Head of programme jobs in London, greater london
Head of Programme Operations
Contract: Permanent, Full Time
Location: The role can be based in London, United Kingdom, Abuja, Nigeria or Kigali, Rwanda, subject to right to work eligibility in the respective countries.
UK hybrid working – a minimum of 40 % of working time is spent face-to-face (London office, external meetings or travel). 60/40 hybrid working at WaterAid means roughly three days wherever you work best and two days together in person.
Salary: Salaries and benefits will vary in line with the location of the successful candidate and depending on experience.
- UK: £68,000 - £74,000 per year with excellent benefits.
- Nigeria: NGN 64,968,462 – NGN 90,955,847 per year with excellent benefits.
- Rwanda: RWF 73,661,730- RWF 89,738,798 per year with excellent benefits.
Change starts with water. Change starts with you.
Every day, millions of people live without clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. WaterAid exists to change that – for everyone, everywhere. Join us, and your energy will help unlock people’s potential and create a fairer future.
About WaterAid
We’re a global federation driven by one vision: a world where everyone, everywhere has clean water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030. Powered by our values of Respect, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration, Integrity and Innovation, we work alongside communities, partners and supporters to make change happen.
About the Team
The Programme Operations team sits within WaterAid UK’s International Programmes Department (IPD), operating in 17 countries in Africa and Asia. The team is a diverse and motivated group of 14+ people made up of planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting (PMER), project design and management, and programme systems specialists. They support global operational excellence, PMER, risk management, donor compliance and performance assurance across WaterAid UK’s country and regional programmes. Working in partnership with regional and country leadership teams, the function provides technical oversight, systems development and operational support to strengthen programme delivery and organisational accountability.
About the Role
The Head of Programme Operations leads the development, implementation and continuous improvement of WaterAid’s international programme operations framework. The role provides strategic and operational leadership across programme operations, business management, systems, risk and compliance.
Key responsibilities include overseeing IPD business management processes, supporting financial planning and performance reporting, acting as a delegated focal point for operational risk, and providing senior troubleshooting support on complex operational and management challenges.
The role works in close partnership with Programme Funding to ensure operational readiness for new donor opportunities and effective grant start-up and close-out. It also leads operational assurance processes, strengthens compliance with donor and organisational requirements, and supports capacity strengthening across regional and country teams.
In this role, you will:
- Provide Programme Operations Leadership
- Lead IPD Business Management and Support
- Drive Collaboration, Risk and Performance
- Oversee Systems, Compliance and Assurance
- Lead Capacity Strengthening and Support
To be successful, you’ll need:
- Proven experience in managing or overseeing large scale international programme operations in the INGO or development sector.
- Strong understanding of operational systems (finance, procurement, logistics, compliance) in multi country environments.
- Excellent relevant IT skills, primarily Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and Word), but specifically relevant data systems that support high quality planning, monitoring and reporting.
- Experience of leading, managing and motivating others and driving change.
- Strong leadership and influencing skills, with the ability to build relationships and drive organisational change collaboratively.
- Experience working in complex matrix structures across multiple cultures.
- Strong analytical, problem solving and systems thinking capabilities.
- Demonstrated knowledge of donor compliance and grant management processes.
- Working style that reflects WaterAid’s values of Respect, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration, Integrity and Innovation.
Desirable:
- Experience in WASH, public health or community development sectors.
- Experience working with restricted and unrestricted funding portfolios.
- Relevant university degree or equivalent professional experience.
- Familiarity with WaterAid UK’s operating model and countries of operation.
Closing date: Applications will close 12:00 PM UK time on 3rd March 2026.
How to Apply: Click Apply to answer the pre-screening questions upload your CV and cover letter.
Can I use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in my application? At WaterAid, we strongly advise against using AI technology at any stage of the recruitment process. Our goal is to ensure a fair and transparent process that provides every applicant with an equal opportunity to succeed. We value hearing about your unique experiences and perspectives in your application, and, if shortlisted, during the interview as well.
Pre-employment screening: To apply for this role, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the respective country. All pre-employment checks will be carried out according to local law and WaterAid’s Safer Recruitment policy. All UK based roles require a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Benefits
As a global organisation, WaterAid is committed to creating an environment where you can thrive and be yourself at your very best. Alongside our inspiring mission and meaningful work, we offer a range of benefits tailored to each country’s context and policies. These will be shared during the process
Our Global Commitment:
Our people promise
We will work with passion and focus to make sure everyone everywhere has clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. WaterAid is a place of purpose – where people have a real commitment and shared responsibility for the impact we have. We are a global community with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, motivated by inspiring, stimulating work. We are
determined to be a place where people feel safe and able to contribute their voice and truly live our values.
Equal Opportunities
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, beliefs, customs, traditions, ways of life and status. This includes, but is not limited to, race, ethnicity, caste, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability status, neurodiversity, age, marital and family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, health status, place of residence, economic and social situation.
Safeguarding
We are committed to protecting everyone we come into contact with. We have a zero- tolerance approach to abuse of power, privilege or trust across our global work, and to any form of inappropriate behaviour, discrimination, abuse, bullying, harassment, or exploitation. Safeguarding the people and communities we work with, our staff, volunteers and anyone working on our behalf is our top priority, and we take our responsibilities extremely seriously. All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks (which can include counterterrorism, safeguarding and criminal records checks).
Together, we’ll change the world through water.
Join us and be part of the change!
Registered Charity
More than 1000
Our vision is a world where everyone, everywhere has sustainable and safe water, sanitation and hygiene.
Thank you!
Head of Programme Operations
Contract: Permanent, Full Time
Location: The role can be based in London, United Kingdom, Abuja, Nigeria or Kigali, Rwanda, subject to right to work eligibility in the respective countries.
