Programme director jobs in London, greater london
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The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
The IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and, most crucially, accountability to those we serve. The IRC is a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable.
The External Relations (ER) Department mobilizes external audiences to raise the requisite funds, influence policies and achieve practice changes to improve outcomes for our clients, while growing and protecting our global brand. The Global Policy & Advocacy team is a dynamic part of the ER Department that leverages the power of IRC’s ideas to solve the biggest challenges facing IRC’s clients across the “arc of crisis” and influence external stakeholders, in particular governments and multi-lateral institutions, to enact these solutions to ultimately make meaningful change for our clients. From addressing the drivers of conflict to meeting the needs of displaced people, the team partners with innovative thinkers, experts and those with lived experience to identify solutions and bring them to life. We take pride in being solutions-oriented and creative. We are precise in our goals, tactics, and messages. We drive change year over year, knowing that system change takes dedicated focus while maintaining the flexibility to respond to emerging needs across the globe. Finally, we are collaborative, constantly seeking new ideas and perspectives from others in our sector and beyond as we work side by side with programs, strategy, communications and research and innovation teams across the IRC.
IRC UK
IRC UK is part of the IRC global network, which has its global headquarters in New York. Our team in the UK works to raise profile, deliver policy and practice change, and increase funding to help restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Since 2021, IRC UK has also provided integration services directly to refugees in England.
In Europe, the IRC also has offices in Berlin, Bonn, Brussels, Geneva and Stockholm.
The Purpose of the Role
Scope and Authority
Authority:
As the Program Advocacy and Engagement Director, you serve as a strategic leader shaping IRC’s global influence across crisis response contexts, guiding advocacy efforts that are integral to advancing IRC’s mission. You are responsible for strengthening our advocacy strategies and practice, providing strategic oversight, coordination and strategy building across national, regional and multilateral advocacy efforts. You will work with regionally based teams and collaborate with senior regional and country leaders, technical experts, and global counterparts to optimize IRC’s advocacy reach, advocate for systems change policies and impacts and ensure coherence. This role will be critical to ensure focus, alignment and strategic oversight to maximize IRC’s advocacy impact at a time of stretched resources and expanding humanitarian need.
This individual will play a critical role in coordinating and identifying the strategic opportunities to cultivate relationships and influence policies at the highest levels across IRC’s advocacy priorities, implementing creative influence strategies, including targeting non-traditional stakeholders on key crisis work. This individual will ensure the global advocacy team is informed by and responsive to trends at national/regional levels, connecting our Advocacy & Influence work to the experiences and needs of our clients and programs, and providing advocacy guidance, skills development and best practice sharing.
Key Working Relationships
Internal contacts: Regional CRRD Policy, Advocacy and Communication; Global Advocacy & Influence colleagues; Best Use of Resources Advocacy Specialist; Policy & Solutions team; Technical Excellence leads; Crisis, Response, Recovery and Development teams; Country Programs; Communications; Awards Management; President’s Office, External Relations Department
External contacts: Legislators; government officials; critical decision makers in multilateral institutions; peer NGOs; local/regional advocacy and/or operational organizations
Key Accountabilities
Advocacy Strategy (45%)
• Advance IRC influence by leading or supporting the design and execution of integrated advocacy strategies, including power maps, for crisis response issues in line with organizational priorities and in partnership with regional, national and technical leaders and global policy, advocacy and communications teams.
• Lead efforts to advocate for system change at the country level, engaging with IRC regional advocates, and Spot and capitalize on external opportunities to advance IRC’s influence objectives including with non-traditional partners.
• Work with regional advocates to provide expert strategic guidance and support to country programs and emergency response teams in the development of advocacy strategies.
Policy and Advocacy Prioritization and Contextualization (25%)
• Contribute to policy generation and prioritization by providing advocacy insights from program regions and country contexts as well as multilateral institutions, collaborating with policy colleagues to increase the credibility and efficacy of our solutions.
• Support the identification of policy and advocacy priorities that meet the three criteria of impact, feasibility and added IRC value.
