be committed to Saferworld’s vision, mission and values, including equality, diversity and safeguarding. You will be able to lead by example and create a safe and respectful environment for all staff.

Application process

• Please apply through our vacancy portal on the Saferworld Jobs website.
• Upload your CV and a covering letter addressing the person specification and explaining why your experience matches the requirements of the role.

Deadline for applications: 3 August 2026
Interviews planned: Week commencing 10 August 2026

Location: UK – Open to remote arrangement (Only candidates who are eligible to work legally without work visa sponsorship in the UK will be considered.)

Contract Type: Part-time (0.5 FTE / 20 hours per week), Permanent contract

Hiring Salary: GBP 46,474 per annum (before taxes, to be pro-rated to 0.5 FTE)

Target Start Date: As soon as possible

Application Closing Date: 8 July 2026 23:59 BST

This job advert is for an existing vacancy.

About Right To Play:

For more than 25 years, Right To Play has been protecting, educating, and empowering millions of children each year to rise above adversity through the power of play.

We offer programs in 13 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and North America, reaching millions of children each year in some of the most difficult places on earth, helping them to stay in school and learn, overcome prejudice, heal from trauma, and develop the skills they need to thrive. We do this by harnessing play, one of the most fundamental forces in a child's life, to teach children the critical skills they need to dismantle barriers and embrace opportunities, in learning and in life.

This work is supported by our two global offices in Toronto, Canada and London, UK; and seven National Offices in North America and Europe.

Right To Play UK is a charity registered in England and Wales and in Scotland that works in partnership with Right To Play International to raise funds and awareness across the UK and Ireland.

Benefits Highlights:

• Connect and collaborate with a global team who are passionate about protecting, educating and empowering children and youth using the power of play!
• Culture premised on our Culture Code (accept everyone, make things happen, display courage, demonstrate care, and be playful)
• Flexible work arrangements
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays per year (to be pro-rated for part-time employees)
• Competitive benefits such as Income Protection and Life Assurance
• Learning opportunities and 5 learning and development (L&D) days per year (to be pro-rated for part-time employees)
• More information on what we offer is available on our website.

Application Method:

Apply with your resume and cover letter in English via the application link.

Right To Play provides equal employment opportunities to employees regardless of their gender, race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status. We strongly encourage groups who have been historically disadvantaged with respect to employment to apply for positions at Right To Play.

As part of our selection process, final candidates will be required to complete security checks and Vulnerable Sector Check or equivalent criminal record check as a condition of the offer. More details about our recruitment process are available here. Safeguarding information is available here.

As part of our recruitment and selection process, Right To Play uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) - assisted tools to support the assessment of candidates or applications. This may include but not limited to generating and editing of job adverts, assessment and interview questions, scheduling, translation, transcription, note taking, etc. Our Applicant Tracking System (ATS), VidCruiter, also use AI-powered ChatBot to answer candidates' enquiries. These tools are used only to assist human reviewers in evaluation and do not make selection or screening decisions. All hiring decisions are made by human reviewers. All AI-assisted processes comply with applicable privacy and data protection regulations, including GDPR and PIPEDA. For more information, please refer to RTP AI Policy and our Best Practice: Use of AI in Recruitment.

We value and promote a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We are committed to providing accommodations to candidates with disabilities during the recruitment and selection process, and thereafter. Please reach out to the People & Culture team by email. All information provided will be treated as confidential and used only to provide an accessible candidate experience.

Job Description:

Job Title:  Finance and Operations Manager

Grade: 7

Reports to: Executive Director, UK and Global Strategic Initiatives

Reports Technically to Director, Finance HQ

Location: UK (open to remote arrangement)

Direct Reports: NA

Department: Finance

1- Purpose:

The Finance and Operations Manager ensures the effective financial, administrative, and operational functioning of Right To Play UK and support the establishment of Right To Play Ireland by overseeing accurate financial records, coordinating people and legal processes, and continuously improving business systems and practices to support and enable successful fundraising outcomes.

