View Vacancy - Combatting Illicit Economies Programme Officer (CSSF)

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 (Programme Roles)
CSSF (Conflict, Stability and Security Fund)

Main Purpose of Job:

The candidate will work to deliver sound financial management of the Combatting Illicit Economies Programme, ensuring financial review and monitoring of the budgets of between 12-15 projects across six countries in Latin America.  The role is part of a regional team working across Latin America, thus the candidate is expected to support a regional approach to programming and managing a complex programmeto be able to interact with a number of stakeholders both internal and external across a complex programming context.

The Combatting Illicit Economies Programme is designed to deliver projects that tackle the drivers of organised crime, corruption and illicit finance threats impacting Latin America, focussing in particular in Colombia, Panama, Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela (some streamlined activity also takes place in Brazil). The successful candidate will be country based staff based in Panama City, but they will also be part of the CIEP regional team. This is a fixed-term position.

The UK embassy is an equal opportunities employer and, for this role, is particularly keen to attract candidates from a minority ethnic background, with disabilities or living in regions most affected by conflict.

Roles and Responsibilities:

To support a regional programme team in the financial and administrative management of Combatting Illicit Economies Programme across Latin America; particularly support the Deputy Head of Programme with financial management and compliance according to the Programme Operating Framework.

To collaborate with colleagues across different embassies in the region to ensure sound financial management as well as to otherwise provide support to programming including coordinating logistical and other support to ensure delivery of activities, meetings and visits across all countries.

Financial and administrative management of Combatting Illicit Economies Programme (70%)

  • Ensure strong financial management of all projects (usually in the region of 12-15 per year) administered under the CSSF Combatting Illicit Economies Programme. Yearly budget is estimated at £3.4 million, with potential in-year budget uplifts c. £1 million.
  • Coordinate the collection of financial information across the programme countries (Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela), to analyse and track the financial performance of the different projects; and ensure accurately and timely reporting of forecast and actuals information to senior management. 
  • Process and monitor to completion all payments to implementers and internal expenses to deliver programme activity. Liaise with Corporate Services team in each country to monitor the process of those payments.
  • Evaluation of financial reports from implementers (including an overarching commercial implementer likely to be assisting with Programme delivery).
  • Support audit exercises and annual review activity in relation to financial management and reporting.
  • Providing updates on project spending to the Portfolio Finance Manager and report on the budget monitoring and re-profiling on a monthly basis.
  • Work with the Deputy Head of Programme and senior team members to ensure that the CIEP keeps appropriate considerations of project financial management and that appropriate tools are used regularly and updated in the files.
  • Ensure that off-line financial reporting and HERA system is consistent with their financial information, on a monthly basis.
  • Support in the programme financial management to ensure value for money and full implementation of project funds, with a financial turnout of +/- 3% by the end of each financial year.
  • Identify and escalated to senior management any risks of under and overspend to report them timely to programme senior management.

Provide regional programme support (20%)

  • Ensure the delivery of logistical arrangements before and during country specific and regional events/visits related to both programme and project activity.
  • Proactively suggest to senior management the best approach to managing events, meetings and workshops for both country specific and regional events, ensuring value for money is achieved.
  • Support the Head and Deputy Head of Programme during commercial procurement process and call for bids, by performing a secretariat role in the publication of terms of reference, coordinating evaluation panel and paperwork filing.
  • Support compliance activities across the programme to identify and report to the Deputy Head of Programme the adequate and proportionate financial processes.
  • Provide ad-hoc small English-Spanish translations, mainly speeches to Head of Mission and other document of 10 pages or less.
  • Participate in the team’s quarterly and annual programme monitoring and evaluation activities, to support in the reporting of programme/project outputs and outcomes.
  • Provide support to the Deputy Head of Programme and senior team members to ensure that the CSSF programme keeps appropriate considerations CSSF cross-cutting issues.
  • Share best practice across the programmes and take part in lessons learnt activities to strengthen the programme financial management, monitoring and processes.

