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