2- Accountability & Responsibilities:

Finance (90%)

• Lead financial management, compliance, budgeting and reporting for Right To Play UK and Right To Play Ireland by ensuring accurate and timely recording of all expenses and revenue connected with the operation of the offices
•  Ensure revenue is appropriately captured and coded and reconciled with bank.
• Oversee liquidity/cashflow, procurement, payroll, audits, tax reporting, and external financial relationships
• Deliver reliable management and statutory reports to leadership, Boards, HQ, and authorities.
• Lead for staff payroll and benefits, HRIS data accuracy, payroll coordination, contracts, insurance and benefits administration, and employee records to ensure compliance, efficiency, and strong organisational support
• Supporting global finance in finance related initiatives, as needed
• Where applicable, ensure compliance on all governance requirements

Operations (10%)

• Direct office operations, administration, IT, and legal coordination by establishing efficient administrative processes, managing office infrastructure and IT security, coordinating vendors and service providers, monitoring licenses and compliance requirements, and supporting organisational risk management and legal obligations.

Perform other duties as assigned.

3-Scope (geographical and/or functional), Impact and Autonomy

The incumbent operates with significant autonomy, holding delegated authority over financial management, systems, and office operations, including safeguarding all funds received, and preparing supplier invoices for payment. They operate with high trust and independence and is expected to safeguard assets and ensure full statutory, fiscal, and HR data compliance.

4-Leadership and Staff management

The role exercises functional and collaborative leadership with no direct reports, providing guidance and influence across Right To Play UK and Right To Play Ireland. Leadership is demonstrated through setting standards and supporting teams to work effectively within organizational policies and financial controls, by providing authoritative guidance to the offices on financial policies, internal controls, and risk management; escalating material risks and recommending mitigation actions to the Executive Director and HQ Finance. The incumbent is expected to operate effectively in a low segregation environment due to small staff size by implementing and monitoring compensating controls (spot checks, reviews with Executive Director, exception reporting) to maintain strong control integrity.

5- Information requirement for decision-making

The incumbent requires secure access to accurate financial, donor, and operational data - primarily through the MCRM and ERP systems - which is already identified and readily available and applies established analysis and reporting methods as a super-user to interpret information, ensure compliance, protect confidential constituent records, and support informed financial and operational decision-making.

6- Innovation and Improvements

The incumbent is expected to drive process improvements and functional innovations within the offices—data integrity, financial tracking, and internal collaboration—while supporting others to implement these changes, with major or high-risk innovations subject to approval by the Executive Director.

7- Relationships & Communications: Internal / External:

The incumbent maintains key internal relationships with all team members, doner services team and HQ colleagues in MCRM, Finance, and People & Culture, and external relationships with Board members, and event partners, using effective communication and donor stewardship to support organizational objectives and ensure smooth operations.  The incumbent stewards Right To Play UK and Right To Play Ireland’s fiduciary obligations and is the primary authorized liaison with banks, landlords, insurance and payroll providers, external auditors, tax advisors, and legal counsel.

8- Expertise (Certifications / Education, Professional Experience/Language)

• Post-secondary diploma or undergraduate degree in accounting, business administration, Finance, or other related fields.
• Professional Accounting Designation preferred
• 5 years of progressive finance experience, including audit coordination, statutory filings, and external advisor management
• Adaptable with the aptitude to work well under pressure, and manage multiple competing and/or changing priorities
• Experience in navigating accounting, banking and payroll platforms
• A team player who is collaborative and innovative
• Excellent organizational skills; systematic in follow-through of tasks; diligent, with strong attention to detail
• Results-oriented with a willingness to learn and take initiative
• Demonstrates professionalism and integrity, with strong judgement skills and ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality of sensitive information
• General knowledge of fundraising practices, procedures and standards preferred
• Fluency in oral and written English

9- Core Competences

• Collaboration: Demonstrates strong teamwork by effectively partnering with internal teams and external stakeholders to achieve shared objectives.
• Growth Mindset: Actively seeks opportunities to improve processes, learn new systems, and implement innovative solutions.
• Resilience: Maintains focus and effectiveness under pressure, managing multiple priorities and challenges with composure.
• Professionalism: Upholds high ethical standards, confidentiality, and accuracy in all financial, operational, and stakeholder interactions.
• Management and Interpersonal Skills: Guides and influences colleagues through expertise, clear communication, and support, despite having no direct reports.

10- Additional Information

Ability to work irregular hours depending on event and external meeting schedule. Occasional travel for attending internal and external meetings and supporting events.