Head of Grants & Development

We are delighted to be recruiting for an inspirational and impactful leader to join Mary’s Meals International as Head of Grants & Development. In this newly created, multi-faceted role, you will have the opportunity to create real impact and drive the strategic direction of our Grants & Development function, maximising income growth for our National Affiliates, through major donors and institutional funding.

Mary’s Meals is a global movement supported by people from all walks of life and we are focused on one goal – that every child receives a nutritious daily meal in a place of education. We continue to change the lives of over 1.6 million children who today will receive Mary’s Meals. We offer more than a role; we offer the opportunity to support our global movement in a dynamic and inclusive environment with a real focus on personal development and working collaboratively.

As Head of Grants & Development, reporting to our Director of Affiliate Development, you will play a key role in our Affiliate Development Leadership Team and will develop strong, collaborative relationships across Mary’s Meals to support the management of grants; from successfully identifying opportunities for funding through to ensuring the efficient and comprehensive delivery of individual grant objectives. You will also have the opportunity to develop a strong reporting framework to support operational excellence and build capacity, maximising all available resources in the furtherance and growth of our mission.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide guidance and direction to our National Affiliates on their management of major donors;

• Develop effective organisational systems and processes to identify potential funding opportunities;

• Oversee the creation of compelling funding proposals and reports to a range of major donors, including key individuals, foundations, trusts and institutional funding bodies;

• Critically evaluate current operational procedures and work collaboratively with key stakeholders to propose and implement efficient changes;

• Establish and maintain a detailed reporting schedule to ensure that deadlines are met for donor proposals, applications and reporting;

• Provide strategic and operational leadership to our high-performing Grants & Development team, driving innovation and a culture of continuous improvement;

• Communicate and improve understanding of the impact of our work to National Affiliates and their donors, where appropriate; and

• Develop strong relationships with our in-country Programmes teams to ensure the effective delivery of our grants, in line with the agreed objectives.

As an experienced senior leader within the Grants Management arena, you will possess exceptional communication skills and the ability to influence effectively at all levels. You will be able to demonstrate success in developing and communicating strategy in a culturally sensitive manner to create impact, whilst staying true to our vision, mission and values. A strong people leader, you will foster a culture of continuous improvement, lead by example and identify opportunities for development and growth within your team. Experience of working within international development, knowledge of the place of school feeding, and working in international environments, with international teams would be beneficial but not essential.

Mary’s Meals is a values-driven organisation. We believe in the innate goodness of people, respect the dignity of every human being and family life and believe in good stewardship of the resources entrusted to us. In line with our values, Mary’s Meals is fully committed to a culture of safeguarding.

In Mary’s Meals International we are all currently working remotely and are open to remote working arrangements where possible, please let us know your requirements as part of your application.