Jasmine Whitbread, the chief executive of Save the Children International, will leave the charity at the end of the year after five years in the role.

She became the organisation’s first chief executive in 2010 after five years at the helm of Save the Children UK. The new role was created to bring the 29 independent national charities under one umbrella led by an international board.

Under her leadership the international body has taken over more aid work from the national bodies and last year saw its income double last year to £550m.

Whitbread said: “It's not been an easy decision to leave but I feel this is the right time -- both for Save the Children to have a new leader and for me to find my next challenge.  I have every confidence that Save the Children will continue to go from strength to strength and of course I will remain a firm supporter.”

Charlie Perrin, chair of Save the Children’s International board of directors, said: “Jasmine has demonstrated courageous leadership in realizing Save the Children’s ambition and in doing so has made an enormous impact for children globally. Our organization is strongly positioned for the future, but Jasmine will be missed tremendously.”

The board has begun its search for a successor, the charity has said.