Global Programmes Lead

Muslim Aid; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Hybrid working – 2 days in the office

Pension scheme

Time off in lieu

Job summary

Muslim Aid in the United Kingdom seeks a Global Programmes Lead to oversee international and UK programme delivery, partnerships, humanitarian response and safety functions. You will guide strategy, ensure quality, and manage risk across the portfolio while supporting country offices and partners.

The role requires senior management experience in international development, strong leadership, and travel to field operations as part of the role.

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level in international development or a related field.
• Substantial senior management experience in international development and/or humanitarian programmes.
• Proven experience leading programme quality, design, MEAL and compliance across a multi-country portfolio.
• Excellent leadership, project management and facilitation skills.
• Strong financial management and value-for-money skills, with budget oversight across multiple programmes.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior leadership across the Country Programmes Unit, the Programmes Partnership Unit and the safety and security function.
• Lead development of departmental strategies and operational plans within remit.
• Oversee programmes to ensure design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation to high standards and compliant with donor requirements.
• Strengthen due diligence and compliance procedures with country offices and partners; ensure CHS and Sphere standards.
• Oversee capacity assessments and improvement plans for Country Offices and Implementing Partners; manage humanitarian response capability.

Skills

Senior leadership

Programme management

MEAL

Compliance

Budget oversight

Stakeholder management

Education

Degree in international development

Job description

Job description

Who we are: Muslim Aid is a UK faith-based international development organisation that provides support to communities around the world affected by disasters, conflict, or endemic poverty without regard to their social, religious, or ethnic background. Established in 1985, Muslim Aid has facilitated the engagement of the British Muslim and non-Muslim community in support of its work in a variety of ways. Over the years, its humanitarian work has included responses to major crises around the world including, famine in East Africa, earthquakes and flooding in Pakistan and Bangladesh as well as conflicts in Syria and Yemen. We place strong emphasis on long‑term development projects that build the capacity of local people to help themselves. In addition to the 5 country offices worldwide we also work with multiple partner offices focusing on sustainable Development Programmes and providing humanitarian relief during times of crisis.

Summary of the role

The Global Programmes Lead is a senior management role within the Impact department, providing leadership and oversight across Muslim Aid's international and UK programme delivery, partnerships, humanitarian response, and safety and security. Reporting to the Head of Impact, the Lead is accountable for the efficient, high-quality and compliant delivery of programmes through the Country Programmes Unit, the Programmes Partnership Unit (including UK programmes), the Humanitarian Programmes function and programme administration, while ensuring robust duty of care through oversight of the safety and security function. The role is responsible for technical and management advice and support to ensure Muslim Aid Country Offices and partners are implementing, monitoring and evaluating programme activities in compliance with Muslim Aid's strategy and budget as well as recognised international standards. The role drives programme quality, value for money and risk management across the portfolio; strengthens the capacity of country offices and partners; and supports institutional funding and strategic partnerships to grow the scope, scale and quality of Muslim Aid's programmes in line with organisational strategy and recognised international standards. Regular international travel will be required.

About the Role

• Provide senior leadership across the Country Programmes Unit, the Programmes Partnership Unit (including UK programmes), the Humanitarian Programmes function and the safety and security function, ensuring they operate as a coherent, high-performing whole.
• Lead development of departmental strategies and operational plans within the roles remit to ensure they are aligned.
• Oversee programmes to ensure they are designed, implemented, monitored and evaluated to a high standard and in compliance with donor, governmental and international requirements.
• Strengthen due diligence and compliance procedures with country offices and partners, and ensure quality standards such as the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and Sphere are met.
• Oversee Capacity Assessments of Country Offices/Affiliate Offices and Implementing Partners, and the implementation of associated improvement plans.
• Oversee management of the Humanitarian Programmes function and Muslim Aid's emergency response capability, ensuring timely, high-quality and standards-compliant responses to slow- and rapid-onset emergencies.

About You

You must currently hold the right to work in the UK. Muslim Aid is not offering sponsorship for this role. This role operates on a hybrid working basis, with a requirement to work from the office for a minimum of three days per week, and additional days where required to meet organisational needs.

To be successful in this role, you will need:

• Educated to degree level in international development or a related field.
• Substantial senior management experience in international development and/or humanitarian programmes, including remote / distance management of country offices and partners.
• Proven experience leading programme quality, design, MEAL and compliance across a multi-country portfolio.
• Excellent leadership, project management and facilitation skills.
• Strong financial management and value-for-money skills, with budget oversight across multiple programmes.
• Good interpersonal skills, able to work effectively with diverse stakeholders at all levels.

Why you should apply

Join Muslim Aid as our Global Programmes Lead and play a key role in leading and strengthening our international and UK programmes, partnerships and humanitarian response. You will oversee programme delivery, quality, compliance and risk management, while supporting country offices and partners to achieve meaningful and sustainable impact. If you are an experienced leader with strong programme management, strategic partnership and humanitarian experience, and a passion for delivering high-quality programmes that transform lives, we would love to hear from you.

Benefits you will enjoy working for us

• 25 days annual leave + 4 Privilege days
• Hybrid working – minimum of 2 days per week in the office
• Paid time off for medical appointments
• 2 hours lunch break on Fridays
• Time off in Lieu (TOIL)
• Pension Scheme

Pre-employment Checks

Due to the nature of our work with children and vulnerable communities, Muslim Aid operates rigorous safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) procedures in our recruitment process. We are committed to the prevention of sexual abuse and exploitation and adopts a zero-tolerance approach to SEA, as a result, any employment with Muslim Aid is subject to the following checks prior to your start date:

• Satisfactory professional references, including safeguarding-specific enquiries.
• A Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and/or an International Criminal Record Check where applicable.
• A review of right-to-work documentation for the country in which the role is based.

We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work with children and vulnerable people are recruited to work for us.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, or age.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applications will be accepted until the closing date, however, Muslim Aid reserves the right to initiate interviews and the selection process on a rolling basis with the aim of identifying an appropriate candidate as quickly as possible.