Global Progamme Manager - Fondation CHANEL (maternity cover) in London

About Fondation CHANEL: Created in 2011, Fondation CHANEL (the “Fondation”) is a corporate foundation aiming for women and girls to be free to shape their own destiny. We work in partnership with nonprofit organisations, international organisations, alliances, academic and research institutions, social businesses and other charitable funds and foundations to address the overlapping discriminations against women and young girls and advance gender equality. Fondation CHANEL is guided by a set of core values which lie at the heart of the way in which it carries out its work, both internally and externally with its grantee partners: trust, humility, attentiveness to power and privilege, holistic thinking, collaboration, learning, and supporting sustainable change. Fondation CHANEL is committed to diversity, equality, and inclusion and to building a collaborative work environment where everyone can perform at their best and feel fulfilled and confident in their work.

Why this role matters: The Programme Manager plays a critical role in advancing Fondation CHANEL’s mission to ensure women and adolescent girls can shape their own destiny. Rooted in the Fondation’s core values of trust, humility, collaboration, and holistic thinking, the role drives meaningful impact by strategically managing a diverse portfolio of grants and partnerships. In this position, the Programme Manager leads a portfolio of partnerships across diverse geographies, themes, and issue areas, stewarding organisations through the full grant lifecycle (prospection, monitoring, evaluation, and relationship building) while ensuring every portfolio is grounded in the local context and aligned with Fondation CHANEL’s values and strategic priorities. The role builds deep, trust‑based relationships with partners, strengthens impact through rigorous monitoring and learning, and represents the Foundation in key networks to help shape the gender equality landscape. This is a collaborative, values‑driven leader who brings strategic insight, operational excellence, and a commitment to equality — turning resources into meaningful, lasting change for women and girls around the world. This is a maternity cover position.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategy and planning: Contribute to the development and implementation of Fondation CHANEL’s regional, global, and thematic strategy and operational plans in close collaboration with the Head of Region and other members of the team. Lead on ecosystem mapping, contextual analysis, and documentation to inform partner selection and portfolio development and management, ensuring continued alignment with Fondation CHANEL global and regional strategy, and operational plans. Responsible for the documentation and codification of processes that ensure our approach is mission‑aligned and equitable. Lead on partner projects on an ad‑hoc basis as identified and needed.
• Programme and grant management: Manage a portfolio of grants/partnerships, lead on prospection, identification, selection, legal, financial, and operational compliance, monitoring, evaluation, and close out. Support legal and financial due diligence and risk assessments in close collaboration with Programme Officer and Legal and Finance teams. Support partners through the full grant lifecycle, fostering a trust‑based, supportive relationship and clear, transparent communications. Organise and participate in site visits, travel, and convenings with partners, and document insights to strengthen learning and relationships. Oversee monitoring, reporting, and evaluation of overall portfolio of diverse and grants/partnerships, ensuring adaptation for greater impact and alignment with Fondation CHANEL global and regional strategies and operational plans, and fostering a culture of programmatic learning. Collaborate with Operations, Finance, and Legal teams to monitor partner reporting, grant spend rate, compliance, due diligence, grant agreements, financial administration, and project evaluations.
• Budget and financial oversight: Working collaboratively with the Finance and Operations Business Partner, manage portfolio budgets, ensuring spend is in line with regional strategy and operational plan, ensuring compliance with internal processes. Support Finance in monitoring and identification of financial issues and concerns with portfolio and grants/partnerships, escalating issues as needed.
• Risk management: Lead on programmatic and financial risks with grants/partnerships, escalating issues as needed. Support the Head of Region in setting and monitoring regional risk appetite.
• Communications support: Dependent on region, partner with the Communications team to develop and deliver regional communications and advocacy plans, aligned to Fondation CHANEL’s overarching communications strategy. Represent Fondation CHANEL in relevant and identified networks, conferences, and public forums, acting as an ambassador for the foundation’s mission and values, bringing learnings back to the teams. Engage Chanel employees in volunteering, pro bono initiatives, and regional activities to foster internal alignment and engagement with the foundation’s work, as appropriate.
• Partner engagement: Build and maintain strong, collaborative, and trust‑based relationships with partners through regular communication, site visits, and ongoing support. Identify and respond to partners’ capacity‑building needs, facilitating opportunities for organizational development and peer learning. Conduct regular travel within the relevant region for partner engagement, project monitoring, and external representation. Support advocacy efforts and sector leadership in gender equality and philanthropy.
• Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL): Implement Fondation CHANEL’s MEL framework to track project progress, assess impact, and capture lessons learned. Collect, consolidate, and analyse data and stories from partners, ensuring robust reporting and knowledge sharing both internally and externally. Lead on dissemination of learnings internally to inform strategy and enhance program impact effectiveness, and externally to amplify partners’ voices.
• Team and operations: Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive team culture that aligns with Fondation CHANEL’s commitment to empowerment and equality. Provide guidance, mentorship, and professional development opportunities to team members, supporting growth and performance. Coordinate responsibilities, set clear expectations, and ensure effective communication within the team. Manage recruitment, onboarding, and integration of new team members as needed. Encourage cross‑regional collaboration and sharing of best practices within the global Fondation CHANEL team. Monitor team workload and wellbeing, proactively addressing challenges and providing support as necessary. Model ethical leadership and accountability, upholding high standards of integrity and professionalism.

