Internals Only: Operational Effectiveness Lead (Shared Services)

Your mission

The Operational Effectiveness Lead role involves articulating, designing, developing, implementing, coordinating, monitoring and refining strategic initiatives that impact WCAF’s ability to effectively deliver on its mission while improving its operational resilience.

What you will do: The role supports the Director of Finance & Operations in delivering initiatives aimed at strengthening the organisation’s operational effectiveness towards Excellence. The role occasionally translates IMT’s strategic thinking and operational needs into clear cross‑functional plans of action.

• Act as a thought and strategic development partner to the Director of Finance and Operations, translating direction into clear, structured approaches and plans for initiatives within the role’s remit, particularly in Operational Effectiveness.
• Support the organisation in strengthening its operational maturity by identifying gaps, inconsistencies, or inefficiencies in current ways of working and proposing practical, simplified approaches to address them; role model a culture of continuous improvement and create buy‑in.
• Take a leading role in the articulation and initial development of priority organisational initiatives related to Operational Effectiveness (e.g., operational innovation, internal control strengthening, KPIs, consolidated analysis and effective follow‑up of audits and certifications), translating the Director’s high‑level steer into clear first‑draft proposals for consultation.
• Ensure the coherence and integration of Operational Effectiveness initiatives across functions and regions, ensuring that different efforts form part of a consistent and aligned organisational approach.
• Develop clear, concise frameworks and draft approaches and tools that simplify complex topics into practical and user‑friendly outputs (such as around policy design, internal controls, quality management systems).
• Play a key role in the evolution of WCAF’s internal policy and framework landscape, ensuring it remains fit‑for‑purpose, accessible and aligned with organisational needs and external standards.
• Support the development and refinement of organisation‑wide planning and performance‑management approaches and processes that enable the delivery of the strategy, including contributing to the articulation of annual and multi‑year plans, key annual audits such as ISO‑9001, etc.
• Act as a bridge between strategic intent and operational reality, ensuring that proposed approaches are both conceptually sound and grounded in the practical realities of country and regional teams.

Role‑Specific or Context Responsibilities

• Support the Director of Finance & Ops in preparing high‑quality materials that accelerate alignment and decision‑making at senior management level.
• Enable structured consultation and engagement processes with internal stakeholders for organisational initiatives, ensuring that diverse perspectives are incorporated while maintaining clarity and direction in outputs.
• Contribute to strengthening organisational resilience and accountability, including embedding risk‑aware thinking and continuous improvement practices across functions.
• Lead and oversee the consolidated analysis of audits, certification and recertification processes, ensuring compliance with standards and effective integration of sound internal control principles into organisational systems, processes, and culture; ensure proper follow‑up of outcomes.
• Lead the development, optimisation and maintenance of WCAF’s policy portfolio to ensure a user‑friendly and effective internal control environment. Maintain a strong focus on usability and adoption, ensuring that all frameworks, policies and approaches developed are clear, relevant and easy to apply in practice.
• Project manage and coordinate the core organisational processes such as the articulation of the annual plan and key audits.
• Articulate, propose, and support the establishment of organisational KPIs and dashboards allowing senior management and the board to monitor operational performance and achievement of strategic milestones; prepare regular and high‑quality analytical reports for senior management.
• Support efforts around organisational risk management.

Your profile

Knowledge, Skills, Experience

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s level or equivalent) in Business Administration, Management, International Development, or similar field.
• ISO 9001 certificate is desirable.

Experience

• Extensive experience in operational excellence, processes engineering, organisational development, consulting, or similar.
• Experience in consulting is desirable.
• Experience in international NGOs is advisable.
• Strong experience in project management.
• Experience in internal controls and policy design.
• Demonstrated success in managing complex change.

Languages

• Fluency in English.
• Dutch, French and/or Arabic desirable.

(Technical) Knowledge

• Business process engineering.
• Project management.
• Change management.
• Quality management audit processes.
• Risk management.
• Internal controls.

What we offer

• Meaningful Impact: Contribute directly to improving the lives of children and families affected by conflict through quality education and long‑term, sustainable change.
• Professional Growth: Join a dynamic organisation that values learning, innovation and professional development, with opportunities for capacity building and growth through the role and War Child’s global network.
• Global Reach: Play a key role in scaling a ground‑breaking programme across multiple conflict‑affected contexts worldwide.
• Collaborative & Inclusive Culture: Work alongside passionate, mission‑driven colleagues in a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace that prioritises safety, fairness and equal opportunity for all.

How to Apply

• Location : We work with global teams with members being based in different locations. War Child operates in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Colombia, DR Congo, Germany, Jordan, Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territory, South Sudan, Sweden, Syria, Uganda, Ukraine (soon to be registered) and Yemen. We also have offices in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Preference is given to applicants who reside and have valid working permits. War Child does not offer relocation.
• Type of Contract : Local contract with salary and secondary labour conditions based on the in‑country salary scale; local T&C's will apply.
• Internals only may apply.

Why You Should Apply

• Meaningful Impact : Contribute directly to improving the lives of children and families affected by conflict through quality education and long‑term, sustainable change.
• Professional Growth : Join a dynamic organisation that values learning, innovation and professional development, with opportunities for capacity building and growth through the role and War Child’s global network.
• Global Reach : Play a key role in scaling a ground‑breaking programme across multiple conflict‑affected contexts worldwide.
• Collaborative & Inclusive Culture : Work alongside passionate, mission‑driven colleagues in a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace that prioritises safety, fairness and equal opportunity for all.

How to Apply: Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their applications (CV and motivation letter in English) by June 26, 2026 . We are reviewing submissions on a rolling basis, so early applications are strongly recommended.