How to apply for Director of Programme Development

About Mary's Meals

Mary's Meals provides a daily meal in a place of education to children in some of the world's poorest communities. The organisation operates as a global movement, with programmes delivered through country teams and supported by international functions. This role sits within Mary's Meals International, which supports and coordinates that global network.

About the role

The Director of Programme Development reports to the Chief Programmes Officer and leads how Mary's Meals programmes are designed, measured and improved worldwide. The role covers programme design, research, policy, impact measurement and organisational learning. It is a senior position that shapes organisational strategy and supports growth in the number of children reached.

A typical day

The job description does not list a daily routine, so this cannot be stated with certainty. Expect a mix of strategic work on programme frameworks and policies, meetings with programme management, operations and country teams, and review of research, evidence and impact data. Ask the hiring team how the role splits between strategy, line management and travel.

Who Mary's Meals is looking for

• Has led programme strategy or programme development at a senior level in an international NGO or similar organisation.
• Can show experience turning evidence and research into programme frameworks, policies and country-level strategies that teams actually use.
• Is comfortable working across programme management, programme operations and country teams, and can influence without direct authority.
• Has a track record in impact measurement, learning systems and programme quality, and is motivated by Mary's Meals' values and mission.

Tips for this application

• Read the full job description on the Mary's Meals careers site before writing anything. The details above are truncated, so confirm the complete list of responsibilities and person specification.
• Address the values-driven leadership requirement directly. Give one or two concrete examples of decisions you made that show your values in practice, not just statements about what you believe.
• Show evidence of global programme work. Name the countries or regions you have worked in and the scale of the programmes you led.
• Demonstrate experience with programme frameworks, policies and impact measurement. Use specific examples of frameworks or systems you built and what changed as a result.
• Note the salary context. The starting salary is location-dependent, with a UK reference point of £64,226 plus benefits. State your location clearly and be ready to discuss salary expectations for your market.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your experience leading programme strategy at a global scale, with named examples of programmes or portfolios you were responsible for.', 'How you have used evidence, research and learning to change programme design or improve quality.', 'Your experience working with country teams and translating organisational strategy into country-level plans.', "Why Mary's Meals specifically. Reference its model of a daily meal in a place of education and how your approach fits it."]

Research before applying

• Mary's Meals' programme model: where it operates, how school feeding is delivered, and who the key partners are.
• The structure of Mary's Meals International and how it relates to country programmes and the wider global movement.
• Recent Mary's Meals strategy documents, annual reports or impact reports, especially anything on growth targets and measurement.
• The Chief Programmes Officer and other senior programmes staff, so you understand who this role reports to and works with.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How you would lead the evolution of Mary's Meals programmes while keeping them aligned with organisational strategy and growth ambitions.
• A time you turned research or impact data into a change in programme design, and what the result was.
• How you work with programme management, programme operations and country teams when priorities differ.
• How you would approach programme quality and innovation across a global movement with many country contexts.
• Your understanding of Mary's Meals' model and values, and how you would apply them in this role.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Writing a generic NGO cover letter that does not mention programme development, evidence, learning or impact measurement.
• Claiming global experience without naming countries, regions, programme scale or your specific role.
• Ignoring the values-driven leadership requirement and treating this as a purely technical programme role.