• Work closely with regional and national advocates to understand critical legislation and policy impacting clients and IRC’s programmatic teams in countries where we operate.
Multilateral Strategy (15%)
• Build strategic relationships and maintain diplomatic engagement with multilateral institutions such as the UN, leveraging IRC’s presence to influence multilateral policy and funding decisions.
Senior Leadership Engagement (15%)
• Identify and shape high-impact external engagements for IRC’s senior leaders, including message development, briefings, and event positioning to elevate IRC’s global thought leadership.
Steward Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
• Steward gender equality, diversity and inclusion both in the culture of IRC, as well as in the policy solutions we develop and the ways we wield influence.
Teamwork (% N/A)
• Support a positive team culture by acting openly and collaboratively, supporting colleagues in their work and sharing credit with others where appropriate.
Person Specification
Essential
Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:
• Graduate degree or equivalent experience in relevant field such as Public Policy, International Development, Politics, Economics, Law or International Relations **
• Demonstrable track record of leading advocacy strategies that generated tangible policy change, ideally in more than one context. **
• Ability to think strategically and creatively, being oriented towards solution development when traditional advocacy means do not suffice and especially in fluid and politically sensitive environments, exercising sound judgment under pressure.**
• Extensive knowledge of humanitarian aid and refugee issues, particularly around long-term displacement. **
• Exceptional verbal communication and interpersonal skills: strong presenter, facilitator, public speaker and trainer. Demonstrated ability to communicate and collaborate successfully with experts, high level decision-makers, and colleagues in the humanitarian and development fields. **
• Excellent writing skills and the ability to translate complex material and data into compelling narratives that resonate with decision-makers and mainstream audiences.
• Ability to work within short timelines to a high degree of accuracy.
• Initiative and ability to work independently on fast-moving issues, and juggle competing demands.
• Experience working in a development or humanitarian context is preferred.
• Fluency with IRC’s strategy and advocacy agendas is preferred.
Experience:
• Demonstrated experience in leading advocacy strategy development and execution with a focus on creativity and strategic thinking.
• Extensive experience working on complex humanitarian and/or development issues particularly at the multilateral or systems-change level, in more than one geographic or political context. International NGO or multilateral/intergovernmental body experience preferred. National legislative or executive branch experience is an asset.
Registered Charity
101 - 500
The mission of the IRC is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Are you an experienced operational leader with experience of developing and innovating services which improve client experience for vulnerable adults?
We are looking for someone to join St Mungo’s as Assistant Director of Client Experience. This new post brings together a range of services that deliver added value to our service offer for clients.
From leading the work on client involvement, to developing and delivering learning, training and employment interventions, to providing advice and improving our practice on welfare rights and complex health and wellbeing needs, this role is central to delivering our work to support clients to rebuild their lives.
As Assistant Director of Client Experience, you will work closely with client services and fundraising colleagues, bringing these areas together to ensure we deliver compelling services that enhance our client experience, attract funders, and clearly demonstrate their impact and value.
You will embed a culture of collaboration, strengthening partnerships with different organisations so that, across the system, we work towards providing the services our clients need and that achieve the greatest impact.
In this role you will:
- Oversee client involvement, resident engagement and lived experience apprenticeship schemes.
- Lead the coordination of our volunteers and the assessment of social work student placements.
- Oversee services offering clients learning, training and employment support.
- Lead work that supports clients and colleagues to navigate the welfare system, and to manage complex needs such as health, substance use, palliative care and bereavement.
- Focus on increasing our innovation, testing and learning from different interventions.
About you
We are looking for an experienced operational leader with a background in leading teams delivering services to groups of vulnerable adult clients. You will bring a passion for client involvement and a track record of developing, innovating and strengthening service offers and bringing teams together.
Your leadership will be committed, empowering, accountable, creative and inclusive. You will be an excellent problem solver with strong communication and influencing skills, able to engage colleagues at all levels and build effective partnerships across the sector. You will also have experience of managing budgets and using complex data to inform decisions and improve performance.
