View Vacancy - MNL - Prosperity Fund Programme Advisor (Health), C4(L)

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

Background and main purpose of job:

This is a great opportunity to deliver a key component of the £1.2bn cross-government Prosperity Fund. New and innovative, the Fund represents a step change in HMG’s approach to promoting economic development and prosperity overseas.

The Prosperity Fund Better Health Programme is recruiting a Programme Advisor to oversee, assess and monitor programme activity in the Philippines to ensure intended outcomes and impacts are achieved, and the programme continues to offer value for money.

The cross-government Prosperity Fund (PF) was established under the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) with the primary aim of supporting growth in recipient countries and thereby reducing poverty. As such, it represents a key component of the prosperity pillar of the UK Aid Strategy. But the Fund uniquely focuses on promoting growth in ODA-eligible middle income countries, which are home to around 60% of the world’s poor and where the development challenges remain significant, but at the same time are important business partners and drivers of prosperity. By delivering high impact, strategic multi-year programmes, across high opportunity countries, regions and sectors, the Fund will help create opportunities for international business, including UK companies. As the UK leaves the EU, an even more outward-looking global Britain investing and trading with the fastest growing markets will become increasingly important.

Around 25 multi-year programmes have so far been endorsed by the Ministerial Board. These cover trade, anti-corruption, infrastructure, business environment, health, future cities, education, financial services, energy and outward investment. For more information, see the Prosperity Fund Annual Report 2017/18.

The successful candidate will build relationships and work closely with delivery partners, the government of the Philippines, businesses, civil society, Non-Governmental-Organisations (NGOs) and other external stakeholders to ensure successful delivery of the programme. The successful candidate will work with the Head of Prosperity Fund at the British Embassy in the Philippines and will coordinate with other posts in the region and government colleagues in the UK to ensure the programme delivers inclusive economic growth, to achieve UK policy objectives and to ensure that the programme complies with OECD rules for ODA. An important aspect of the job will be working with both Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Department of International Trade (DIT) colleagues in the Philippines and in the UK to unlock health and health-related opportunities created by the programmes’ interventions for increased inward trade and investment, particularly for UK companies.

The post will be based at the British Embassy in the Philippines, a vibrant, international organisation, committed to diversity and staff development. .

This is a challenging and exciting opportunity to play an influential role in a high-profile and strategic British development initiatives in the Philippines, which aims to have a positive impact on economic development and trade, as well as strengthening the relationship between the UK and the Philippines.

Roles and responsibilities / what the jobholder will be expected to achieve:

This is a great opportunity to deliver a key component of the £1.2bn cross-government Prosperity Fund. New and innovative, the Fund represents a step change in HMG’s approach to promoting economic development and prosperity overseas.

As part of this, we plan to invest in a circa £79 million multi-year Prosperity Fund programme on Global Better Health Programme. This is a priority sector for the UK, and there is strong interest in this space in the Philippines. Improving healthcare outcomes is a priority national strategy in the country, which support priority outcomes for the Philippines around health promotion, education and training through continued professional development in e-programmes; digital health; and supporting the development of policies and tools around the Non-communicable Disease (NCD) Strategy..

We are looking for a pro-active, engaged individual with a passion for delivering development impacts. The job holder will have two main responsibilities around programme implementation (70%) and administration (30%):

Programme advisor role (70%)

  • Using technical expertise and operational leadership to effectively deliver the PF Global Better Health Programme, alongside delivery partners in the inception and implementation stages, to maximise high-quality outcomes of the programme.
  • Build wide stakeholder networks in the Philippines and in the UK to enable programme implementation and ensure that the programme is de-conflicted with other UK Government programmes and similar development work in the country. This involves close coordination with policy and programme officers in the British Embassy Manila and PF Better Health Programme global and regional networks to drive consistency, deliver efficiencies and increase impact through realisation of synergies.
  • Plan and implement workshops and other activities, including with government and wider stakeholders to achieve specific programme outcomes and influence sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development in the Philippines. This includes identifying strategic opportunities that link the programme to national health policy making and updating of health, medical and related regulations.
  • Facilitate delivery activities, e.g. inward visits by technical advisors and government engagement, and provide reporting of these activities to concerned stakeholders.
  • Conduct analysis and research on relevant policy developments in the health space, using this knowledge to shape programme delivery, e.g. analysis of UK priorities and local context and policy shifts.
  • Act as representative for the PF Better Health Programme to the Philippine government, working collaboratively with delivery partner(s) and government officials to identify capability gaps, develop technical assistance and then contributing towards implementation of these capacity and capability building activities.
  • Reflect Philippine government interests to HMG officers within the British Embassy Manila and to relevant HMG officers in London. Understand the broader UK offer and ensure effective communication of these goals with key stakeholders.
  • Support partnerships between relevant international organisations and local stakeholders/implementers to drive the development of the programme.
  • Support a cohesive set of Embassy objectives under the Country Business Plan of the British Embassy Manila by working closely with the Head of Prosperity Fund and policy, programme and commercial colleagues at Post ensure fully coordinated implementation with the other parts of the prosperity programme, relevant to wider British Embassy Manila diplomatic work.
  • Collaborate with Department of International Trade colleagues and other relevant cross-government stakeholders in the region and in London to unlock opportunities for increased inward trade and investment, particularly for UK firms, and track UK response to the opportunities.

