Senior Project Manager
Location: Vienna /Austria
Duration: 1 year with possibility of extension
SOS Children's Villages, founded in 1949, is the world's largest non-governmental organization focused on supporting children and young people without parental care, or at risk of losing it.
Child neglect, abuse and abandonment is everywhere. Families are at risk of separation. Locally led, we work in more than 130 countries and territories to strengthen families who are under pressure so they can stay together. When this is not in a child or young person's best interests, we provide quality care according to their unique needs.
Together with partners, donors, communities, children, young people and families, we enable children to grow up with the bonds they need to develop and become their strongest selves. We speak up for each child's rights and advocate for change so all children can grow up in a supportive environment.
Mission
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Chief Operations Officer (COO) jointly constitute the Executive Board of SOS Children’s Villages International. The EB jointly leads the Federation Secretariat units (FSC and IDS) in achieving its mission and objectives, support the governing bodies of SOS CVI, strengthen the cohesion amongst members of the federation, facilitate and encourage members to contribute to the federation’s ability to achieve their common purpose, facilitate development of the federation’s strategic direction, identify risks and opportunities where applicable to the federation as a whole, and represent the federation in global spaces.
Purpose of the Job
The Senior Project Manager acts as a central Executive PMO and implementation coordination function supporting the Executive Board across FSC and IDS.
The role is responsible for coordinating, tracking, and driving execution of Executive Board priorities, organisational transformation initiatives, and cross-functional strategic projects. The position ensures that organisational priorities are translated into structured implementation plans with clear governance, visibility, accountability, timelines, escalation mechanisms, and communication approaches.
Working across pillars and functions, the role supports the Executive Board in managing organisational delivery, implementation sequencing, stakeholder alignment, and operational coordination across complex initiatives and programmes.
The role also plays a key part in strengthening organisational communication and alignment around Executive Board priorities, transformation initiatives, and implementation progress, ensuring consistent messaging, visibility, and engagement across stakeholders.
The position contributes to strengthening execution discipline, implementation governance, organisational coordination, and change communication during the ongoing operating model and organisational transformation process.
Key focus areas include:
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Executive PMO coordination and governance
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Programme and portfolio management across strategic initiatives
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Organisational transformation and operating model implementation
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Executive Board implementation follow-up and coordination
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Cross-functional project management and stakeholder alignment
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Risk, dependency, escalation, and issue management
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Executive reporting and implementation visibility mechanisms
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Internal coordination and strategic implementation communications
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Organisational planning, prioritisation, and execution oversight
The role operates as a central coordination and execution management function supporting organisational implementation and delivery across the organisation. Accountability for operational ownership remains with functional leads and pillar owners; however, the role is responsible for driving coordination, implementation oversight, executive-level visibility, stakeholder alignment, and structured follow-up across priority initiatives.
Tasks and Responsibilities
Executive PMO and Portfolio Coordination:
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Coordinate the Executive Board portfolio of strategic initiatives, organisational priorities, and transformation programmes. Establish and maintain implementation governance, tracking structures, timelines, milestones, and reporting mechanisms. Support prioritisation, sequencing, and implementation planning across Executive Board priorities. Ensure alignment and coordination across organisational initiatives and workstreams.
Strategic Programme and Project Management:
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Lead coordination of cross-functional projects and organisation-wide implementation initiatives. Monitor implementation progress, delivery status, dependencies, risks, and bottlenecks across initiatives. Drive structured follow-up on actions, deliverables, and Executive Board decisions. Coordinate issue resolution and escalation processes for delayed or blocked initiatives. Support implementation accountability and delivery discipline across teams and functions.
Transformation Coordination and Change Enablement:
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Coordinate implementation activities related to the organisational operating model and transformation agenda. Support organisational transition planning and implementation across FSC and IDS. Facilitate alignment between organisational structure, implementation priorities, and operational delivery. Support change coordination, stakeholder engagement, and implementation readiness activities across teams.
Executive Reporting, Communication, and Governance Support:
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Prepare executive dashboards, implementation updates, status reports, briefing materials, and governance documentation. Support communication and visibility of Executive Board priorities, transformation initiatives, and implementation progress across the organisation. Coordinate implementation-related communications and stakeholder updates across functions and leadership groups. Consolidate organisational updates, implementation risks, and delivery progress for Executive Board review. Maintain visibility on implementation performance, bottlenecks, risks, and organisational dependencies.
Organisational Coordination and Execution Improvement:
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Strengthen project management, implementation coordination, and execution practices across the organisation. Support development of practical implementation frameworks, governance approaches, reporting structures, and coordination mechanisms. Foster collaboration, alignment, and information flow between teams, pillars, and functions. Contribute to building a more integrated, execution-oriented, and delivery-focused organisational culture.
Safeguarding responsibilities:
As someone working for or on behalf of SOS Children’s Villages, you are responsible for helping to create and maintain a safe and protective environment for staff, as well as for the children, young people, and adult programme participants supported and cared for by SOS Children’s Villages. You are expected to :
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Commit to the Code of Conduct and reflect on the safeguarding implications of your work on an ongoing basis.
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Actively participate in team discussions to identify risks and share and apply preventative and mitigation measures and strategies.
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Integrate safeguarding principles into your daily decisions and tasks.
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Report any safeguarding concerns promptly and in line with procedures.
