View Vacancy - Senior Programme Manager: Urban Development, C5

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)
Economic and Prosperity

This is an opportunity to work on a key part of the UK’s strategic partnership with India at the cutting edge of innovative programme delivery. This role’s primary responsibility is to provide programme mangament expertise and oversight in coordinating and driving delivery of a varied and innovative urban development programme in India.

The urban programme portfolio is expected deliver until 2023 and will involve managing multi-million pound contracts. This will be the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO’s) main instrument for collaborating with the Government of India in pursuit of more sustainable urban development, while also creating opportunities for partnerships between UK and Indian businesses. The postholder will have to ensure effective engagement and management of key suppliers, support coordination across the team, work closely with the Prosperity Portfolio team in UKTEP (the directorate in which this post is situated), and link effectively with other UK Government departments (e.g. DfID, DIT) at post and in the UK.

The job will include: programme management and coordination oversight to drive overall delivery and ensure integrity and coherence of programming; contract and financial management of the overall programme; support for Monitoring, Reporting, Evaluation and Learning (MREL); communication of progress and impact to internal and external stakeholders in UK and India; supporting the broader UK effort on urban development and building appropriate links with other areas of technical assistance (e.g.energy, financial services etc).

The job holder will also take on a leading and coordinating role for Programme Managers delivering other technical assistance work across other thematic strands. This will be a new function within the team, but is anticipated to involve the job holder leading through exemplifying excellence in programme management; mentoring others where needed; managing a learning and development strategy specifically for Programme Managers; inducting new joiners; learning and sharing lessons, representing Programme Managers to senior management; providing advice and support to the wider Prosperity Network (including advisors in British Deputy High Commissions (BDHCs)) throughout India. 

Roles & Responsibilities:

Programme management

  • Have regular (likely daily) contact with the programme’s Delivery Partner and be responsible for managing their day-to-day delivery, ensuring their timely engagement in the FCO’s programme management systems, as well as the quality of the delivery partner’s outputs.    
  •   Escalate risks, report issues and highlight delivery difficulties as appropriate to Policy Lead and work together to overcome barriers to delivery. 
  •  Ensure that programme delivery is in line with UK principles, standards and guidance ensuring all compliance activities are undertaken. This will include implementing the urban programme in line with FCO systems and processes, supporting the delivery of the UK-India Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Urban Development and furthering the UK’s relationship with its partner cities through the exercise of outstanding programme management skills and ensuring Value for Money. 
  •  Working with the Policy Lead, provide quality assurance to ensure the delivery of products or services from projects to the required standard, on time and within budget, in accordance with the programme plan and programme governance arrangements. 
  •  Working with the Procurement Group, ensure timely and well-managed procurement of services to deliver the technical assistance programme in line with FCO systems and guidance. 
  •    Working with Policy Lead, ensure high quality stakeholder management and communications with all delivery partners to drive delivery and ensure appropriate flow of information and advice. 
  •   Consistently practice sound financial management using appropriate tools and practices. 
  •  Ensure that delivery partners are meeting expected standards on delivering Value for Money.
  •  Working with the Policy Lead, manage risks including by maintaining an up to date risk register and developing strategies for risk mitigation. 
  •  Coordinate Monitoring, Reporting, Evalution and Learning (MREL) functions for the team, working with the UKTEP MREL specialist and with independent MREL service providers. Ensure that data is passed efficiently between internal and external partners, and is inputted effectively to the MREL tool, Prospero. 
  •  Ensure that learning is fed back into the programme to inform course correction and adaptive programming, and outcomes are properly captured. 
  •  Regularly review partner reporting, in co-ordination with Policy Lead. 
  •  Critically appraise progress, troubleshooting programme issues and escalating delivery risks as appropriate. 
  •  Monitor project delivery through visits to project sites.
  • Lead the production of annual reviews and project completion reviews to quality standards and agreed deadline

Financial Management 

  •  Manage the programme’s budget on behalf of the SRO, monitoring expenditure and costs against delivered and realised benefits as the programme progresses. 
  •  Ensure timely and accurate allocation and forecasting of the programme budget and financial management in line with FCO Programme and Project Management benchmarks and quality standards.

