Job Description
Salary: £47,500 - £48,750 per annum (Competitive Birches rated salary for the local market if based outside of the UK)
Location: UK, Kenya, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India
Team: Operations and Digital
Directorate: People, Operations & Assurance
Line Report: None
Hours: 35 hours a week
Contract: 12 months fixed term contract, subject to extension
Grade: 2B
Travel: May require occasional travel to our countries of operation (approx. four weeks a year)
Closing date: 3 July, 2026 at 23:59 BST.
ABOUT THE ROLE
This is an exciting time to join Start Network. We are looking for a talented project and change management professional, with experience of and a passion for organisational strengthening.
This role will support Start Network s shift from a centralised network model to a dispersed network of networks where regional/country-based hubs, predominantly made up of local and national organisations, lead responses and drive innovations that will foster a better and more locally led humanitarian system.
The postholder will:
- Drive the transition to a scaled, network-based service model, leveraging member and partner expertise
- Ensure clear, accessible pathways for hubs and members to access organisational strengthening support
- Oversee the quality, delivery and impact of organisational strengthening services
This is a strategic and delivery-focused role, combining programme leadership, ecosystem development, and service design.
WHAT IS START NETWORK?
Our purpose is to be a catalyst for system-level change that improves the efficiency, effectiveness and ethics of humanitarian action. We do this by working as a network to develop, test & spread new ways of collaborating and resourcing locally-led crisis response and anticipation.
Our current membership is made up of nearly 130 local, national and international NGOs based all around the world. We also support 10 national and regional hubs made up of civil society organisations and NGOs as our vehicle for devolving power, resources and accountability.
OUR VALUES
WE PUT PEOPLE FIRST: Communities come first in our decision-making and programming.
WE ARE BRAVE: We have great ambition and are willing to explore new things and take risks to achieve it.
WE OPERATE COLLECTIVELY: We leverage the value of working as a network, sharing risk and resources, and learning together.
WE ARE INCLUSIVE: We see the value in diverse perspectives and work to remove the barriers that prevent voices from being heard.
WE ARE OPEN: We work transparently and with integrity, building mutual trust in all levels of our work, from governance to programming.
WE ARE ETHICAL: We behave and operate based on key principles of anti-racism, non-discrimination, and anti-colonialism. This is a work in progress.
OUR OFFER TO YOU
- Being a part of a network involved in bringing change to the humanitarian sector.
- Hybrid working with options to work from home and remotely to support your work/life balance.
- Employee Assistance Programme through Smart Health (depends on the country based).
- Family friendly policies, e.g., flexible working, maternity policy, parental leave and more!
- 25 days holiday (if UK based) plus 2 company days over the End of Year period for all staff (depends on the country based).
INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES
Our roles are open to discussion about flexible working. For part-time working and job-shares, please get in touch with us before putting in an application.
Start Network is committed to protecting people, particularly children, at-risk adults and affected populations from any harm. We are also committed to safeguarding staff from any forms of bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and abuse of power as outlined in the Dignity at Work policy. Start Network embraces diversity, promotes equality of opportunity and eliminates unlawful discrimination. We are an equal opportunities employer and treat every application on merit alone. We particularly encourage applications from disabled, BAME, LGBTQ+ and non-binary candidates. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet our essential selection criteria set out in the Person Profile.
APPLICATION
Please contact the People and Culture Team if you have any questions or need support with your application.
We use Be Applied, our online recruitment platform which uses anonymised applications and predictive, skill-based assessments which are blind- reviewed to reduce bias.
Date for 1st Interview: 8th July 2026 (Subject to change)
Date for 2nd Interview: to be confirmed
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications and we may review candidates on an ongoing basis, so please apply early where possible to avoid disappointment.
Any offer of employment will be conditional subject to relevant checks. Please refer to our privacy candidate privacy notice regarding treatment of your data. Start Network also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. The core of the scheme is that participating organisations share information about safeguarding-related misconduct (i.e., sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment) that a candidate has been found to have committed during employment, or incidents under investigation when the candidate left employment. For more information regarding this scheme, please visit their website.