Supporting British Embassy’s wider objectives (10%)

  • Play an active role in the Embassy’s activities, including those contributing to wider objectives beyond the CIEP and CSSF.
  • Undertake additional tasks as required by the Ambassador or Deputy Head of Mission in line with the Embassy’s business plan.
  • Provide assistance with the administrative aspects of Embassy-led small projects.
  • Network with actors in the security and justice sectors.
  • At least 3 years of relevant experience in managing international cooperation projects (whether for government/state institutions, civil society, academia or multilateral organisations), preferably related to security and justice, human rights, anti-corruption, and/or organised crime.
  • Prior experience or knowledge in financial management and project/programme management.
  • A flexible and creative problem-solver, able to come up with innovative solutions to complex challenges.
  • Fluent in written and spoken Spanish and English.
  • IT Proficient, i.e. MS Office 365 and cloud based IT systems to support project plan monitoring, especially Microsoft Excel.
  • Excellent communication skills, including public speaking for the delivery of presentations, and writing in English and Spanish.
  • Willingness to travel regionally including potentially to  countries where projects are being delivered.
  • Undergraduate degree
  • Sound knowledge of programme/project monitoring and control
  • Knowledge and experience using project management methodologies and toolkits

Exceptional candidates will also have:

  • Relevant post-graduate degree (project management, finance, management etc).
  • Prior experience using advance financial and accounting tools/systems.
  • Internationally recognised project management or financial management qualification.



Making Effective Decisions, Managing a Quality Service, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together
5 February 2023
Executive Officer (EO)
Full-time, Fixed term, with possibility of renewal
37
Latin America and Spanish speaking Caribbean
Panama
Panama City
British Embassy
1
USD
$2,232.79 monthly
27 March 2023

Learning and Development Opportunities:

Learning and development will be tailored to your needs but you will be able to tap into a range of L&D opportunities available at various levels: the Embassy, the region, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the UK Civil Service. These are a mix of online and in person opportunities.

The FCDO follows the 10/20/70 L&D model:

  • 10% learning from formal education
  • 20% learning from those around you
  • 70% learning on the job

The CSSF provides additional opportunities through training and participating in lesson-sharing activities such as leading annual reviews.  The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop their organisational awareness and partnership skills through the job.

By way of example, other members of the CSSF Programme Team have engaged in the following:

  • Introduction to programme management
  • Assisting with Annual Reviews of CSSF projects in other parts of the world
  • Thematic training on themes that the post-holder agrees with the line manager and Head of CIEP.
  • The role will involve some regional travel.

Working Patterns:

Monday – Thursday: 08:00 – 16:30 

Friday: 08:00 – 13:00 

We are a flexible employer and allow for a mix of working from the office and working from home. 

The successful candidate must be Panamanian, or have a valid and current Work Permit through Ministry of Labour, and be able to provide it when requested by Embassy. The British Embassy – Panama City does not sponsor work permits. Please note that all applicants must be fluent in both English and Spanish. Office hours in the embassy are 8am-5pm Monday to Thursday and 8am-1pm on Fridays, though there is scope for flexible working arrangements, which can be agreed with the Line Manager. Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary, eg some non-local national staff and some spouses or partners of UK diplomatic staff, will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount.  

This role will likely require travel to countries within the Programme (including  potentially countries affected by conflict such as Colombia) as well as the UK. A valid passport is, therefore, essential.  Any individual applying must declare any issues that may impact visa applications to enter the UK or any other country.

The successful individual will be subject to security vetting.

The British Embassy Panama City is committed to creating a diverse working environment, free from discrimination, where everyone is included and treated fairly, based on merit alone.  We are proud to be an inclusive organisation, and we embrace diversity of race, gender, sexuality, age, religion, physical ability and civil status

We will only accept resumes and applications in English.

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.