Deputy country director jobs in London

Our Second Home (OSH) is the UK’s youth movement for people with refugee backgrounds. We support young people to build community, become leaders, and flourish into adulthood in the place they call home.

Each year, hundreds of young people from dozens of countries and living in London & Bristol take part in our residential programmes, leadership training and youth hubs. Our residentials are often the first step – immersive, relationship-rich spaces where young people connect, reflect and begin to see themselves as leaders. From there, many move into leadership training and take on volunteer roles within the movement.

Our work is youth-led and rooted in lived experience. We are now implementing our 2025–2028 strategy, focused on strengthening quality, embedding learning and ensuring our growth is sustainable and safe.

The Head of Programmes is a senior leadership role, reporting to the CEO and managing two senior colleagues. You will hold responsibility for the quality, coherence and safeguarding of all programme activity.

Responsibilities (abridged - see attached job description)

Programme Leadership & Strategy in Practice

• Lead implementation of OSH’s 2025–2028 programme strategy.

• Oversee the design, quality and coherence of residentials, leadership training and hubs.

• Take operational responsibility for residential delivery, including participant referrals, recruitment of staff and freelancers, programme content and educational standards.

• Attend and lead approximately five residential programmes per year.

• Identify opportunities to strengthen youth engagement and leadership pathways as the organisation scales.

• Ensure programme data is accurately recorded and used to improve delivery.

Team Leadership

• Line manage the Communities Manager and Leadership & Volunteering Manager.

• Provide structured supervision, clear objectives and professional development support.

• Ensure strong coordination between hubs, residentials and leadership pathways.

• Build a culture of accountability, reflection and continuous improvement.

Safeguarding & Welfare

• Act as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and serve as DSL at events as required.

• Ensure safeguarding practice is robust, consistent and embedded across all activities.

• Respond to safeguarding and behavioural issues appropriately and oversee safe recruitment processes.

Partnerships, Budget & Oversight

• Maintain referral partnerships and represent OSH externally where appropriate.

• Hold programme budgets within agreed limits and ensure financial discipline.

• Embed monitoring, evaluation and reflective practice across the programme team.

Experience & Competencies (abridged - see attached job description)

Essential

• At least 5 years’ experience in youth or youth-centred programming, including residential or intensive settings.

• Experience designing and delivering leadership development or informal education programmes.

• Strong facilitation and training skills.

• Demonstrable experience managing staff and developing teams.

• Strong understanding of safeguarding practice and willingness to act as Deputy DSL.

• Experience working with young people from refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds, or strong understanding of the issues affecting them.

• Ability to balance strategic oversight with hands-on delivery in a part-time senior leadership role.

• Strong organisational skills and commitment to inclusive, youth-led practice.

Desirable

• Level 3 Safeguarding training.

• Experience managing programme budgets.

• Experience contributing to organisational strategy or scaling programme models.

• Familiarity with Google Workspace, Beacon CRM, MyConcern or similar systems.

• Lived experience of migration or displacement.

Help transform global care systems so children can grow up in safe, loving families, not institutions.
Join Lumos at a pivotal moment as we scale our global ambition to reform childcare systems and improve the lives of millions of children worldwide.

Lumos Foundation is an international NGO working to end the institutionalisation of children and support governments and partners to build sustainable, family-based care systems. Founded by J.K. Rowling, Lumos works across Europe, Africa, Latin America and beyond to drive lasting systemic change for children and families.

As our Senior Technical Advisor, you will play a critical global role providing expert leadership on child protection and childcare reform across Lumos programmes and partnerships. This is an opportunity for an experienced specialist to influence national reform processes, strengthen programme quality, and support governments and partners to deliver meaningful change at scale.

You will work closely with country teams, senior stakeholders and international partners, ensuring that Lumos’ programmes reflect global best practice while responding to local contexts.

