Innovation Manager – Education Programmes
New Yesterday
Founded 23 years ago, Theirworld has grown to become a leading global children’s charity committed to the best start in life for children and young people by ending the education crisis and unleashing the potential of the next generation.
If you care about issues like climate change, gender equality, inclusion, helping refugees and ensuring the voices of young people are represented at all levels of decision-making, then education is the key to unlocking big change in these areas. If you want to make change happen, join us!
We believe in unlocking big change from a supportive and inclusive environment. This is why, we now have an innovative 4-day-working-week which sees all employees working Monday to Thursday with the office closed on most Fridays.
This is in addition to hybrid working with most staff taking at least one day a week based in the office.
Other benefits include:
- Regular in-house training
- Travel
- Central London location: 5 mins from Liverpool St Station and Shoreditch High Street
- Highly competitive salaries, plus more
- Cycle to work scheme
- Home office expense allowance
- Life Insurance
- Season ticket loan scheme
About the role
Theirworld is seeking a proactive and collaborative Manager to support the development, delivery, and learning of education projects and innovation initiatives.
This role will work closely with the Director of Programmes and the wider Projects team to support the design and coordination of pilot projects that test bold, locally driven ideas across Theirworld’s three core pillars: Best Start in Life, A Safe Place to Learn, and Skills for the Future.
The ideal candidate will bring experience in project management and delivery, innovation support, and strong coordination skills. They will work with diverse stakeholders, including community-based organisations, youth leaders, education NGOs, and policy makers to identify promising solutions, facilitate Theirworld’s accelerator programme, and gather insights to inform our broader strategy. The postholder will also contribute to knowledge sharing, event coordination, and organisational learning, helping ensure that new ideas are captured, tested, and amplified.
Main responsibilities
Project Management
- Lead the planning and delivery of pilot innovative education projects, both internal and external, ensuring alignment with Theirworld’s strategic pillars and cross-cutting vital areas (gender, inclusion, climate, health & nutrition, peace & security).
- Coordinate project timelines, grant delivery, budgeting, reporting cycles, and partner check ins to ensure successful implementation.
- Support the team and local delivery partners with testing and pivoting through ongoing feedback mechanisms to strengthen impact and learning.
- Ensure project documentation, monitoring frameworks, and learning processes are maintained to inform potential scale.
- Manage the day-to-day coordination and delivery of Theirworld’s Education Innovation Awards, including recruitment, onboarding, programming, and follow up with winning teams.
- Support the development and implementation of innovation focused interventions, tools, and methodologies across programme areas.
- Support in the coordination of internal innovation and contribute to the identification and advancement of high-potential concepts.
- Contribute to mentoring, capacity strengthening, and scale-readiness support for partners and youth-led initiatives.
Community Engagement and Collaboration
- Build and maintain strong working relationships with grassroots innovators, youth-led organisations, and education-focused non-profits.
- Ensure inclusive engagement practices, enabling meaningful participation of local communities, educators, and youth in programme design and delivery.
- Work collaboratively with other Theirworld teams (Campaigns, Communications, Advocacy, Research) to ensure cohesion and integration across programmes.
Learning and Knowledge Sharing
- Document insights, lessons learned, and emerging practices from pilots and projects.
- Support the creation of learning reports, and briefs that contribute to Theirworld’s growing body of knowledge.
- Coordinate and support convenings, events, or workshops that engage internal and external stakeholders.
Cross-Team Contribution
- Actively participate in team-wide meetings, strategic planning, and internal initiatives to support programme delivery and organisational learning.
- Engage with our Development and Fundraising team to identify and support the cultivation of potential funders and supporters for the project pipeline
- Provide flexible support to the Director of Programmes and project colleagues on cross-cutting tasks, event coordination, or strategic priorities as needed.
Experience, skills and character
- 3–5 years’ experience in project and innovation management, education, or international development.
- Experience supporting or delivering accelerator, innovation, or grant programmes (especially within the non-profit sector).
- Strong interest in education access, inclusion, and the role of innovation in system change.
- Excellent organisational, time management, and multitasking abilities.
- Good communication skills with strong written and verbal English skills.
- Collaborative team player, with experience working with diverse communities and youth networks.
- Curiosity and commitment to continuous learning, iteration, and experimentation.
- Familiarity with digital learning, edtech, or grassroots innovation is a plus.
Starting at £45,000 based on qualifications and experience.
Apply for this role
Please submit your CV and cover letter tojobs@theirworld.orgincluding the name of the role of interest in the subject line of your email.
Only open to applicants with the right to work in the UK.
Applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is successfully filled.
If you have a disability and would prefer to apply in a different format or would like us to make any reasonable adjustments to enable you to apply or attend any interview, please let us know.
#J-18808-Ljbffr- Location:
- London, England, United Kingdom
- Salary:
- £100,000 - £125,000
- Category:
- Other