Director of International Child Sponsorship Programs

The Director of International Child Sponsorship Programs will lead and oversee the strategic management and operations of our child sponsorship programs, ensuring high-quality service delivery and program effectiveness. This role will supervise the Regional Child Sponsorship Managers and work collaboratively with other departments to achieve organizational goals. This role will report to the President of Feed International. This is a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact on children’s lives worldwide while shaping the future of our sponsorship programs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategically oversee child sponsorship operations across multiple countries, ensuring cohesive policy implementation, quality control, and integration with global operational standards.
• Lead and manage the team of regional child sponsorship managers, setting clear goals and expectations, providing support, and ensuring staff development.
• Articulate the sponsorship priorities in written materials, in meetings with individuals, and during speaking engagements before larger audiences.
• Work closely with Communications on social and digital media opportunities for the sponsorship program.
• Oversee the operational systems, processes, and policies in support of the organization’s child sponsorship mission through quality control and regular program evaluations.
• Ensure efficiency and accuracy in data and systems management.
• Optimizing the Child Sponsorship process through analyzing sponsorship data to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities for improvement, and provide insights to inform decision-making.
• Collaborate with senior management and cross-functional teams to enhance programmatic strategies.
• Ensure compliance with both internal standards and external regulations pertaining to child sponsorship activities.
• Lead the development and implementation of sponsorship policies, procedures, and tools that enhance operational efficiency and data integrity across the relevant Child Sponsorship systems.
• Lead efforts to optimize the child sponsorship manual and oversee its adaptation across varying regional contexts, ensuring that updates and changes are communicated effectively to all country teams.
• Foster relationships with key stakeholders, including donors, community leaders, and international partners, to enhance program outreach and impact.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and best practices among country coordinators and regional teams to foster innovation and continuous improvement in program delivery.
• Manage budgetary allocations for the child sponsorship program, ensuring resources are used efficiently to achieve program goals.
• Report on program progress and challenges, providing actionable insights and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Through collaboration with the Regional Managers, organize training sessions, workshops, and meetings for staff and partners on sponsorship policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Conduct regular reviews and audits of sponsorship activities to maintain quality standards and identify areas for improvement.
• Participate actively to assure compliance in assigned areas of responsibility.
• Work closely with HQ-based Child Sponsorship department on influencing and finalizing indicators & results reporting; ensure that project activities align to achieve these results.
• Maintain personal and professional growth and development through seminars, webinars, workshops, books, software, publications and professional affiliations to keep current with legal issues and the latest trends in the field of fundraising and child sponsorship.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with the safeguarding policy.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in International Development, Social Sciences, Non-Profit Management, Business Administration, or related field. A Master’s degree in any of the disciplines will be preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in program management, preferably in an International NGO setting with a focus on child welfare, education, or international development.
• Proven track record of managing and leading teams in a dynamic and multicultural environment internationally.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, capable of working collaboratively in a high-pressure environment.
• Ability to build effective professional working relationships internally and externally.
• Ability to think and act strategically and provide sound judgment.
• Effective communication skills, both oral and written; attention to detail, and ability to multi-task and stay organized under tight deadlines.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions, meet deadlines, and work independently
• Ability to maintain confidential information.
• Ability to solve daily problems by analyzing situations, determining the next step and implementing. Ability to comprehend and process information rapidly and accurately.
• Proficient in MS Office and program management software; familiarity with CRM systems is a plus.