What you will do

• Provide high-level technical expertise on child rights, child protection and care reform

• Support the design, implementation and evaluation of country and regional programmes

• Deliver technical advice and capacity building to governments, partners and Lumos teams

• Develop guidance, training materials and learning products

• Support evidence generation and knowledge sharing across programmes

• Contribute to donor proposals and programme reporting

• Represent Lumos in international technical networks and partnerships

About you

You are a collaborative and experienced professional with deep expertise in childcare reform or child protection programming and a strong commitment to children’s rights.

You will likely bring:

• Significant experience working in child protection, care reform or related international development programmes

• Experience working with governments or large institutional partners

• Strong analytical, facilitation and communication skills

• Experience developing training, technical guidance or policy materials

• Ability to work effectively across cultures and global teams

• Excellent written and spoken English

• Willingness to travel internationally when required

Additional languages and experience working across multiple countries are an advantage.

Salary: Competitive, depending on experience.
The advertised salary range applies to candidates based in the UK. For candidates exceptionally appointed in another Lumos country office (Colombia, Kenya, Moldova or Ukraine), salary will be benchmarked and aligned with local market conditions and Lumos’ country-specific salary framework.

Location

London (UK) preferred. Exceptional consideration may be given to candidates based in Lumos country offices in Kenya, Colombia, Moldova or Ukraine.

Candidates must have the right to live and work in the country from which they apply.

Contract

Fixed-term until 31 December 2027, aligned with Lumos’ current strategy, with potential extension subject to funding.

Why join Lumos?

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a bold global mission during a period of organisational growth and impact. You will work alongside passionate international colleagues committed to ensuring children grow up in families and supportive communities.

Benefits vary by location and include flexible working arrangements, generous leave provisions, learning and development opportunities, and wellbeing support.

Safeguarding and Inclusion

Lumos is committed to safeguarding children and adults at risk and operates a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, exploitation and harassment. Employment is subject to appropriate checks and references.

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

How to apply

Please submit your CV and cover letter through the application portal. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Partnerships Officer (Programme Officer)

Aga Khan Foundation

The position

AKF(UK) Partnerships Officers are part of the Global Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) Partnerships team tasked with identifying funding partnerships and strengthening existing ones to support our strategic goals. Partnerships Officers manage a set of grants across a variety of themes and geographies. They also support engagement with European and Asian bilaterals, multilaterals and foundations to secure funding for ten multi-sector not-for-profit and for-profit agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) operating across Asia and Africa. This is all done in close collaboration with field units, global teams, and our partners.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND CORE TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

Grants Management

• Manage a portfolio of grants through regular interface and coordination with AKF(UK)’s partnerships team, AKF(UK)’s programme finance team and relevant AKF/AKDN field units/agencies acting as a central resource for field units in donor best practice.
• Interface with donors about the implementation of ongoing grants to ensure strong, enduring relationships.
• Coordinate, review, and assure the quality of donor deliverables (e.g. work plans, monitoring and evaluation plans, staffing plans, budgets, close-out plans, donor troubleshooting).
• Ensure adherence with donor requirements, rules, and regulations, and that grant deliverables are produced on time and to a high standard.
• Coordinate contractual amendments, changes, and project adaptations, engage with donors in a pro-active and diplomatic way, and flag potential changes (e.g. budget revisions, extensions, risks) in advance to ‘trouble shoot’ and ensure smooth project implementation.
• Facilitate grant monitoring efforts including routine coordination meetings and as needed, support with donor steering committees, donor project visits, and donor monitoring missions.
• Undertake coordination and administrative tasks related to grants and support the maintenance and update of grant management tools and tracking systems (e.g. Award Information Management System (AIMS)).
• Ensure strong relationship cultivation throughout the grants cycle, anticipate, and plan for future funding and project extensions.

Resource Mobilisation

• Coordinate and facilitate the development, review and quality assurance of expressions of interest, concept notes, and full proposals for funding opportunities.
• Liaise and coordinate with internal stakeholders as well as with donors, partners, and consortia to facilitate project design, align proposal and donor requirements, gather required legal and administrative documentation, and draft sections of proposals as needed.

Coordinate processes of contracting and negotiation, engaging relevant stakeholders, and ensuring contracts ‘get over the line’ in a timely and efficient way.

