Senior Executive Sala

The Sustainability Grid; Washington, Northern (District of Columbia, KY); Hybrid; USD 210,000 - 237,000; Full time

Job summary

Malala Fund is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to lead global operations from Washington, DC, reporting to the CEO and serving on the Executive Leadership Team. The COO will oversee finance, operations, risk, safeguarding and learning, translating strategy into action across multiple countries and functions.

The role requires senior leadership experience in global organisations, with a focus on enterprise management, governance and sustainable capacity building.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive senior leadership experience across operations, finance and enterprise management.
• Experience translating organisational strategy into multi-year and annual operating plans.
• Global organisational leadership with cross-country coordination.

Responsibilities

• Provide independent judgement and strategic recommendations to the CEO.
• Translate strategy into multi-year priorities, operating plans, budgets and resource plans.
• Oversee enterprise planning, risk management and cross-functional coordination.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting at the executive level.
• Ensure governance, safeguarding, and programmatic resilience across geographies.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

Cross-functional collaboration

People management

Communication

Job description

Malala Fund Hiring Chief Operating Officer to Lead Global Operations in Washington, DC

Malala Fund is a global organisation working toward a world where every girl can learn and lead.

By The Sustainability Grid Desk

Location Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Type Hybrid

Type Full-Time

Experience Senior Executive

Salary $210,200 - $237,200

Deadline Not specified

About the Company

The organisation advocates for the resources and policy changes needed to give all girls access to secondary education, invests in local education leaders, and amplifies the voices of girls fighting for change.

Malala Fund operates across multiple geographies, including the United States, United Kingdom, Nigeria and Pakistan.

The Opportunity

Malala Fund is seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to serve as the CEO's principal operating partner and provide enterprise-wide leadership across finance, operations, organisational planning, risk, safeguarding, and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning.

As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the COO will help translate organisational strategy into coordinated action, align priorities and resources across functions and countries, strengthen organisational planning, and ensure Malala Fund has the people, systems and capacity required to deliver its mission sustainably.

This is a senior executive position suited to an experienced leader with a strong background in enterprise management, finance, operations and organisational strategy.

What You'll Do

Strategic Planning, Enterprise Integration and Execution

• Serve as a trusted thought partner to the CEO, providing independent judgement and practical recommendations on strategic choices and organisational trade-offs.
• Translate organisational strategy into multi-year and annual priorities, operating plans, budgets and resource plans.
• Establish effective enterprise planning and operating rhythms.
• Strengthen accountability, decision-making and cross-functional coordination.
• Identify organisational bottlenecks, competing priorities and capacity constraints.
• Ensure country and functional leaders have appropriate authority and accountability.

Finance

• Oversee annual budgeting and reforecasting processes.
• Provide executive financial leadership to the Executive Leadership Team.
• Lead multi-year financial planning, scenario analysis and resource allocation.
• Oversee financial systems, policies, controls, reporting and audit processes.
• Ensure effective management of restricted funds, cash, reserves and investments.
• Provide the CEO, Executive Leadership Team and Board with clear visibility into financial performance and risks.
• Work closely with the Chief Growth Officer on revenue scenarios, affordability and organisational commitments.

Operations, Risk, Safeguarding and Organisational Resilience

• Lead a coherent operating model across Malala Fund's entities and geographies.
• Oversee operations, contracts, procurement, IT, data systems and information management.
• Strengthen business continuity, organisational resilience and knowledge management.
• Provide executive oversight of safeguarding systems and organisational readiness.
• Lead enterprise risk and compliance across jurisdictions.
• Strengthen policies, procedures and management systems without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Ensure Finance, Operations, Risk and related systems effectively support grantmaking.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• Provide executive leadership and line oversight of the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning function.
• Ensure evidence and learning inform strategic and organisational decision-making.
• Strengthen approaches to measuring policy influence, advocacy, grantmaking and systems change.
• Establish organisation-wide measures of progress and learning.
• Ensure evidence is used to inform country, advocacy, grantmaking and resource decisions.

Governance Support

• Support effective Board governance processes in partnership with the CEO, Board Chair and CEO Office.
• Subject to Board approval, potentially serve as interim Board Secretary.
• Support the preparation of Board information, meeting notices, minutes and records.

Requirements

Core Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive senior leadership experience across operations, finance and enterprise management.
• Experience translating organisational strategy into multi-year and annual operating plans.
• Previous senior leadership experience in operations and/or finance within a global organisation of similar or larger scale.
• Experience leading operations in the Global South.
• Meaningful experience working in or alongside advocacy, policy influence, grantmaking or systems-change organisations.
• Experience leading organisational transition, growth, restructuring or periods of financial pressure.
• Experience overseeing enterprise risk, compliance and organisational resilience.

Technical Expertise

• Strong financial strategy and stewardship capabilities.
• Budgeting, forecasting and scenario-planning expertise.
• Resource allocation and financial trade-off management.
• Financial controls, audit oversight and Board-level financial reporting.
• Enterprise planning and performance management.
• Organisational risk and compliance.
• Safeguarding oversight.
• Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning within complex systems-change environments.

Professional Strengths

• Exceptional team and people management skills.
• Strong analytical and strategic-thinking abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to communicate complex financial, organisational and strategic issues clearly.
• Strong cross-cultural sensitivity, diplomacy and discretion.
• Ability to build trust and relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to influence, inspire and motivate teams.
• High emotional intelligence and strong managerial courage.

Mindset Fit

Malala Fund is looking for a leader who operates with high EQ and low ego, communicates the reasoning behind decisions, and creates clarity across diverse teams and geographies.

The ideal candidate will bring a creative, open and innovative mindset, while demonstrating strong judgement, accountability and a genuine commitment to Malala Fund's mission.

English fluency is required.

The successful candidate must also be willing and able to travel regularly to Malala Fund offices and countries of operation, including the U.S., U.K., Nigeria and Pakistan.

• Experience working with global funds or foundations.
• Experience working with high-profile principals, founders or public figures in a mission-driven organisation.
• Experience with organisational learning approaches designed for advocacy, policy change and systems-change environments.
• Familiarity with global education and/or girls' rights.
• Relationships across private sector, civil society, UN and government stakeholders.

Malala Fund provides an opportunity to work within a global, mission-driven organisation focused on expanding educational opportunities for girls.

The organisation is committed to an inclusive workplace and welcomes people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, ages, experiences and identities.

Why This Role Matters

The Chief Operating Officer will sit at the centre of Malala Fund's organisational strategy and execution.

By connecting finance, operations, people, risk, evidence and organisational planning, the COO will help ensure Malala Fund can scale its impact while maintaining strong governance, financial sustainability and organisational resilience.

The role offers an opportunity to influence how a globally recognised organisation advances girls' education and supports leaders working for change.

Malala Fund is an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusion and safeguarding. The organisation maintains a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, exploitation, harassment and discrimination and reserves the right to conduct background checks on prospective and current employees.