Managing Director, Program Operations (M3)

Save the Children

For over 100 years, Save the Children has been fighting for the rights of children. The right to a healthy start in life. To have access to education. To be in a safe environment, protected from harm. We work in some of the world’s hardest-to-reach places – over 100 countries, including the U.S. No matter what your role is, when you join Save the Children, you’re creating positive, irreversible change for children, and the future we all share.

The Role

As the Managing Director, Program Operations you’ll be integral to our work in helping vulnerable children achieve a brighter future. You will lead the strategic and operational backbone of the Program Operations unit within the US Programs department, ensuring systems, processes, and stakeholder engagement are aligned to drive impact and efficiency across the organization.

Location

Hybrid – Washington DC, Fairfield, CT or Lexington, KY office locations

Remote – United States

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

• not inclusive of all role responsibilities. May be subject to change
• Strategic Oversight & Systems Leadership (25%) Lead the strategic direction and continuous improvement of the Impact Hub and other program management systems. Ensure systems are user-centric and drive measurable programmatic outcomes.
• Program Performance & KPI Management (15%) Design and optimize performance tracking frameworks, including KPIs and dashboards. Use data to inform decision-making and improve operational efficiency.
• Process Improvement & Change Management (20%) Champion change initiatives across program operations. Conduct business process mapping, develop RACI matrices, and align workflows with technical systems to enhance clarity and accountability.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration (15%) Engage internal and external stakeholders to identify challenges, co-create solutions, and promote adoption of new systems and processes. Foster a culture of collaboration and transparency.
• Strategic Planning & Communications (10%) Drive internal communications, knowledge management, and strategic planning efforts to ensure alignment across teams and visibility into operational priorities.
• Team Leadership & Development (15%) Supervise, coach, and develop staff. Communicate organizational priorities and foster a high-performance culture aligned with Save the Children’s mission and values.
  
  

Required Qualifications For The Role

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, plus at least 10 years of relevant experience
• Proven leadership in program operations or systems management.
• Strong background in process improvement, change management, and stakeholder engagement.
• Experience with data systems, dashboards, and performance metrics.
• Excellent communication and strategic planning skills.
• Professional proficiency in MS Office suite
• Professional proficiency in spoken and written English
  
  

Preferred Qualifications For The Role

• Experience in child-focused or humanitarian organizations.
• Familiarity with Salesforce, Tableau, or similar data platforms.
• Advanced degree in public administration, business, or related field.
  
  

Compensation

Save the Children is offering the following salary ranges for this position, dependent on candidate location:

• Geo 1 - NY Metro, DC, and other locations with labor costs significantly above national average: Target Salary for this position is $131,750 – $147,250 base salary
• Geo 2 - Locations around the US National Labor Cost Average: Target Salary for this position is $119,850 – $133,950 base salary
• Geo 3 - Locations significantly below the US National Labor Cost Average: Target Salary for this position is $107,950 – $120,650 base salary
  
  

The salary ranges listed above are for US based candidates. For candidates located outside of the US, salary ranges will be based on the salary scales of the local employer of record. Actual base salary may vary based on, but not limited to, relevant experience, base salary of internal peers, business sector, and geographic location (more information on job structure is available here).

About Us

We are looking to build an inclusive team at Save the Children. We offer a range of outstanding benefits to support this goal:

• Flexible schedules and time off: Flexible schedules, generous PTO, 11 paid holidays plus 2 floating holidays and hybrid working opportunities
• Health: Competitive health care, dental and vision coverage for you and your family
• Family: A variety of paid leaves: caregiver, parental/adoption, critical child illness and fertility benefits
• Employee Rewards Program: Annual merit increases and/or additional incentives for eligible employees
• Retirement: A retirement savings plan with employer contributions (after one year)
• Wellness: 15 safety and wellness days annually (if hired on or after July 1, safety and wellness days prorated to 8 days), mental health benefits and support through Calm and company-hosted events
• Employee Assistance Program: free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services
• Learning & Growth: Access to internal and external learning & development opportunities and mentorships
  
  

Click here to learn more about how Save the Children US will invest in you.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse.

Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.

If you require disability assistance with the application or recruitment process, please submit a request to [email protected].