• Conduct due diligence of new partners (donors, NGOs, universities, etc.) in coordination with AKF(UK)’s programme finance team and AKF’s global programmes team.

• Develop and contribute to positioning pieces and communication materials (e.g., presentations, narrative overviews) to enable regular and effective engagement with donors.
• Research, scan and source relevant information regarding new donors and funding opportunities to identify potential funding matches and gather intelligence around European and Asian donors.
• Update donor profiles, researching and summarising latest donor strategies and using AIMS to update AKF/AKDN funding summaries. 
• Contribute to management systems, such as AIMS.

Carry out any other duties as assigned by the Senior Partnerships Manager, Deputy Regional Directors or Global Deputy Director for Institutional Partnerships.
 

The requirements

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, BEHAVIOURS, ATTRIBUTES
Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree essential
• Master’s degree in a relevant field preferred

Skills

• Strong level of fluency in French is highly desirable
• Creativity, critical thinking, and project management
• Entrepreneurial, pro-active self-starter with maturity and emotional intelligence
• Ability to problem-solve, work independently and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment with numerous and competing deadlines
• Ability to handle complex relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders in a professional manner
• Excellent writing, speaking and other communications skills, with thoroughness and attention to detail
• Ability to provide stable, consistent, reliable and courteous communication when dealing with external organisations, senior colleagues and community members
• Strong financial literacy, including the ability to read and produce detailed budgets and business plans
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office 365 and Salesforce
• French language skills desirable, but not essential
• Proficiency in French language desirable

Knowledge

• Understanding and knowledge of the UK/European and Asian donor landscape preferred
• Knowledge of and commitment to international development

Experience

• A minimum of 3 years of professional experience
• Experience in developing and writing proposals, developing budgets, business plans/cases, concept papers, briefs, executive summaries, as well as coordinating multiple inputs from a variety of sources
• Experience of managing relationships in complex organisations with numerous stakeholders
• Experience managing grants in complex organisations desirable

Attributes

• Committed to international development, improving the quality of life, and promoting pluralism through civil society.
• Demonstrates equity, transparency, and integrity with high personal and organisational ethical standards; is fair, honest, and trustworthy with respect for confidentiality; inspires and builds trust and respect from others; promotes credibility and professional reputation.

Behaviours

• Communicates clearly and concisely with a broad range of audiences at different levels; ability to expresses complex ideas and concepts in simple terms; listens to the views of others; changes communication styles to meet individual and audience needs; encourages dialogue and effective communication by others.
• Builds, maintains, and deepens constructive and effective relationships with stakeholders with a specific focus on AKF’s mission; balances business situations and the art of dealing with people and communities; changes approach to achieve desired results if required.
• Has a customer focused orientation to others, is flexible and always puts the good of others at the centre of decision making; optimises respect for others and is dedicated to AKF’s purpose and fulfilling the mission.
• Acknowledges creativity, has the desire to understand and use new innovations (including technology); adapts established methods for new uses; is focused on improving systems and processes; open to change; analyses, synthesises and challenges conventional thinking; supports the development of communities of practice.

FURTHER DETAILS

• The role will involve travel to countries where we operate programmes, and where the candidate is supporting grants management.
• As well as a rewarding role with a global international development organisation, you’ll get access to a wide range of enhanced benefits including but not limited to flexible hybrid working, enhanced leave entitlement and access to several health and wellbeing programmes and benefits.
• Must include CV and a supporting statement that outlines why you want the role, why you want to work for AKF(UK) and how your experiences and skills to date make you the most suitable applicant for the role.

Sector

Social Development

About the Agency

The Aga Khan Foundation is a leading global development organisation working to tackle the root causes of poverty. For more than 50 years, we have helped create strong community institutions that support sustainable, locally driven initiatives to improve the lives of millions of people. By combining local knowledge with global best practices, we strive to bring about transformative and long-lasting improvements to quality of life.

Working alongside the agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network and through partnerships with local communities, civil society and business as well as governments and international aid agencies, we are building a future where we all thrive together.

Job Expires: 25-Mar-2026