Save the Children International has an exciting opportunity for a Head, SCUS FMS Transition Project to join our global team.
Team and Job Purpose
A robust Financial Management System (FMS) is essential for the efficient operation of any organization. Across SCI and several Members, we currently use an FMS originally designed for SCI and later extended to opt-in Members. Due to our vendor’s transition from an on-premises solution to a SaaS model, we initiated a tender process and selected Oracle FMS as the new global solution. This system will support across SCA, including all SCI entities, and multiple Members. SCUS has committed to migrating to this shared FMS, with go-live planned for 2027.
To deliver this change, a global project has been established to design and implement the solution across all participating entities. Given SCUS’s size and complexity, its local implementation must be managed effectively to minimize operational risk and maximize the value of this significant investment.
The SCUS FMS Transition Project will work in close partnership with the Global FMS Project to ensure successful delivery of the global solution within SCUS. The approach will prioritize “off-the-shelf” functionality and global alignment wherever possible, while ensuring SCUS-specific requirements are understood and addressed.
Role purpose
The Head of SCUS FMS Transition Project will lead the transition to the new SaaS-based FMS for SCUS. Following the successful selection of the global solution in 2025, this role will be responsible for initiating and driving the SCUS implementation project. Key responsibilities include:
- Establishing the project team and defining resource requirements.
- Implementing governance, controls, and reporting structures.
- Developing and managing project plans and budgets.
- Ensuring alignment with global initiatives and managing dependencies.
- Proactively resolving issues and escalating where necessary.
This is a hands-on leadership role requiring strong problem-solving skills and the ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments. The successful candidate will have proven experience delivering large-scale, global IT transformation programs, ideally within financial systems, given the scale and impact of this change.
Job Title:Head, SCUS FMS Transition Project
Reports To: Director, SCUS Global Projects
Work Pattern: Hybrid/Remote with flexible working options available
Contract Length: Fixed term for 18 months
Grade: M4
Location: Any approved Save the Children International office location.
Time Zone (that the role holder must be available to work in): Any
Right to Work: The successful candidate must possess the unrestricted right to work in their current or preferred location for the duration of employment.
Language Requirements: English
International Travel Requirements: up to 10%
People Management Responsibility: Number of people managed in total: 5
Manager of a team: Yes
Team Manager (manager of multiple teams): No
Principal Accountabilities
- Project Leadership: Including direct and indirect management of team members and accountability to the SCUS CAO and SCI CTO as well as Members of the wider SCUS SLT
- Governance and Senior Stakeholder Engagement: Define, implement and manage governance and engagement with wider senior leaders as well as setting up and managing reference groups to ensure input from key individuals has a forum for the duration of the project
- Planning and Reporting: Including ensuring alignment with standard Project and Change Methodologies and associated Portfolio Management requirements
- Budget Management: Define and monitor ongoing management of the budget for the project, ensuring compliance with required processes and any issues are escalated and managed effectively in a timely way
- Future State Definition: Detailed definition of the future operating model and actions required to achieve the required change including all impacts on people, processes, data and technology
- Dependency Management: Working effectively with wider initiatives and functions to ensure dependencies are understood and actively managed with clear owners and accountability ensured
- Problem Solving: All projects face challenges along the way and the Project Lead will need to take a hands on role to identify issues and ensure they are effectively managed through to resolution and any subsequent impacts are reported to governance in a timely way
Experience and Skills
Essential
- An extensive track record of successfully managing large and complex projects and programmes that include significant system transformation managed alongside process change
- Demonstrable experience and in-depth knowledge of programme and project practices and standards
- A proven ability to deliver projects on time / on budget, using project management processes and tools including risk management, benefits management, financial management and quality assurance
- A proven ability to apply excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, and to work collaboratively to deliver of effective solutions to project related issues. This will include taking on hands on analysis activities to support the wider team as required
- Highly developed organisational awareness and ability to understand any sensitivities within a complex multi-stakeholder structure; and think creatively and strategically to overcome obstacles to cooperation and progress
- Strong team leadership abilities with the ability to motivate and mobilise individuals outside their reporting line
- Excellent communication skills (written & oral English), including the ability to communicate and influence at all levels of the organisation
- Able to demonstrate instances of initiative that have delivered organisational benefits
- Strong practical and hands on experience of IT Systems
Desirable
- Non-profit sector knowledge/experience
- Proficiency in a second core language of Save the Children (French, Spanish, Portuguese or Arabic
- Experience delivering global finance transformation
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level of equivalent work experience
- External Project and/or Change Management accreditation
- Understanding of a structured Project methodology (e.g. PRINCE2) or accredited Project Management training (APM or PMI) including experience leading a project using such a methodology
Competencies
Cluster: Leading
Competency: Leading and inspiring others
Level: Leading Edge
Behavioural Indicator: Engages others with a clear vision of change and the role that they can play in achieving it
Cluster: Leading
Competency: Leading and inspiring others
Level: Leading Edge
Behavioural Indicator: Communicates authentically, actively listening and using stories to inspire others to follow their lead
Cluster: Thinking
Competency: Analytical thinking
Level: Leading Edge
Behavioural Indicator: Strategically sketches connections between data and events across time and context to capitalise on new opportunities
Cluster: Thinking
Competency: Analytical thinking
Level: Leading Edge
Behavioural Indicator: Thinks expansively beyond immediate constraints to identify innovative solutions to problems
Cluster: Engaging
Competency: Communicating and influencing
Level: Leading Edge
Behavioural Indicator: Deliberately selects an approach to influence as needed and effectively adapts communication according to the audience and the desired impact
Cluster: Engaging
Competency: Communicating and influencing
Level: Leading Edge
Behavioural Indicator: Actively networks and nurtures relationships to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes
Working at Save the Children International
Save the Children is the world's leading organisation for children, employing ~25,000 staff. We save children's lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Through our work in 116 countries, we put the most deprived and marginalised children first.
We know that great people make a great organisation, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.
The work here is challenging but is also immensely rewarding. At Save the Children, you will be in good company, working with talented, like-minded individuals who are determined to ensure that all children survive, learn, and are protected. Your contribution will help ensure children's voices are heard at the highest levels, and that we achieve our global strategy, Ambition for Children 2030, and reach every last child.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Equal Opportunities
DEI is core to our vision, values and global strategy. Save the Children is committed to creating a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation, and one which will support us in our vision to ensure every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation.
We are committed to equal employment opportunities, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, disability, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, caring or parental responsibilities, age, or beliefs and religion. We are committed to diversifying our staff to better represent the communities we serve and actively welcome underrepresented groups to apply.
Reasonable adjustments will be made should any candidate invited to interview require this.
Application Information
Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application. A full copy of the role profile can be found here via the job listing. It is recommended that you save a copy of the role profile as it will no longer be available after the advert closes.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the job advert may be closed earlier than advertised subject to the volume of suitable applicants. Please submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment. Priority will be given to internal applicants of Save the Children International, Save the Children US and SCA Member Organizations.
Due to the high volume of applications we receive, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Candidates who are successfully shortlisted should expect to hear from
Our recruitment process:
- Application review by our recruiting team based on your CV and cover letter
- Two-stage competency-based interviews with the hiring team
- Some recruitment may include an additional assessment or case study stage, or a third stage interview
- If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment, followed by your contract subject to passing background checks
We need to keep children and adults safe so our selection process includes rigorous background checks and reflects our commitment to the protection of children and adults from abuse. All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our Code of Conduct and all policies and procedures relating to Anti-harassment, Health and Safety, Safeguarding, and DEI and Equal Opportunities.
Save the Children does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.