Global Technical Director

Remote, in UK or globally, with significant worldwide travel£ 90,852 per annum, plus contributory pensionAbout MAG:MAG (Mines Advisory Group) is an international humanitarian organisation based in Manchester, UK, and working in 32 countries. We remove landmines and unexploded ordnance to release safe and productive land for communities, and work to reduce the threat of armed violence by supporting governments to safely manage weapons and ammunition. In 1997, MAG was a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for our work campaigning for the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.Our vision is a safe future for women, men and children affected by violence, conflict, and insecurity. Our mission is to save lives and build safer futures by addressing the causes and consequences of armed violence, working with and for communities so people can live with dignity, choice and without fear.Our values guide everything we do. We are determined, expert, act with integrity, lead with compassion and are inclusive in how we work.About the role:MAG is seeking an exceptional technical leader to serve as Global Technical Director, the organisation’s most senior technical authority. This role holds overall responsibility for defining and safeguarding MAG’s global technical standards, operational risk thresholds, and technical strategy across humanitarian mine action, weapons and ammunition management, and community liaison programming.The Global Technical Director provides strategic and operational leadership across MAG’s global technical portfolio, ensuring that programmes are safe, compliant, effective, and aligned with international standards. You will hold final sign-off authority on technical policies, standard operating procedures, technical methodologies, and operational thresholds, ensuring consistency and integrity across all programmes.The role leads the Standards, Training and Compliance Unit (STCU), overseeing a global team of technical advisors responsible for innovation, standards development, compliance oversight, and technical capacity building. You will guide the technical direction of the organisation, ensuring that learning from operations, incidents, evaluations, and innovation initiatives is translated into improved standards, training frameworks, and operational practices.A key aspect of the role is organisational risk ownership. The Global Technical Director provides oversight of technical risk across MAG’s global portfolio and plays a central role in shaping the organisation’s risk posture. This includes contributing to strategic decision-making on programme expansion, operational feasibility, and new technical approaches. The role is a standing contributor to the Health, Safety and Security Committee and provides senior-level input into organisational discussions on safety, programme readiness, and operational risk.You will also oversee MAG’s Operational Accident and Incident framework, ensuring that investigations, learning, and accountability mechanisms translate into meaningful organisational improvement. While day-to-day investigation management is delegated to technical advisors, the role ensures that findings inform technical policy, training, and operational decision-making across the organisation.The Global Technical Director works closely with senior leadership to shape programme design and strategic planning, providing expert technical guidance on operational delivery, innovation, and programme growth. You will also contribute to the organisation’s engagement with institutional donors, government stakeholders, and international partners, ensuring that MAG’s technical positions are credible, evidence-based, and grounded in operational realities.Externally, the role represents MAG within global technical and sectoral forums, contributing to the development of international standards and best practice. Through this engagement, you will strengthen MAG’s influence within the humanitarian mine action and arms control sectors while ensuring that MAG remains at the forefront of safe, effective, and responsible technical delivery.About you:You are an experienced technical leader with extensive experience in humanitarian mine action and a strong track record of leading technical strategy in complex international environments. You must hold a recognised explosive ordnance qualification such as EOD3, EOD3+, or ATO, alongside significant operational experience within the mine action sector.You will have substantial experience working in humanitarian mine action with an international NGO or through engagement with organisations such as the United Nations or the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD). Your background includes advising senior leadership, donors, and government stakeholders on technical policy, operational risk, and programme delivery.You bring extensive experience in leadership and organisational change management, with the ability to guide teams and programmes through periods of transformation while maintaining high standards of safety, compliance, and operational effectiveness.You have a strong understanding of international technical standards such as IMAS and IATG and are able to translate policy and standards into practical operational guidance. You combine strategic thinking with practical operational insight and are confident navigating complex organisational environments while maintaining a collaborative and inclusive leadership style.You are able to analyse complex technical risks, influence decision-making at senior levels, and communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical audiences. Experience in sectoral engagement, innovation, or research and development within the mine action sector would be an advantage.Please note that as part of MAG's commitment to safeguarding, this post is subject to background checks before an offer of employment is confirmed.MAG is committed to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. If you think you would be suited to this role, we will welcome your application regardless of your background. We strive to provide an inclusive and supportive working environment where all employees feel respected and supported in fulfilling their potential. Women are strongly encouraged to apply.HOW TO APPLYHOW TO APPLYPlease apply by submitting a CV and cover letter detailing your suitability for the role through the link below before the closing date of 26th March 2026.Global Technical Director - MAG (Mines Advisory Group)This role is based remote from home, with expected travel around 30% of working time. MAG will consider applications from candidates who are based in any country, however the final decision on whether employment in a specific country location can be supported will be based on a compliance and budget check and be reviewed by MAG’s senior management.Please note that the terms and conditions of employment may be set according to location, to ensure legal compliance, and therefore it is not possible to include full details here. The details provided below are relevant to UK-based applicants.Where a candidate is based on a location where MAG is not registered as an employer, employment may be through an Employer of Record service. In all cases, the employee will be subject to tax and other statutory deductions in line with the relevant law of their country of domicile. You should therefore clearly set out the country that you would wish to be based remotely in, and MAG will provide further details on the method of employment in that country, and the relevant tax and statutory deduction implications, to candidates invited for interview.We are happy to receive flexible working and job share requests in your application. If you are applying with an existing job share partner email us at [email protected] for further guidance.