Save the Children believes every child has the right to a future. In Canada and around the world, we do whatever it takes – every day and in times of crisis – to support children to fulfill their rights to a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn, and protection from harm. With over 100 years of experience, Save the Children is the world’s first and leading independent children’s organization – transforming lives and the future we share.

Save the Children Canada is a hybrid workplace based in Toronto Ontario Canada. This recruitment is open to all applicants residing in Ontario.

The Impact You Will Make

Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, the Lead, Business Operations (LBO) provides day-to-day leadership to the Business Operations Team, including close collaboration with Finance and External Engagement departments. The LBO is also responsible for driving organizational effectiveness by supporting the development and execution of organization-wide business strategies that strengthen operational performance and overall impact, including overseeing Award Management. The role provides strategic analysis, leadership, performance monitoring, and change management support to advance organizational objectives.

Responsibilities Include (but Are Not Limited To)

Business Operations and Performance: 

Identify opportunities for improved operational efficiency and effectiveness, including through the use of technology. 
Work across teams and departments to identify, design and implement standardized business processes and operating procedures.  
Develop and monitor organizational performance indicators and dashboards. 
Support organizational planning, including annual planning, ensuring alignment with SCI and/or other Member Offices as relevant. 
Serve as the organizational Safeguarding focal point for reporting and training.  
Analyze operational data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for the organization. 
Other organizational operational duties as assigned including oversight of facilities, business travel, and office administration oversight and escalations.

Award Management Leadership:    

Accountable for overseeing award management including compliance to global standards, portfolio financial management, award contracting, operating procedures and donor compliance. Track and develop team budgets, workplans and contribute to operating plans. 
Build and maintain relationships with Global Affairs Canada and Save the Children International (SCI) and SC Members.  
Accountable for ensuring data quality in Awards Management Systems (AMS) and other financial systems, ensuring regular updates are maintained by Award Managers.  
Work across teams and departments to ensure timely delivery or donor compliance requirements, maintaining current revenue, upholding organization credibility, and securing future funding. 
Conduct quarterly reviews to analyze award issues, budget variances, developing risk mitigation strategies, and supporting issue resolution.  
Provide both guidance and support on risk management, partnership building (including with institutional and non-institutional donors, and contract negotiations.

  Strategic Planning and Execution: 

Support the development and implementation of annual and strategic planning, including the development and monitoring of performance dashboards. 
Monitor progress against strategic objectives and recommend corrective action where required. 
Prepare strategic analyses, presentations, and recommendations for senior leadership. 
Contribute to the implementation of the Revenue Strategy including cost share obligations.

  People Management: 

Lead assigned team/department providing strategic direction, coaching, change management and performance management while ensuring alignment with organizational values and policies. 
Set clear team and individual performance expectations for productivity, quality, and success; providing direction and support as needed.  
Collaborate with leaders across the organization through active participation in SCC’s Leadership Team.  
Oversee budget management, recruitment, change management and career development while ensuring compliance, fostering a respectful, values-driven culture, and maintaining a safe and inclusive workplace 
Ensure regular and transparent communication on strategy and policies, uphold SCC’s Code of Conduct, Policies, Leadership Charter, Reconciliation, Equity, Anti-Racism, Diversity, Inclusion (READI), Health and Safety standards, integrates Child Safeguarding practices, models competencies, and professional and ethical behavior.

Qualifications Include (but Are Not Limited To)

Post secondary education in a relevant field or equivalent experience.  
Minimum 5-7 years of management experience in International Development, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO/INGO), or other not-for-profit sectors is required. People management experience in a unionized environment is preferred  
Demonstrated project management experience including project financial management. Strong financial management and analysis skills, with intermediate to advanced level expertise in MS Excel. Ability to work within tight deadlines and time pressures.  
Experience leading change management, including knowledge of related tools and processes and the ability to plan, execute, and monitor change management across teams. 
Strategic-minded, and keen to think outside the box to secure innovative and exciting partnerships that deliver real benefits for children and families.  
Experience development and leading cross-organization initiatives, including strategy monitoring is strongly preferred 
Experience with child rights programming in areas of Health, Education, Child Protection, Gender Equality, and/or Livelihoods is strongly preferred 
Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills for building strong working relationships across cultural and organizational settings, both internally and externally.  French is an asset. 
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to create new processes, with demonstrated change management expertise to lead successful implementation 
Apply judgment and make sound decisions that are accountable, justifiable, and in adherence to organizational policies.  
Ability to occasionally travel locally, nationally and internationally (less than 10%) as required.

What We Offer

The salary range for this position is non-union pay band 8 between $98,594.73 - $116,449.57 CAD depending on skills and experience. In addition to this, our employees will have the following package of additional benefits:

Comprehensive benefits package for you and your dependents available three months after employment start date.  Coordinated benefits for your partner paid by Save the Children Canada.
Hybrid workplace including opportunities to work remotely and flexible work hours to support employee wellbeing and work life balance.
4 weeks of annual paid vacation.
In addition to annual leave, we offer an end of year office closure December 25- January 1 (SAVE Days) so we can all recharge simultaneously.
5 paid personal days.
3 paid float days.
10 paid sick leave days.
Parental leave top-up.
Employer contributions to group pension plan. Access to help save for a first home through the pension provider.
Learning and development opportunities and specialized training including professional development time.
Confidential Employee Assistance Program services available to you and your dependents from your first day of employment.
Organization-wide membership access to Headspace.

HOW TO APPLY?

If you are interested in this position, please visit the career page at  https://www.savethechildren.ca/  and submit your resume and cover letter by 5:00 pm EST August 31, 2026. Internal candidates, please apply via ADP by 5:00 pm EST August 24, 2026. Applications will be reviewed on ongoing basis. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Please note that AI is used in some components of the recruitment process.

It is our individual and collective responsibility to ensure all children are protected from deliberate or unintentional acts that lead to the risk of, or actual, harm caused by our employees. Each employee shall be aware that there may be additional vulnerabilities facing children associated with their age, socio-economic background, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, identity, sexual orientation or identity, and is committed to ensuring this does not form barriers to effective safeguarding.

Each employee is committed to fostering and sustaining a safe environment through proactive, accessible, and effective approaches that seek to prevent and respond to any harm to the children including but not limited to sexual exploitation and abuse. SCC and all its employees will take all reasonable steps to make itself safe, both as an organisation and in the conduct of all aspects of its day-to-day operations of emergency, humanitarian, developmental, policy, campaigning and administrative work.

SCC supports and acts in compliance with the Human Rights Code. SCC is committed to providing accessible employment practices that are in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (‘AODA’). Providing an accessible and barrier-free environment is a shared effort, and as an organization, SCC is committed to working with the necessary parties to make accessibility for all a reality. If you require an accommodation during any stage of the recruitment or employment process, please notify People & Culture at  peopleandculture@savethechildren.ca

Please Note: This job opportunity is to fill an existing vacancy.

This recruitment process may involve the use of AI-enabled or automated tools within ADP Workforce Now to help manage job postings and application workflows. These tools may assist with tasks such as organizing applicant information, identifying potential matches based on job-related qualifications, or supporting communication and scheduling.

All hiring decisions are made by our People & Culture team and hiring managers. No automated tool makes final decisions about your candidacy. If at any point you have questions about how your information is used, please contact our team at peopleandculture@savethechildren.ca

Save the Children Canada Jobs

Lead, Business Operations