View Vacancy - Biodiverse Landscapes Fund Programme Manager C4 (02/21 GBE)

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer.  We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
Political

Main purpose of job

You will be an important member of the climate and nature team at the British High Commission Gaborone, working as part of a wider team, but with autonomy to deliver regional coordination and implementation of the KAZA Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF). You will work closely with, and deliver to, the UK based programme team in the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The BLF aims to achieve conservation, poverty reduction and climate outcomes across the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), which spans Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. You will be expected to work with a range of partners and provide a quality assurance and reporting function for the programme team based in the UK.

You will need to have strong networking skills, and be comfortable working with senior stakeholders from the UK and within the region. As Defra’s lead HMG contact for the KAZA Landscape, you will work closely with the KAZA TFCA Secretariat and implementing partners to ensure that the Fund is delivered effectively and remains aligned to UK government interests and objectives. You will ensure that regional communication, policy and strategic opportunities provided by the BLF’s activities are identified and delivered. This is in order to raise awareness of the BLF and to capitalise upon the BLF’s activities to achieve wider and long-lasting impacts. 

Roles and responsibilities:

1. Programme Delivery and Support – 40%

  • Work effectively with the Defra programme team in the UK, external contractors and regional colleagues to review implementation of the programme.
  • Monitor and assess risks and opportunities associated with the programme, reporting clearly to the programme team.
  • Identify errors or problems, take action as necessary to resolve and/or notify others in the team.
  • Write clear reports and briefings as required.
  • Assist with the orientation of visiting UK officials or contractors associated with the Fund, providing local knowledge and understanding;
  • Work with the Communications Officers regionally and in the UK to create and deliver publicity for the programme.
  • Support projects by developing and identifying communication resources required, ensuring all materials and resources are current and appropriate.                                                                                                              

2. Internal and External Stakeholder Engagement – 25%

  • Build a network and communicate with a wide range of professionals at a local, national, regional and international scale.
  • Provide an effective and professional service when liaising with colleagues, partners, stakeholders and the public using tact and diplomacy to encourage effective working.
  • Respond to enquiries from key stakeholders to provide information in line with agreed protocols and procedures.
  • Support the planning of meetings, high level events and conferences.

3.   Strategic and contextual analysis – 25%

  • Build a strategic awareness and continue to analyse the economic, environmental and policy context to inform effective delivery of the programme.
  • Develop an in depth understanding of the UK’s international biodiversity priorities and approach and how the KAZA Biodiverse Landscapes Fund can support these regionally.
  • Identify and facilitate opportunities to deliver capacity building and technical assistance with programme partners and key stakeholders, to further the long-term impact of the Fund.
  • Identify connections, opportunities and risks to align programme activities/impact and the delivery of wider national and regional objectives on biodiversity loss, climate change and poverty reduction.
  • Support the sustainable impact of the programme objectives and its longer-term legacy in the landscape, including through policy and technical expertise development

Other – 10%

  • Delivery wider mission critical work as required as part of the team at the British High Commission, Gaborone.
  • Summarise correspondence, reports and compile letters, both routine and ad hoc, ensuring that deadlines are met.
  • Assess and prioritise own workload within given timeframe, to meet project schedules.
  • Manage own workload and activities, including emails and diary management.
  • Participate in self-development to continually improve performance/systems and undertake development activities that are identified.

The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by the Defra programming team. These responsibilities may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the organization.

  • Degree qualification or equivalent experience
  • Further training, experience or training in project management.
  • Previous experience in similar role in project/ programme management in public sector or with bilateral/multilateral organizations.
  • Experience of building a network and managing effective relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, including government officials, delivery partners and local and community groups.
  • Experience drafting briefing papers, reports and presentations. 
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills on complex matters, often requiring persuasion and influence.
  • Ability to identify strategic opportunities and risks, underlying drivers and connections.
  • Ability to effectively as part of a team which is dispersed across the region and in the UK
  • Effective organization, prioritization and planning skills.
  • Ability to work on own initiative and organize own workload without supervision working to tight and often changing timescales.
  • Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change.
  • Ability to handle strictly confidential information from internal and external sources whilst always adhering to best practices of confidentiality.
  • Computer literate and proficient user of Microsoft programs such as Outlook, Word, Excel and SharePoint.  
  • An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems.
  • Understanding of biodiversity conservation, landscape scale and community based development and conservation. 
  • Experience of organizing events/conferences/ workshops
  • Intermediate-Advanced written and oral Portuguese
  • Ability to analyze and interpret complex information and recommend appropriate actions.
30 July 2021
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Fixed Term
24 months
Africa
Botswana
Gaborone
British High Commission
BWP 22,473.43
1 September 2021

The post holder will be line managed remotely by the Country Lead based in the UK, with administrative line management provided by the British High Commission

Learning & Development:

  • Access to the full range of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s Diplomatic Academy courses
  • Undertake all mandatory training as required
  • Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with the Country lead through the appraisals process and/or attending internal / external training events.

Working hours:

36 hours per week

Public Holidays:

A total of 14 Botswana and British Public Holidays will be observed by the British High Commission each year.  A list of these days is published each year by the Corporate Services Manager

Annual Leave:

All staff are entitled to 22 working days paid leave per each full year served.  Leave will be calculated on a pro rata basis for periods of employment of less than one year.  

  • Due to COVID 19, you may experience some delay in the progress of this recruitment campaign.  We are working hard to minimize any disruption.
  • Please complete the application form in full as the information provided is used during screening.
  • Please check your application carefully before you submit, as no changes can be made once submitted.
  • The British High Commission will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position.
  • Employees recruited locally by the British High Commission in Gaborone are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in Kenya.
  • It is essential that the applicants already have the right to live and work in Botswana without the need to apply for a work permit
  • Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount.   
  • Information about the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Competency Framework can be found on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-competency-framework Please note: Job grade AA=A1, AO=A2, EO=B3, HEO=C4, SEO=C5
  • Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates.
  • Please log into your profile on the application system on a regular basis to review the status of your application
Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.

This opportunity is closed to applications.