Above all, you make things happen. You drive progress efficiently while building engagement and collaboration, ensuring outcomes are delivered and meet the needs of the organisation.
Flexible working
This post is offered on a full time basis (37.5 hours per week), or part time hours can be considered (minimum 22.5 hours per week). We are open to discussions about different working patterns, for example condensed hours.
We support flexible and agile working. This role is London-based, with an expectation of working from our Central Office or one of our services at least 2 days per week to support collaboration, leadership, training and relationship-building. Due to the nature of the role, you will also work across different London and regional services and be expected to spend a significant part of your time our engaging with colleagues and clients in our services.
Our Central Office is currently located in Tower Hill, with a plan to relocate to a new space in Farringdon in summer 2026.
How to apply
To view the job description and guidance on completing your application form, please click on the ‘document’ tab on the advert page on our website.
To find out more and apply please go to the St Mungo’s careers page on our website.
Closing date: 10am on 23 March 2026
We will be holding colleague panels week of 13 April 2026, followed by interviews from 21 April 2026
We are working hard to create a diverse and fully inclusive culture where everyone feels valued and we welcome applications from all under-represented groups, particularly Global Majority candidates who are underrepresented at this level.
What we offer
Excellent Development and Growth Opportunities
A Diverse and Inclusive Workplace
Great Pay and Other Benefits
Thank you!
Location: MSSC National Support Centre, London, SE1 7JY
Contract: Full-time, permanent
Salary: Up to £80,000 gross per annum, depending on experience
Closing Date: 22 March 2026
Are you looking for a new challenge where you can have a positive impact on the lives of young people? We’re looking for an exceptional leader with significant experience of youth, volunteering, safety and business support.
The Marine Society & Sea Cadets (MSSC) is the leading maritime charity for youth development and lifelong learning. We are a vibrant and growing charity inspiring young people to achieve their potential through challenge and nautical adventure, while also enabling seafarers and maritime professionals to realise their potential through learning and career development.
Thousands of young people take part in Sea Cadets activity every week. We want to reach thousands more. We have a strong vision and are on the cusp of rolling out a new multi-year growth strategy to meet the growing demand for what we provide for young people. We aim to equip them to achieve their potential and thrive in a rapidly changing world. We are immensely proud of the breadth, quality and safety of activities we offer to young people.
We are looking for an exceptional individual who wants to be at the heart of this project to reach more young people through our extraordinary, highly skilled volunteers. This individual will drive quality and consistency across everything we do.
About the role
The Director of Young People, Volunteer & Business Support is a full-time employee of Marine Society & Sea Cadets (MSSC) and reports to the Chief Executive Officer. The post holder is a member of the MSSC Senior Management Team. The post is based at the National Support Centre in London but will require some travel, mostly within the UK, in order to fulfil the responsibilities of the role. The nature of the role will also involve occasional evening and weekend work.
Responsibilities
- Growth, Development & Outreach
- Health, Safety & Environment
- Young People Support & Safeguarding
- Volunteer Support
- Business Support & Legal
- Policy & Impact
Requirements
Knowledge and understanding of health and safety
Knowledge and experience of managing youth safeguarding issues
Knowledge and experience of volunteering and volunteer management
Experience of leading management processes, compliance, assurance and driving change
Experience of leading a large team with strong people management capability and driving high performance including remote management
For further information, please download the . If you are interested in this role, please apply now!
Benefits
- 25 days annual leave per annum, increasing with length of service
- Hybrid working for many roles (minimum 2 days per week in the London office)
- Volunteering Leave
- Life assurance (4x salary)
- Private medical insurance
- Generous pension (employer contribution up to 10%)
- Cycle to work scheme
- Access to the Marine Society Digital Library
- Wellbeing portal and EAP with one-to-one counselling
- Employee development
Additional Information
MSSC positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates from all backgrounds. Equity, diversity, and inclusion really matters to us, so we can best serve our beneficiaries from every community. We work to ensure a fair and consistent recruitment process and aim to be a charity where diversity of experience, identity and skills are valued and welcomed. MSSC is an equal opportunities employer.
