Our Guiding Star: Building Resilience
QCF was established in 2019 by the founders of Quadrature Capital, Greg Skinner and Suneil Setiya, out of a recognition of the persistent poverty, inequality, and human suffering that shape our societies. Our founders were already active philanthropists in these areas, and came to understand how climate would compound them, driving food insecurity, deepening displacement, and pushing the most vulnerable into crisis. This realisation led them to establish QCF with a focus on climate as the defining challenge of our time.
In 2025, the founders and QCF decided to bring the Foundation's climate funding together with other private philanthropic funding streams across poverty, inequality and human suffering under an expanded Foundation remit. QCF’s updated mandate is based on our core belief: that acute human suffering now, and cascading climate risks ahead, are interconnected crises that threaten the stability of societies everywhere. This demands action both downstream, to address poverty and inequality and help people secure their lives and dignity today; and upstream, to build the conditions that make lasting climate and societal transformation possible and durable for tomorrow.
Within this expanded direction, QCF is seeking five Programme Directors across the following portfolios:
Job Description – Programme Director, Conflict and Humanitarian Response
QCF is now seeking a senior strategic leader to build and shape its nascent Conflict and Humanitarian Response portfolio — one of the Foundation’s most complex and urgent areas of work. At a time of rising conflict, weakening diplomatic capacity and increasingly constrained humanitarian systems, this portfolio seeks to strengthen life-saving response while supporting pathways to political resolution and long-term resilience.
The portfolio is structured around three interconnected pillars:
The Programme Director will integrate these pillars into a coherent long-term strategy, ensuring humanitarian investments are aligned with political pathways and responsive to interconnected risks. The portfolio currently focuses on Sudan and surrounding regions, with an evolving geographic strategy centred on Sub-Saharan Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Northern Kenya, while retaining flexibility to respond to emerging crises.
Reporting to a Managing Director, the Programme Director will steward a multi-year, nine-figure portfolio, predominantly grant-making with selective use of catalytic capital. They will define strategic priorities, refine portfolio boundaries, steward complex partnerships and embed strong learning and evidence practices. The role carries significant enterprise leadership responsibility, requiring generous and collaborative engagement across QCF’s interdependent portfolios. Central to the position is cultivating trusted relationships across humanitarian agencies, peacebuilding actors, governments, multilaterals, community leaders and philanthropic partners, representing QCF externally with credibility, judgement and humility.
QCF is now seeking a senior leader with substantial experience at director level (or equivalent) in humanitarian response, conflict resolution, peacebuilding or closely related fields. The successful candidate will bring deep familiarity with humanitarian and conflict ecosystems in Sub-Saharan Africa and a strong understanding of how donors, multilaterals, NGOs, local actors and political processes interact in fragile and conflict-affected settings.
They will demonstrate:
The role requires advanced systems thinking — understanding how conflict dynamics, humanitarian systems, political settlements and funding architectures interact — and the ability to translate this into disciplined strategic and funding decisions. Candidates must be comfortable operating amid uncertainty, navigating contested environments and engaging confidently with senior executives and boards on risk, performance and emerging opportunities.
Above all, the Programme Director will combine intellectual rigour with humility, relational intelligence and resilience. They will demonstrate a deep commitment to QCF’s partner-led, power-aware approach, acting consistently as an enabler of locally grounded resilience and peace rather than a central driver of change.
If you're passionate about advancing systemic change and building a just and resilient world, we would be delighted to hear from you.
To apply, please submit a CV and covering letter detailing the specific Programme Director role you are applying for here: https://PLusPortal.PerrettLaver.com quoting reference number 8335.
The deadline for the receipt of applications is 11:59pm GMT on Thursday 2nd April 2026.
The roles will be based in QCF’s London office, on a hybrid working arrangement, with some expected travel when required.
Perrett Laver will conduct an executive search process. Longlisted candidates will be invited to interview with Perrett Laver in mid-April and a final shortlist for the post will be identified in late-April. QCF’s interviews with the shortlisted candidates will take place thereafter.
Guided by its core values of collaboration, humility, bravery, objectivity, and drive, QCF strives to make a global impact while maintaining a workplace where every voice is valued. QCF is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic.
To confidentially get in touch about this role, or for advice on your application please email, Ryann Schutt ryann.schutt@perrettlaver.com.
Should you require access to these documents in alternative formats or require any reasonable adjustments to assist you in the selection process, please contact Kelly Harding kelly.harding@perrettlaver.com.
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