UK hybrid working – a minimum of 40 % of working time is spent face-to-face (London office, external meetings or travel). 60/40 hybrid working at WaterAid means roughly three days wherever you work best and two days together in person.
Salary: Salaries and benefits will vary in line with the location of the successful candidate and depending on experience.
- UK: £68,000 - £74,000 per year with excellent benefits.
- Nigeria: NGN 64,968,462 – NGN 90,955,847 per year with excellent benefits.
- Rwanda: RWF 73,661,730- RWF 89,738,798 per year with excellent benefits.
Change starts with water. Change starts with you.
Every day, millions of people live without clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. WaterAid exists to change that – for everyone, everywhere. Join us, and your energy will help unlock people’s potential and create a fairer future.
About WaterAid
We’re a global federation driven by one vision: a world where everyone, everywhere has clean water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030. Powered by our values of Respect, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration, Integrity and Innovation, we work alongside communities, partners and supporters to make change happen.
About the Team
The Programme Operations team sits within WaterAid UK’s International Programmes Department (IPD), operating in 17 countries in Africa and Asia. The team is a diverse and motivated group of 14+ people made up of planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting (PMER), project design and management, and programme systems specialists. They support global operational excellence, PMER, risk management, donor compliance and performance assurance across WaterAid UK’s country and regional programmes. Working in partnership with regional and country leadership teams, the function provides technical oversight, systems development and operational support to strengthen programme delivery and organisational accountability.
About the Role
The Head of Programme Operations leads the development, implementation and continuous improvement of WaterAid’s international programme operations framework. The role provides strategic and operational leadership across programme operations, business management, systems, risk and compliance.
Key responsibilities include overseeing IPD business management processes, supporting financial planning and performance reporting, acting as a delegated focal point for operational risk, and providing senior troubleshooting support on complex operational and management challenges.
The role works in close partnership with Programme Funding to ensure operational readiness for new donor opportunities and effective grant start-up and close-out. It also leads operational assurance processes, strengthens compliance with donor and organisational requirements, and supports capacity strengthening across regional and country teams.
In this role, you will:
- Provide Programme Operations Leadership
- Lead IPD Business Management and Support
- Drive Collaboration, Risk and Performance
- Oversee Systems, Compliance and Assurance
- Lead Capacity Strengthening and Support
Registered Charity
More than 1000
Our vision is a world where everyone, everywhere has sustainable and safe water, sanitation and hygiene.
Thank you!
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
About Young Roots
At Young Roots, we want to see a compassionate and welcoming society for young refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. We work alongside young people seeking safety in the UK, building trusted relationships, providing practical and emotional support and promoting young people’s rights and power.
Our youth clubs and casework are transformative for young refugees, allowing young people who have fled danger, had traumatic journeys and who are often here alone, to find community and connection, have a space to be a young person and access support in addressing a whole range of practical challenges they face. We also draw on our evidence from working every day with young refugees and asylum seekers to call for change to the laws and policies which are harming young people.
About the role
Young Roots is looking for a proactive, values-driven Head of Youth Work to shape our life-changing youth work services for young refugees and asylum seekers. This is a rare opportunity to take strategic ownership of a high-impact service, influence organisational direction as part of our Leadership Group, and work alongside inspiring young people and passionate colleagues.
You need significant experience leading a face-to-face service for people facing complex challenges (for example in youth services, homelessness, mental health or refugee support). You’ll bring strong safeguarding expertise, excellent people leadership and programme management skills, and a track record of developing high-quality, inclusive services.
In this role you will:
- Set a clear and ambitious vision for youth work at Young Roots
- Lead and support Youth Work Managers and multidisciplinary teams
- Champion youth participation and co-production
- Ensure services are safe, compliant, and impactful
- Build partnerships and help shape new projects and funding
If you’re excited by the idea of combining strategy with hands-on leadership, and want to use your skills to support young people to thrive, belong, and build their futures, we’d love to hear from you.
Why join Young Roots
- A senior role with real influence in a respected, impactful organisation
- A collaborative leadership team, highly skilled colleagues and values-led culture
- Flexible, hybrid working
To Apply:
To apply, please submit your CV alongside a personal statement by the closing date outlining how you would be a great fit for the role.
Your personal statement should be no more than 800 words, answering the following questions:
- What is your motivation for working with Young Roots? (100 words)
- What is your motivation for applying for this role specifically? (200 words)
- What skills and experience would you bring that will enable you to be successful in this role? Please ensure you refer to the essential criteria on the person specification and provide examples to demonstrate how and where you meet the criteria. (500 words)
Please submit your application via Charity Jobs.
No agencies, please.
Closing date: 18th February
Interview dates: 25th February (panel interview in Croydon) and for those successful at the first stage 27th February (young person’s panel).
Young Roots recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equity and challenges discrimination. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those who can face disadvantage in employment, such as people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ individuals and people with disabilities. As an organisation that supports refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, we particularly welcome applications from people within these communities. We offer a guaranteed interview for those with lived experience of the asylum system and those with disabilities, where they meet the essential elements of the person specification. If aspects of the application process create barriers to you applying and you’d like any adjustment to the process or you’d like an informal discussion or advice on your application, please get in touch. We would also like to alert you to the existence of organisations which support people from under-represented groups to access employment, who can advise you on applying for this role. For example, Scope, Young Women’s Trust and Experts by Experience.
Young Roots is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. We take this duty very seriously.
Our work is underpinned by policies and procedures which promote safe working practices. We have a framework of training and supervision which everyone is expected to comply with and systems for monitoring, quality assurance and gaining service user feedback. On joining you will be expected to be part of this approach to safeguard our service users.
Registered Charity
21 - 50
Working alongside young people seeking safety - building trust, providing practical and emotional support, and promoting their rights and power.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.