Programme manager role (30%)

  • Manage successful roll out of externally procured contract with international consultancy. Ensure good value for money and monitor implementer compliance (e.g. SLAs). The role will provide strong management of implementing partners ensuring they are performing well, finances are correctly administered and the programme’s benefits are realised. This will include ensuring the programme continues to offer value for money and are well-managed throughout the various delivery stages.
  • Ensure that programme activity is run effectively, working alongside delivery partners to ensure key milestones are met and that risks are mitigated appropriately. Feed-into centralised reporting systems, including internal programme reporting, both to wider HMG and into the PF Monitoring and Reporting platform.
  • Support the process of quality assurance, approval and commissioning of programme interventions in the Philippines.
  • Provide specialist technical advice to the programme team, including on Monitoring, Reporting, Evaluation and Learning (MREL), working with the programme team to monitor and evaluate programme effectiveness.
  • Maintain a strong network with Better Health programme colleagues in the UK and other partner countries, adapting the programme on the basis of lessons learnt and opportunities arising from potential synergies with other country programmes. (This may involve international and regional travel).
  • Deploy British Embassy Manila diplomatic levers to support the programme’s primary aim of reducing poverty and deepen the Embassy’s engagement in the infrastructure sector, closely coordinating with Post programme, policy and commercial colleagues.

Underpinning Requirements

  • Ensure the programme complies with the International Development Act, including the International Development (Gender Equality) Act 2014; meets the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC)’s criteria; is untied; meets UK government transparency commitments on ODA spend; and complies with UK Government audit requirements.
  • Support the Prosperity Fund’s policy and guidance on gender equality, women’s economic empowerment and inclusive growth.
  • Graduate with a university degree relevant to the job level (ideally but not limited to health policy or health development economics) and at least 5 years of experience in a relevant field.
  • Passion for health policy and healthcare, and a desire to improve health outcomes.
  • Demonstrate expertise in relevant areas like health and medical fields.
  • Experience of delivering complex programmes
  • Experience of managing delivery partners
  • Understanding of ODA/International development
  • A flexible and creative problem-solver, able to come up with innovative solutions to complex challenges.
  • Excellent communication and influencing skills including in giving presentations to external audiences, including senior stakeholders.
  • Computer literate and able to manage information effectively with available computer systems
  • Team player driven by values.
  • Additional technical qualifications relating to health or programme management
  • Domestic and regional knowledge and network with relevant stakeholders
  • Experience of dealing with governments
  • Experience of working with international delivery partners in the health sector and governments
  • Experience/knowledge of UK ODA programmes
  • Knowledge of economic reform policies and practice

This will be an ideal job for a flexible, motivated self-starter who has strong programme management and stakeholder engagement skills. A successful applicant would need to demonstrate a combination of health sector and economic development subject knowledge, with an ability to use self-directed study to learn further about these areas as the programme develops. Applicants will also need to show project management experience and strong communication skills to work in a team and influence others.

19 September 2019
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Full-time, Fixed term, with possibility of renewal
36
Asia Pacific
Philippines
Manila
British Embassy
1
PHP
87140
4 November 2019

The role being advertised is for a fixed-term duration of one (1) year, with a possibility for renewal. 

We place a strong emphasis on learning and development. You will be encouraged to undertake developmental training and get involved in corporate activities. You will have access to existing and new Project & Programme Management L&D as well as wider job-relevant L&D and support for your own personal development. You may have the opportunity to participate in annual reviews to assess the performance of other PF programmes.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is committed to developing its staff. There will be opportunities for formal training alongside collaborating with a wide range of colleagues delivering on-the-job learning:

  • Working in a diplomatic mission;
  • Understanding how UK international development assistance is managed / implemented;
  • Understanding effective programme management; and
  • Application of gender priorities to health projects.

Additional programmes are being developed in the region for the Prosperity Fund, for example in Low Carbon Energy, Economic Reform, Healthcare and Education. The post holder will need to be flexible in taking on different programmes over time as the portfolio develops, in line with the best distribution of resources. A six month probation period will commence from employment, after which an annual contract will be provided based on performance and availability of programme funds.

The British Embassy offers a competitive compensation package, 36-hour work week, guaranteed 13th and 14th month pay, 20 days paid annual leave (calculated on Pro-rata basis if joined after 1 January), extensive medical insurance, life insurance and access to a guaranteed 5 days of learning opportunities a year. 

No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position. You must have work authorisation for the Philippines in order to apply.

Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre-employment checks. Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy Manila is subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Philippine employment law.

Candidates are expected to have a valid NBI Clearance.

All applications must be received before 23:55 local time at the specified application deadline.

Incomplete application forms will not be taken into consideration, so please ensure you provide the information requested. We regret to advise that we will only be contacting short-listed candidates. Applicants called for an interview will be assessed on the core competencies listed above. 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. Reference and security clearances checks will be conducted.

The successful candidate should be able to start as soon as possible subject to successful clearance of pre-employment/security checks.

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.