View Vacancy - Prosperity Fund Policy-Portfolio Adviser (Up to 5 positions) - 06/18 SA

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Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
Economic and Prosperity

Background:

In November 2015, the UK Strategic Defence & Security Review announced a new Cross-Government Prosperity Fund with the primary aim of promoting reforms needed for inclusive economic growth in middle income countries. As well as contributing to a reduction in poverty in recipient countries, we expect reforms to create opportunities for international business including UK companies.

The Prosperity Fund officially launched in April 2016 and will run through 2021 with a budget of £1.2bn. South Africa has been identified as a priority country for the Fund, and in December 2016 the Chancellor announced up to £35m of Prosperity Fund programmes for South Africa. That figure may well increase.

Programming in South Africa will be comprised of a portfolio of (8-10) global programmes led from London. The Prosperity & Policy Programmes Team, based at the British High Commission in Pretoria, is responsible for shaping, communicating and monitoring the delivery and impact of these programmes on the ground as a central part of the UK Government’s diplomatic relationship with South Africa.


Positions will be filled as quickly as possible but only after programme funding is confirmed. We expect these positions to have a 12 month contract initially, with a desire to extend to up to 3 years.

Main purpose of job:

The High Commission is seeking to recruit up to four Prosperity Fund Policy-Portfolio Advisers (C4L) to provide in-country policy support and strategic influencing for a portfolio of one or two programmes which they’ll be appointed to oversee. The roles will ensure the successful local implementation of global programmes, helping to deliver primary (developmental) and secondary (commercial) benefits by coordinating with the South African Government, engaging with the private sector, working with delivery partners and advising on possible interventions to be delivered by the programmes.

The Prosperity & Policy Programmes Team is also seeking to recruit a further Policy Programme Adviser (C4L) to support the inception and delivery of a new marine security programme and a portfolio of tactical projects to support the UK Government’s policy objectives in South Africa. Functionally this role will be nearly identical to the Prosperity Fund Policy-Portfolio Adviser positions, though the Policy Programme Adviser will oversee a devolved aid budget and thus will need experience in financial management and/or procurement.

 

Roles and responsibilities:

The jobholder will lead on shaping programmes to deliver on interests of the South African Government and the UK Government. This will require extensive collaboration  across the UK Government in South Africa as well as with partners in South African Government, donors, NGOs and the private sector. More specifically, Prosperity Fund Policy-Portfolio Advisers and the Policy Programme Adviser will be responsible for:

 

Programme Management (30%)

  • Deploy strategic programme development and delivery skills to lead on aspects of risk management, M&E and procurement processes; provide local insights; oversee delivery and resolve issues; and manage relationships with implementing partners. In some cases this will  also require financial management and procurement. This will eventually result in the jobholder reporting on all aspects of their portfolio to a Programme Board, and following directions from that Board as the key source of governance.  

 

Policy Leadership  (30%)

  • Develop and add value with specific sector or thematic knowledge to lead on all aspects of direction and delivery of programmes in their portfolio for Southern Africa. Utilise deep insights to identify risks and opportunities. In some cases this may eventually result in the jobholder becoming the High Commission’s policy lead where the brief is not covered already, and there will be a need to deliver a quality service to partners across UK Government departments in a matrix management environment.

 

 

Stakeholder Engagement (25%)

  • Broker and capitalise on  relationships with programme stakeholders and implementing partners locally.   This will include pre-empting risks and ensuring that projects are delivering their stated intentions, intervening with London-based programme leads where necessary, and robustly representing UK whole of Government interests with those partners.  

 

Commercial Coordination (15%)

  • Liaise with other programme advisers to ensure efficiency, high impact and consistency. Seek opportunities to promote new commercial opportunities. Coordinate with UK Government departments to ensure that programmes achieve maximum impact for all parts of Government. This will include working with the Department for International Trade (DIT) to identify potential commercial opportunities arising through the programmes, and with the Department for International Development (DFID) to identify synergies with their emerging economic growth agenda.

There will be some possibilities for travel as part of the role in the region and to London.  Relevant job related training will be given as required.

 

Resources managed:

Budget responsibility will be confirmed depending on progress of centrally developed business cases but the entire Prosperity Fund portfolio of 8-10 programmes in South Africa is expected to be worth up to £35m. Budgets will usually be owned by London but overseen locally.

Some possible staff management opportunities in time.

 


Other skills / experience / qualifications:

These positions will be ideal for a flexible, motivated self-starter who has strong programme management and communication skills to work in a team and influence others. A successful applicant would demonstrate a combination of subject knowledge (economic development in the case of the Prosperity Fund Policy-Portfolio Adviser positions, foreign policy in the case of the Policy Programme Adviser position), with an ability to use self-directed study to learn further about these areas as the programmes develop. 

  • Bachelor’s degree
  • At least 5 years’ professional experience
  • At least 2 years’ managing complex projects or programmes
  • A flexible and creative problem-solver, able to come up with innovative solutions to complex challenges
  • Excellent communication and influencing skills (in English) including in giving presentations to external audiences 
  • Experience working with the UK Government, a multilateral organisation or an NGO
  • Experience working with the South African Government
  • Experience in international development
  • Understanding of international business development
  • Experience managing aid budgets
  • Expertise in one or some of  the sectors in which there are likely to be global programmes for South Africa: Urban Development, Foreign Investment, Financial Services, Infrastructure, Maritime Security / Economy
  • Additional language skills, particularly one of South Africa’s official languages
15 February 2018
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Fixed term, with possibility of renewal
Africa
South Africa
Pretoria
British High Commission
5
ZAR
R38 398.77
1 April 2018
31 March 2019

Other information:

Certain positions will be filled in UK Government offices in Pretoria, Johannesburg and Cape Town.


Other benefits:

  • The British High Commission pays in full for the Key Care Plus option on Discovery Health for staff including spouses/partners and dependants.
  • Once you have successfully completed your probation the British High Commission will contribute 9% of your monthly salary to a Provident Fund.
  • Annual leave entitlement of 25 days
  • Working hours per week of 36.5

 

  • 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 Pretoria are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in South Africa. 
  • All candidates must be legally able to work and reside in the country of the vacancy with the correct visa/work permit status or demonstrate eligibility to obtain the relevant permit.
  • The responsibility lies on the successful candidate to;
  1. Obtain the relevant permit
  2. Pay fees for the permit
  3. Make arrangements to relocate
  4. Meet the costs to relocation 

The British High Commission do not sponsor visas/work permits except where it may be local practice to do so.  

  • Employees who are not eligible to pay local income tax: e.g. certain third-country nationals and spouses/partners of UK diplomats will have their salaries abated by an equivalent 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: AA=A1, AO=A2, EO=B3, HEO=C4, SEO=C5  
  • Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates.
  • If you don’t already hold a valid SA Police Clearance Certificate, we recommend that you apply for the certificate at the time of your application.
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This opportunity is closed to applications.