What you will bring to the role:

• Lived experience, or a university degree in social sciences, humanities, economics, international relations, or a relevant field.
• Significant professional experience in philanthropy, grantmaking, or non‑profit program management, ideally with a focus on gender equality, social justice, or related fields, within the relevant region.
• Experience in project and partnership management, building and managing diverse grant portfolios, and relationship‑building and stakeholder management.
• Experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL), including data analysis and impact reporting.
• Lead by example and demonstrate a strong understanding of working for a corporate foundation.
• Strong organisational, budget management, and project management skills.
• Excellent communication and advocacy abilities, both written and verbal.
• Ability to work effectively in cross‑cultural and cross‑functional teams.
• Fluency in English; other languages desirable, particularly French, Spanish, and/or relevant regional languages.
• Willingness to travel regularly (approx. 30% depending on region).
• Demonstrates empathy, humility, diplomacy, strong interpersonal and listening skills.
• Curious, open‑minded, flexible, self‑aware, and able to multi‑task in a fast‑paced environment.
• Commitment to Fondation CHANEL’s values of empowerment, inclusion, and equality.

You are energised by:

• Leading and stewarding a diverse portfolio of partnerships and grants across geographies, themes, and issue areas, with a focus on advancing gender equality and social justice.
• Building deep, trust‑based relationships with partners and team members, and representing the Foundation in key networks to help shape the gender equality landscape.
• Applying strategic insight and operational excellence to turn resources into meaningful, lasting change for women and girls around the world.
• Collaborating with diverse, cross‑cultural, and cross‑functional teams, and mentoring and managing other roles within the team.
• Engaging in rigorous monitoring, evaluation, and learning to strengthen impact and ensure initiatives are grounded in local context.
• Exercising curiosity, open‑mindedness, and flexibility in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment, and demonstrating empathy, humility, and strong interpersonal skills.

What Fondation CHANEL can offer you:

• Contributing to and learning from a values‑driven, purpose‑led organisation that is committed to equality, inclusion, and supporting sustainable change.
• A collaborative and inclusive work environment committed to diversity, equality, and personal fulfilment, where everyone can perform at their best and feel confident in their work.
• The opportunity to play a critical, leadership role in advancing the organisation’s mission and making a real‑world impact on the lives of women and girls.
• Responsibility for shaping strategy and operations in partnership with senior leadership and the wider team, with room for creativity and influence.
• Support for professional growth, ongoing learning, and development in a global, multi‑sectoral setting.
• The ability to lead by example, inspire others, and contribute to the organisation’s legacy of trust, humility, collaboration, and holistic thinking.
• A role that is both challenging and rewarding, with the chance to drive systemic, meaningful, and sustainable change for gender equality.

At Chanel, we are committed to creating an inclusive culture that nurtures personal growth and collective progress. We celebrate the uniqueness of every individual and strongly encourage your application, valuing the perspective, experience, and potential you bring.