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Promote values-based culture, accountability and zero tolerance of harm.
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As a manager, you are responsible for integrating the Code of Conduct and safeguarding into your department, team and operations, building capacity, ensuring resources and accountability for values-based culture, monitoring risks, and collaborating with specialists to address challenges
Requirements
Degree and experience
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Requires master degree level preferably in: Business Administration, Project Management, Organisational Development, International Relations, Communications, or a related field.
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Position requires 8-10 years of experience
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Experience in project/programme management, PMO, organisational transformation, restructuring/change, executive coordination, or programme leadership roles.
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Proven experience supporting senior leadership and managing cross-functional strategic initiatives in complex international organisations.
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Proven experience in implementation tracking, governance, stakeholder coordination, executive reporting, and preparation of decision-ready materials.
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Experience in international NGOs, multilateral or matrix organisations, federations, or similar complex international environments in an advantage.
Competencies
Essential:
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Advanced project and programme management skills
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Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
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Strong analytical, organisational, and problem-solving abilities
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Experience in governance, risk management, and implementation monitoring
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Ability to coordinate across functions without formal authority
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Strong reporting and presentation skills
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Strategic and analytical mindset
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High emotional intelligence and stakeholder management
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Ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure
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High integrity and discretion, particularly when handling sensitive information and executive-level priorities
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Openness to travel up to 20% of working time
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Willingness to work from Austria as working location
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A valid Austrian working permit or eligibility to work within the EU
Desired:
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Ability to scale from detail to big picture
Language skills:
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Essential: Business English
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Desired: French, Spanish, Arabic, German or other federation languages
Other competencies and soft skills:
Essential:
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Authentic commitment to and role modelling of the vision, mission and values of the SOS Children’s Villages federation in its work for children
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Outstanding interpersonal skills, ability to collaborate, engage and build trust amongst stakeholders, in a complex networked global system, able to influence without direct authority
Living Our Values Competencies:
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Role model a values-based leadership to motivate and empower staff with focus on SOS core values of Kindness, Continuous Learning, Inclusiveness, Initiative, Collaboration, Results Orientation
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Leadership competencies: Strategic thinking, Empowerment, Role modeling,
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Coach and mentor direct reports by role modelling and empowerment
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Ability to manage teams distributed across diverse locations, foster cultural environment development and the ability to build team capacity
Ways of working:
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Global collaboration and communication – Working effectively across countries, cultures, and time zones by maintaining clear communication, transparency, and shared understanding within distributed teams.
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Cross-functional collaboration – Working closely with colleagues across different functions and areas of expertise to combine knowledge, solve problems collectively, and deliver meaningful outcomes aligned with the organisation’s mission.
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Effective collaboration within matrix structures – Working constructively within solid and dotted reporting lines by maintaining open communication, aligning priorities with both line and functional managers, and ensuring clarity on roles, responsibilities, and expectations to support coordinated delivery across teams.
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Flexibility and adaptability – Remaining responsive to evolving contexts and adjusting priorities, approaches, and ways of collaboration as projects, services, or organisational demand evolve.
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Ownership and accountability – Taking responsibility for advancing tasks and initiatives, proactively addressing obstacles, and ensuring that commitments, decisions, and actions are carried through to completion, taking initiative within your scope of responsibility rather than waiting for direction.
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Continuous feedback and transparency - Contributing to a culture where feedback and data are shared openly and constructively, enabling teams and stakeholders involved to reflect, learn, and continuously improve their work and impact.
We offer
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A diverse range of interesting tasks in a leading INGO multicultural working environment
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As a responsible employer we provide a range of training schemes and encourage educational enhancement
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A salary that will be commensurate with experience and qualifications
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Flexible working hours after onboarding period
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Possibility to work from abroad max 25% of your working time after onboarding period
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A minimum annual gross salary of EUR 4164 gross/ month in Austria on a full time basis. Actual salary will depend on qualifications and professional experience
What we stand for
SOS Children’s Villages is committed to creating and maintaining a caring and protective environment, which promotes its core values, and prevents and addresses child abuse and exploitation. We strongly condemn all forms of child abuse and exploitation, be it within or outside of our organization, and always respond to any case of proven, alleged or attempted abuse within our sphere of influence according to its nature. Efforts ensure that mechanisms are in place to raise awareness, aid prevention, encourage reporting and ease response. They range from human resource development actions such as training and counselling to measures such as suspension, dismissal, and legal action.
SOS Children’s Villages is committed to creating and maintaining a safe working environment for our staff, the children and young people and the communities that we work for. The organization prohibits harassment, exploitation and abuses by or of any employee, supervisor, manager, child, young people, community, contractor, applicant, or other individual with whom SOS Children’s Villages employees come into contact by virtue of their work. All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our prevention and protection against Sexual Harassment, Exploitation and Abuse policy.
In addition, SOS Children’s Villages apply a zero-tolerance concerning any fraud situation. The organization does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.
Successful candidates will have to submit a criminal record certificate, current within the last three years. In accordance with the organisation’s child protection policy, these positions will be subject to criminal record checks.
Please note that the initial contract for this role is for a term of 1 year, with the prospect of extension after this time.
If you are interested in this position, please submit your detailed application in English via “Apply” button here: https://careers-sos-kd.icims.com until 7th July.
The position will remain open until filled.
