Head, Innovation, Impact Measurement and Strategy

Overview

In this role you will shape and execute the Foundation’s strategy, innovation agenda and impact approach to enhance employability and entrepreneurship outcomes for underserved youth. You will lead thinking on deploying fit-for-purpose financial instruments across the impact spectrum and develop rigorous systems-level impact measurement. You’ll translate strategic thinking into portfolio design, embedding innovation and measurement across initiatives. You will build the Foundation’s external thought leadership, partnerships and capability to drive mission-led, scalable impact.

Pay / Benefits

• competitive salary and benefits
• retirement savings and insurance
• flexible working options
• annual leave and sabbatical
• volunteering leave
• wellbeing support and learning culture

Responsibilities

• Translate strategy into priorities, roadmaps and measures of success
• Shape portfolio allocation across the impact spectrum with evidence-based decisions
• Coordinate strategy reviews, portfolio analysis and planning cycles
• Lead continuum-of-capital approach and development of financing innovations
• Collaborate with programmes, external partners and specialists on financial structuring and risk
• Build systems measurement into programme and portfolio design from the outset
• Commission strategic research, evaluations and learning partnerships
• Develop external thought leadership and position the Foundation as a convenor of funders and practitioners
• Lead cross-functional work as a senior contributor and coach teams to improve performance
• Ensure governance, controls, risk management and compliant delivery

Key requirements

• Significant senior experience in strategy, innovative finance, impact investing, philanthropy, development finance or related field
• Expertise in systems-level impact measurement and linking outcomes to portfolio and market change
• Proven ability to translate complex impact questions into practical approaches for teams and partners
• Knowledge of contribution-based and learning-oriented methods (e.g., contribution analysis, outcome harvesting, systems mapping)
• Experience building external profile through publications, partnerships or public speaking on impact measurement or systems change
• Experience designing and managing catalytic or investment capital with understanding of financial models and impact-return trade-offs
• Experience applying financial instruments to employment, livelihoods or inclusive growth with focus on underserved groups
• Experience developing governance, due diligence, risk frameworks and decision papers for senior committees
• Experience building impact, financial and investment capability among teams, NGOs or social enterprises
• Strong analytical judgement to translate concepts into executive-level recommendations
• Desirable exposure to youth employability, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, disability inclusion, future skills, green/digital ecosystems

• Strong communication and influencing across senior stakeholders
• Collaborative mindset and ability to work across cross-functional teams
• Strategic thinking with a results-oriented focus
• Systems thinking and systems-level measurement
• Impact measurement frameworks and methodologies
• Financial instruments and capital structuring (grants, outcomes-based funding, blended finance, repayable finance, etc.)

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