We recognise our responsibilities to safeguard and protect the young people and vulnerable adults with whom we work. We do all we can to promote their health, safety and wellbeing, and we expect our staff to share this commitment and work in line with safeguarding policy, the MSSC’s values and ethos of inclusivity. We adhere to safer recruitment practices and therefore employment is subject to detailed pre-employment checks for successful candidates, including references and criminal disclosure checks and the completion of a disclosure questionnaire.
All successful applicants are required to attend safeguarding training and undergo pre-employment checks including a criminal record check.
Registered Charity
101 - 500
We help launch young people for life through adventure.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Program Director (Youth Employment)
Prospectus is supporting an independent foundation seeking a Program Director (Youth Employment) who can complement the existing team by virtue of their experience in labor market economics, workforce development, value chain transformation, and/or the prioritization of public-sector investment in critical economic sectors.
Program Directors work with their government counterparts to design and support implementation of transformative programs, and many government counterparts are prioritizing youth employment. Program Directors are accountable to the CEO and are responsible for ensuring quality execution of programs; strengthening routine monitoring systems; leading evidence-based decision-making; and driving highly leveraged outcomes.
Program Directors each work on a variety of matters related to human capital development and contribute to programs in different African geographies. You can expect a dynamic environment and a culture of collaboration, innovation, and drive for highly leveraged outcomes.
Candidate Profile
- Extensive experience with complex and large-scale program ideation and implementation, ideally related to youth employment, labor market interventions, value chain transformation, and public-sector investment.
- Good understanding of how governmental departments work, ideally with direct experience working within government.
- Significant interactions at high policy levels within governments, with proven experience in managing complex and politically sensitive relationships with different stakeholders.
- Demonstration of methodical program oversight and management.
- Experienced in the use of programmatic tools such as dashboard creation, program monitoring and strategic planning.
- Demonstrated familiarity with and/or experience working in sub-Saharan Africa.
Terms
- £100,000 – £140,000 + benefits.
- The position is full-time. Staff members working in the London office attend the office five days a week. However, if you have a disability and need a different arrangement as a reasonable adjustment, please let us know. We are committed to supporting an inclusive and accessible workplace and will consider any requests in line with the organisation’s obligations.
- The position will require travel to sub-Saharan Africa
- Equal opportunities employer
How to Apply
To apply for the role, please upload your CV together with a supporting statement (no more than 500 words) onto the Prospectus website.
At Prospectus we believe passionately that a truly inclusive workplace leads to increased social impact. We are committed to supporting our clients build more inclusive teams. To understand how we are performing, we ask that you kindly complete the brief equal opportunities questionnaire when you submit your application via our website.
Recruitment Timetable (Subject to Change)
- Deadline for applications: 5th April
- Interviews with Prospectus: 13th – 14th April
- First stage panel interviews: w/c 4th May
Thank you!
About us:
Anti-Slavery International is the world’s oldest human rights organisation. Our vision is freedom from slavery for everyone, everywhere, always. We believe that modern slavery is a contemporary issue of the highest importance, and we are determined to work with others to make sure people can be free from slavery across the world.
About the role:
To shape, lead, ensure resourcing and support delivery for all ASI's programme and advocacy work, so as to maximise the organisation's impact on modern slavery. The role combines strategic, advocacy, management and operational elements.
Key Tasks:
- identify how ASI can maximise its contribution to tacking modern slavery by identifying current needs and opportunities
- support Programme Managers in their ongoing delivery of programmes
- liaise closely with Programme, Fundraising and Comms Teams
- ensure proper design, management, monitoring and reporting on externally and internally funded work,
- with the CEO, to link with governments, external partners, businesses, networks universities/research centres and others to build the positive relations and shared activity needed to understand and tackle modern slavery and keep ASI strong
- external spokesperson on issues related to modern slavery
- work with Comms and Fundraising to identify stories and opportunities, promote the organisation and describe our achievements
Benefits
- 30 days annual leave
- 6% pension contribution
- employee benefits including employee assistance programme, cycle to work scheme, annual season ticket loan, eye tests
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.