View Vacancy - CPK - Prosperity Fund Project Officer (China Skills Development), B3(L)

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

In November 2015 the UK Government announced a £1.3bn Prosperity Fund over the next 5 years to promote the economic reform and development needed for growth in partner countries. Priorities will include improving the business climate, competitiveness and operation of markets, energy and financial sector reform. As well as contributing to a reduction in poverty in recipient countries, we expect these reforms to create opportunities for international business including UK companies.

The China Prosperity Fund portfolio, if approved, will consist of a number of sector-focused programmes.  One of these is the China Skills Programme, recently approved at outline strategic business case stage. 

As China seeks to transition to a new economic growth model, one of the main challenges the country faces is the size and scale of its skills gap. The mismatch between the skills Chinese employers’ need and those that workers actually possess represents a huge opportunity cost, estimated to be US$250 billion or 2.3 percent of GDP in 2020.  

The Prosperity Fund China Skills Programme will focus on supporting China to develop high level technical and vocational skills, where the greatest needs exist.  The programme will draw on UK expertise to support China addressing some of its current key constraints, meanwhile create a more enabling environment for UK business and skills sector players to access China’s skills market.

The Project Manager will play a supporting role in managing and delivering existing project of Prosperity Fund China Skills programme  to maximizing its impacts.  S/he will be responsible for stakeholder management (UK and Chinese private sector, Chinese government, think-tanks and academics), support business case development and implementation of scoping projects.  As such the successful candidate will need to demonstrate strong programme and budget management, communicating, collaborating and influencing skills.

To deliver an impactful Skills Programme, you will work in collaboration with:

  • Embassy colleagues in the Prosperity Fund, British Council, DIT, Science and Innovation Network (SIN), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and DFID
  • Department for Education, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and DFID in London
  • Relevant Chinese ministries, government authorities, think-tanks, universities and colleges
  • International Organisations such as UNDP, ILO, World Bank, European Union Delegation
  • The UK Education and Skills industry

The successful candidate will have experience of working in a programme environment with a working knowledge of programme development, budget management, monitoring, evaluating and reporting, preferably in the education and skills sector.

Support programme delivery

The job holder will support the programme manager and implement specific projects, events and activities as delegated to deliver high impact and value for money against Prosperity Fimd criteria.  This will include supporting procurement of external suppliers as well as engaging with programme partners to implement specific strands of the programme in line with the work plan.

Contract and suppliers management

The job holder will engage and manage a wide range of external suppliers and contracts, liaising with the Prosperity Fund Central Team ensuring that suppliers are held accountable, budgets are well-managed, performance is monitored and risks were managed. S/he will also be responsible for ensuring programme records and impact are captured and reported.

Policy support for the Skills programme

The job holder will be expected to conduct desk research, provide input to regular policy briefing and sector intelligence on UK and China’s skills development, including input into the design and development of the overall programme to ensure programme coherence, alignment with key priorities and achievement of substantive outcomes.  The job holder will also be expected to autonomously develop expertise on certain policy areas to support the team.

  • University graduate
  • Minimal two years of programme management experience preferably in education and skills, familiar with programme management circle and have hand-on experience in programme design, implementation, M&E and risk management
  • Excellent budget management skills
  • Experience working with external stakeholders in both commercial sectors and government institutions
  • Excellent IT skills including Microsoft excel and word
  • Strong communications skills
  • Strong specialist knowledge and network in education and skills sector
  • Familiar with UK and China’s education and skills system
  • Previous working experience with government or international organisations
30 May 2018
Executive Officer (EO)
Full-time, Fixed term, with possibility of renewal
35
Asia Pacific
China
Beijing
British Embassy
1
CNY
17,670
16 July 2018

We offer a competitive package, which includes basic salary, good leave entitlement, and insurance plan, etc. The gross salary (before all deductions) is CNY 17, 670/ month for Chinese Nationals and an abated monthly salary of CNY 24, 529/ month for British Nationals and spouses/ partners (all nationalities) of diplomats who are ‘W’ (diplomatic) visa holders and meet passport criteria.

We also offer excellent development opportunities and a 22-day annual leave entitlement in pro rata.

Conditioned working hours is 35 hours/ week from Monday to Friday and flexible working can be arranged upon personal needs.

For more details on our Total Rewards Package, please visit our website http://www.gov.uk/government/world/china.

Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy Beijing is subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Chinese employment law.

All applications must be received before 11:55PM (China Standard Time) on 30 May 2018.

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.

To those applicants not short-listed, we extend our appreciation for considering the British Government as a potential employer.

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.