Humanitarian Innovation Manager

Elrha is looking for an experienced Innovation Manager to apply their skills in Elrha’s fast-paced and creative Humanitarian Innovation Fund (HIF) This is not a fundraising role; the HIF aims to improve outcomes for people affected by humanitarian crises by identifying more effective and scalable innovative solutions.

Our Innovation Managers are passionate about identifying the most pressing humanitarian problems, analysing opportunities for innovation, working with sector experts to investigate solutions and designing funding calls (innovation challenges) to address them. This role presents an opportunity to develop credible technical expertise and a respected profile in humanitarian innovation.

This varied role includes managing an innovation portfolio through fostering effective partnerships and supporting to grantees to achieve maximum impact. The role requires the ability to work autonomously whilst proactively collaborating with sector and technical experts. It also aims to lead the development of technical innovation expertise both internally as well as externally.

We are looking for exceptional candidates with a good mix of skills and experience across three areas: innovation, facilitation, and project management.

1. Innovation: You will bring significant experience of leading the design and delivery innovation projects, including problem or opportunity identification and support for the development of solutions. You will demonstrate strong creativity and communications skills to work in collaboration with key stakeholders and sector experts to develop innovative solutions. Candidates will need a firm theoretical and practical grasp of key innovation concepts, tools and approaches. We welcome experience from the private, public or voluntary sectors.

2. Facilitation: The role requires the ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with diverse stakeholders and audiences, bringing excellent verbal and written communication skills. You will need to demonstrate a track record of organising and facilitating interactive, inclusive and accessible workshops — both in person and remotely – and convening interdisciplinary and diverse groups. Your communication skills will extend to the ability to write and talk about Elrha’s work, presenting compelling stories about our innovations to achieve maximum impact within the sector.

3. Project management: Our innovation managers need excellent project management skills in order to lead innovation processes from conception to delivery. Candidates will need to demonstrate the ability to lead and advise projects addressing complex and sensitive issues in an ethical and thoughtful way. Thematic areas of our work can include sexual and reproductive health (SRH), gender-based violence (GBV), inclusion of vulnerable groups, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

The successful candidate will be able to provide effective management of a portfolio of innovation grants, while building a technically credible and respected external profile.

Please demonstrate clearly in your application how your experience is different from standard programming or delivery experience. For example, how have you drawn on innovation tools and approaches to identify and solve problems or work towards transformative change? Please note that we will assess your communication skills on the quality of your personal statement and CV as well as any presented achievements.

About Elrha

Elrha is a global charity that finds solutions to complex humanitarian problems through research and innovation. We fund and support projects that go on to shape the way in which people across the world are supported during a crisis. We are based in the UK, but our roles have a global reach. We’re an established and respected part of the humanitarian community, working closely and meaningfully with our fellow networks and actors to make change happen.

Remote Working

Elrha employees are currently working remotely within the UK in line with UK Government guidance. In Spring 2022 we will transition to flexible and hybrid ways of working (i.e., a mixture of remote/home and office-based working) as social distancing restrictions ease.

We are happy to discuss flexible working options at interview.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

Elrha is committed to diversity and equality of opportunity in all aspects of our work both external and internal. We strive to be an inclusive employer and particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups such as returning parents or carers who are re-entering work after a career break, people who are LGBTQ+, from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, with a disability, impairment, learning difference or long-term condition, with caring responsibilities, from different nations and regions, and from less advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds.

Salaries and benefits

Jobs are positioned within the salary structure based on evaluation. New employees will usually be appointed at the bottom of the grade; however the appointed salary may also take into account the relevant experience a candidate brings to a role. Elrha is committed to paying staff in a fair and equitable way and will benchmark all salary offers in line with the pay of existing staff.

Elrha also has a comprehensive benefits package including 25 days holiday entitlement which increases year on year, 5% employer pension contribution (3% employee contribution) and life cover.

Pre-employment Checks

Any employment with Elrha will be subject to the following checks prior to your start date:

• a satisfactory police record check to include a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and/or an International Criminal Record Check (If applicable)

• receipt of satisfactory references

• proof of eligibility to work in the national location for this role

Elrha is a wholly owned subsidiary of Save the Children. We are able to benefit from a range of support services provided by Save the Children UK, including recruitment systems. For this reason you will be directed to Save the Children UK’s job portal upon clicking ‘apply’.

Please ensure you read the full job description and complete the Personal Statement as requested in the application process. We look forward to hearing from you.

Closing date: 19 April 2022 Interviews: w/c 25 April 2022