Your mission
War Child Alliance works to protect, educate, and stand up for the rights of children affected by conflict. Through a global alliance of partners, we deliver high-impact programmes that help children recover from war and build a safer future.
To support our growing ambitions, we are seeking an experienced and strategic Institutional Funding Senior Team Lead Foundations to play a pivotal role in securing funding from major trusts and foundations worldwide.
The Role
This is a senior leadership position within our Institutional Funding & Grants Delivery (IFGD) department. You will lead the Foundations Account Management (FAM) team and drive the development and delivery of War Child Alliance’s foundations funding strategy across the Alliance.
Reporting to the Global Head of Institutional Funding & Grants Delivery, you will combine strategic vision with hands-on leadership—strengthening donor relationships, shaping winning funding strategies, and ensuring income growth that directly enables life-changing programmes for children affected by conflict.
What you will do:
1. Coordinating and driving implementation of the IF and foundations funding strategy
- Coordinate and ensure coherence in the implementation of trust and foundations funding strategies and donor engagement plans across the Alliance.
- Proactively engage with the trusts and foundations market to maximize funding opportunities, including through strategic engagement and positioning towards donors.
- Lead and coordinate proactive acquisition and sharing of donor intelligence, networking and strategic engagement among donor account managers and with country, regional and global teams, and WCA members.
- Work with country, regional and global teams, and WCA members to develop compelling propositions for trusts and foundations.
- Implement fundraising activities, and monitor and report on progress and results.
Result:Income growth ensured in accordance with theWCA’sgrowth ambitions and targets, with clear oversight of progress against agreed plans.
2. Optimizing donor funding, partnerships, and quality delivery
- Provide expert advice to country, regional, and global teams on donor engagement, business development, proposal development and submission, contract management, and reporting.
- Implement fundraising activities, monitor and report on progress and results.
- Ensure high-quality, compliant submissions and reports in collaboration with the Quality Assurance team.
- Strengthen relationships with in-country donor representatives and relevant foundation stakeholders.
Result:Higher-quality donor propositions and optimized funding performance across the Alliance.
3. Leading and supporting the Foundations Account Management (FAM) team
- Supervise staff by reviewing performance quality and volume, providing guidance, coaching, and motivation where necessary.
- Ensure the team has the appropriate manpower and qualities to realize defined goals and targets.
- Support staff development and provide a point of contact for questions and challenges.
- Foster teamwork and a positive team culture aligned with safeguarding and HR policies.
For full details of the role and responsibilities, please view the complete Job Description here:
[Link to Full Job Description]
Your profile
You will bring:
Proven foundations fundraising expertise
Significant experience developing and maintaining relationships with large-scale trusts and foundations, with demonstrated donor account management expertise, particularly with major foundations.
Strategic and operational funding leadership
Demonstrated expertise in funding strategy development and operationalisation, with the ability to analyse the donor environment, identify trends, anticipate change, and work effectively in complex and evolving contexts.
Relevant INGO experience
A minimum of five years’ experience in a similar role within an international organisation, with strong knowledge of fundraising for NGOs from foundations and an understanding of donor networks.
Team leadership and capacity building
Experience managing and supervising staff, including coaching and developing others, and demonstrated ability to strengthen the capacity of colleagues using a range of formal and informal methods.
Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills
Ability to engage diverse stakeholders diplomatically and effectively, build and maintain strong networks, and create opportunities with foundations that increase access to funding.
Excellent communication and facilitation skills
Outstanding verbal and written communication skills in English (with French, Arabic and/or Spanish as an asset), alongside strong facilitation and organisational skills.
Sector knowledge and donor market insight
Good knowledge of current developments and trends in the international aid sector, and strong understanding of the foundations market globally.
For full details of the role and responsibilities, please view the complete Job Description here:
[Link to Full Job Description]
How to Apply
Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their applications (CV and motivation letter in English) by February 6, 2026. We are reviewing submissions on a rolling basis, so early applications are strongly recommended. ________________________________________________________________________________
By submitting your application you certify that all of the statements made in your application are true, complete, and correct and are made in good faith. You understand that falsifying, misrepresenting or intentionally withholding information will be grounds for rejection of your application or withdrawal of any offer of appointment or, if an appointment offer has been accepted, this will be ground for employment sanctions, such as, but not limited to, instant dismissal. In addition, you understand that you need to submit a Criminal Record Certificate and that, if you fail to submit it, no employment relationship can be established.
Disclaimer
- Only applications received via our website are processed.
- If we appoint a suitable candidate before the given closing date, we reserve the right to remove the vacancy from our website before that date. In such a case, any responses received after that time are not processed.
- It could be that during our selection process the closing date for the vacancy is extended. If so, and you have not yet heard from us, your application will remain active.
About us
The War Child Alliance is an international non-governmental organization committed to providing psychosocial support, child protection, youth empowerment programming and quality education to the children affected by armed conflict. We implement evidence-based interventions to empower key stakeholders—including governments, educators, caregivers, and communities—to foster children’s wellbeing, education, and self-determination. We work with global teams with team members being based in different locations. War Child is currently 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.
Learn more about War Child and our programmes
https://www.warchild.net/ Safeguarding and Integrity
Our work with children and at-risk adults to keep them safe is the most important thing we do. We are committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults in all areas of our work. We have zero tolerance for any behaviours and practices that puts children and/or vulnerable adults at risk of abuse and/or harm. All (prospective) employees will be expected to be compliant with and sign up to our Child Safeguarding policy, our Code of Conduct and PSEA: Adults at Risk Policy. You can find the Child Safeguarding and Adults at Risk policy here: Integrity & Safeguarding - Home
Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) and Belonging (DEIB)
We value diversity and inclusion and are committed to ensuring that all our people and job applicants are treated fairly, irrespective of where, what or whom they were born, or of other characteristics. We want to offer a safe and inclusive workplace where all our people, especially those who are currently marginalised or underrepresented, can be themselves at work. You can read our Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) and Belonging (DEIB) policy on our website, and if you have any questions about our commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) and Belonging (DEIB) do get in touch: DEIB.team@warchild.net
