Global Programmes Director (London)
Employer: SPANA
Location: UK based, hybrid working with regular attendance (approximately 1-2 days per month, or more if preferred) in our London office
Working hours: Full-time (37 per week), permanent contract
Salary: c.£85-90k per annum subject to skills and experience
Closing date: 05 January 2026
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About SPANA
SPANA (The Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad) is the global charity for the working animals of the world. Since our foundation in 1923, we have worked where they work, to support the welfare of working animals, including horses, donkeys, mules, oxen, dogs and camels. Find out more at www.spana.org
Our vision is a world where every working animal lives a healthy and valued life.
Mission
Our mission is to transform the welfare of working animals in a world where animals, people and the environment are respected and thrive.
Purpose of the Role
The Global Programmes Director will lead the strategic design, implementation and evaluation of SPANA’s global portfolio of programmes. They will ensure that initiatives are evidence-based, results-driven and aligned with the organisation’s mission.
This key role will oversee programme delivery and monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL), ensuring accountability and impact across regions. In parallel, they will oversee education and behaviour change initiatives that engage children, communities and societies to improve attitudes and practices towards animals.
Key focus areas:
Strategic leadership of global programmes.
Oversight of monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning frameworks.
Driving evidence-based decision-making to ensure sustainable, impactful programmes.
Developing and maintaining effective strategic partnerships and ongoing relationships with implementing partners.
Key Responsibilities
Area 1: Strategy
As a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), take collective responsibility for developing and delivering the organisation’s strategy, plans and policies, both in terms of staffing and in reporting to the Board of Trustees.
Co-ordinate, facilitate and help inform the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and other senior staff about emergent programme needs.
Contribute to developing and achieving the overall objectives and plans of the organisation.
Ensure that the values and policies of the organisation are adhered to.
Area 2: Leadership
Provide effective leadership to the programmes team to enable them to deliver on strategy and work plans.
Work closely with the Global Animal Health & Welfare Director to ensure well-co-ordinated approaches to technical aspects of programme development and delivery.
Motivate, inspire and develop direct reports, setting objectives, providing constructive feedback via appraisal and performance management processes, identify training opportunities and, in turn, make sure that department heads cascade the same approach.
Advance education and behaviour change programmes on animal welfare.
Regularly report on programme performance, risks and opportunities to colleagues, including SLT and Board of Trustees.
Area 3: Global programmes
Lead on all aspects of SPANA’s global programmes work – including projects, partnerships, staffing, programme processes and budgeting – to ensure the best possible impact and outcomes for working animals.
Work with SLT and colleagues across the charity to develop programmes and technical resources globally to produce sustainable solutions for working animals in need – extending our reach through the deployment of a growing network of strategic partners.
Pilot new ways of working internationally, drawing from successful learnings in the international development and commercial sectors, delivering to scale through strategic partnerships, social enterprise models and government buy-in.
Oversee and drive SPANA’s emergency work, ensuring effective disaster risk reduction across all applicable projects.
Ensure all programmes/projects are in full alignment with SPANA’s standards and quality frameworks to ultimately drive impact.
Ensure implementation of high-quality MEAL and programme quality process and ensure delivery of adequate MEAL products at point of delivery.
Area 4: Behaviour change, community engagement & education
Oversee the development of SPANA’s approach to behaviour change, community engagement and education.
Develop strategic partnerships with international education and behaviour change actors to support increased access to animal welfare knowledge.
Area 5: Influencing and partnering for change
Build effective relationships with key stakeholders in partnership with the CEO in the animal welfare, humanitarian and development sectors.
Expand SPANA’s influence, ensuring we are constantly innovating in the way we partner with development actors, governments and other key stakeholders.
Represent SPANA externally, including building the charity’s profile and influencing discussions taking place elsewhere, in line with SPANA’s strategic priorities.
Develop new partnerships that will help SPANA learn from others and achieve our long-term objectives for working animals.
Area 6: Financial management and resource mobilisation
Take overall responsibility for the strategic planning, effective management and monitoring of budgets, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities and financial targets.
Ensure that the programmes budget is effectively managed.
In collaboration with the Director of Income Generation, support the development of concept papers and proposals to ensure a strong pipeline for SPANA.
Area 7: Safeguarding, risk and compliance
Ensure that safeguarding practices and policies are implemented across all aspects of programme activity globally.
Effectively manage risks identified in global programmes in line with organisational risk management policy and approach.
Develop agile ways of working which are responsive to needs – ensuring that robust planning and budgets are developed to support this.
In addition, undertake any other duty or responsibility that may reasonably be required for this role. International travel will be required for this role.
Candidate Profile
This role will suit:
An emotionally intelligent leader who can support, facilitate and coach competent programme leads. Someone who understands and can deploy the concept of managing as ‘first among equals’.
An ‘animal first’ professional who is motivated to improve animal welfare conditions in SPANA’s work and to overlap with development and humanitarian efforts to catalyse this change for the benefit of people and animals.
An individual who is highly culturally attuned, with experience of working in low- and middle-income countries. Someone who understands that animal welfare outside the Global North has different cultural drivers, challenges and perspectives and can deploy programmes in these environments sensitively and effectively. An animal welfarist who can combine possibilism with pragmatism.
An effective manager and leader with a good network and reputation who can effect change internally and externally and, in parallel, navigate complexity and help their team to do the same.
Person Specification
Knowledge and education
Demonstrable understanding of the global animal welfare, development and humanitarian sectors, with an overarching commitment to animal welfare.
Degree in a relevant subject or equivalent experience.
Experience and skills
Strong leadership experience, with strong and persuasive people skills.
Track record of robust management of significant financial resources and operations, including ensuring compliance with regulatory rules and cost savings.
Experience of leading international animal welfare, development or emergency programmes.
Extensive experience of providing remote management to multi-disciplinary and diverse teams.
Highly accomplished in developing programmes that integrate and deliver safeguarding best practice and ensure compliance with policies and procedures.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to flex and adapt communication to suit a wide range of audiences.
Advanced negotiation, influencing and presentation skills.
Ability to establish, build and maintain successful collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders and partners – in particular, international organisations, government agencies, academics and NGOs.
Personal attributes
Proven strategic thinker and innovator.
Strong people skills, with emotional intelligence and authenticity.
Demonstrable commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Able to travel internationally.
A strong commitment to SPANA’s values and mission to transform the welfare of working animals.
Cultural awareness, with experience of successfully collaborating with colleagues and partners from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Desirable criteria
Programming experience in behaviour change, animal welfare, international health systems or livelihoods.
French language skills.
Experience of social enterprise models.
Understanding of environmental degradation, the climate crisis and its impact on vulnerable communities and working animals.
Applicants must have the right to work in the UK currently and for the duration of the contract.
We recognise that candidates may choose to use AI in their application documents. We recommend that candidates ensure that their use of AI is considered and that their application documents accurately reflect their skills and experience. Applicants are advised that SPANA does not use AI in its application review process, and all applications are independently reviewed by a minimum of two members of the team. Some interview processes will involve skills assessments which we expect candidates to complete without the use of AI.
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