Communication

  •   Working with the Prosperity team secretariat, co-ordinate proactive progress reporting on progress, emerging risks and lessons learned, for the SRO, relevant Programme Boards and Teams in the British High Commission and in London.
  •  Deliver proactive and timely communication of results to internal customers and external stakeholders, including drafting impact stories and other communications products matched to audience, diplomatic telegrams, letters etc.

Leadership

  •  Exemplify excellence in programme management, acting as a role model for others
  • Mentor others where needed, particularly to ensure quality programme management
  • Manage an L&D strategy specifically for Programme Managers; 
  •  Induct new joiners in specifics of programme management 
  •   Learn and share lessons in programme management to encourage better working
  •    Represent Programme Managers to senior management;
  • Provide advice and support to the wider Prosperity Network (including advisors in

Strategy

Working with policy lead:

  •  Maintain a coherent implementation strategy for the UK’s technical assistance programme on urban development, aligned with complimentary activities across the BHC and beyond.
  • Build appropriate links with other areas of technical assistance (e.g. energy, financial services). 
  •   Working closely with the team’s Policy Lead and delivery partners, ensure that the programme delivers a coherent set of interventions (with appropriate interfaces) that lead to results and outcomes in line with the programme design and the overall UK strategy for urban development in India.
  • Build relationships with key stakeholders and delivery partners in the urban sector, including relevant Government Ministries in the UK and India, think tanks, industry associations and NGOs.
  • Ensure complementarity of the team’s activity with programmes managed by other teams and UK government Departments.

Essential on arrival:

Post-graduate degree in relevant subject; At least five years of experience of programme and financial management of large technical assistance programmes including in the international development field. Ability to work autonomously and proactively.

Required competencies Making Effective Decisions, Collaborating and Partnering, Delivering Value for Money, Delivering at Pace


Language requirements:


 Language: English


 Level of language required: Extensive



Desirable:

  • Experience of urban development, particularly urban planning, smart cities, transportation and urban services.
  • Experience of working with private sector delivery partners.
  • Experience working for a diplomatic mission
14 November 2018
Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
Fixed Term
40
24 months
South Asia & Afghanistan
India
New Delhi
British High Commission
1
INR
127,252 – 181,995
2 January 2018

SALARY PACKAGE

For British High Commission (BHC) candidates, the Local Staff BHC Terms & Conditions will apply.

For other than BHC candidates, salary will be ­­­­­­INR 127,252 – 181,995 per month together with a 12% provident fund and 6% Special Allowance

Additionally the BHC offers a great benefits package that includes annual domiciliary medical cover, plus a Group Hospitalisation Scheme with Rs 500,000 floater cover for your immediate family. 

The BHC is recognised as a good employer, with a robust, fair and transparent performance management & appraisal system linked to increments and staff bonuses. We have a 5-day working week, plus annual leave, public holidays, maternity leave provision, special leave, paid sick leave provision; ample development opportunities, travel opportunities, a good organisational culture, and excellent work/life balance. 

Around half of our work force is women.  We treat people with respect and equality and have a policy of zero tolerance for any form of discrimination, bullying, or harassment. 

This is a good opportunity to be part of a strong, diverse team, working in the biggest network that FCO has anywhere across the globe.  We are aiming to make it the best.

TO APPLY

Please note applications without (a), (b) and (c) will not be considered. 

(a)     Completed the Online Job Application Form

(b)     Complete the Motivation segment in the online application from (In Not more than 600 words)

(c)     Attach a detailed CV

We will accept only online applications. Please send in your online applications by 14th November (Midnight)

  • Applicants who do not have the required qualification & experience should kindly abstain from applying, as their applications will not be considered.
  • Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and no telephone enquires will be dealt with.
  • The appointment will be subject to Police Verification and other checks including references, educational and professional.

We welcome all applications irrespective of age, race, colour, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief or creed. We are also open to applications from people who want to work flexibly.



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This opportunity is closed to applications.