View Vacancy - CSSF Senior Programme Manager, UK Office for Syria

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CSSF (Conflict, Stability and Security Fund)

The UK Office for Syria at the British Embassy in Beirut has a vacancy for the CSSF Senior Programme Manager, Grade – HEO position.

Background:

The Conflict Stability & Security Fund (CSSF) provides development and security support to countries at risk of conflict or instability. At a global level it delivers security, defence, peacekeeping, peace-building and stabilisation activity in over 70 countries using both Official Development Assistance (ODA) and non-ODA funding.

The CSSF is a high-value fully cross-government fund which attracts substantial political interest, supporting the implementation of HMG country and regional strategies, including the NSC Syria Strategy.  It complements our political and humanitarian approaches across FCDO and provides practical support to hold the Syrian regime and its allies to account; and a longer-term investment in a more secure and stable future for Syria.

Main purpose of job:

The jobholder will work as a Programme Manager in the CSSF team – helping to deliver around £8.5m / year of support to help address the causes and consequences of conflict in Syria. The jobholder will be responsible for programme management of UK-funded projects operating in Syria, and will steer and primarily lead on UK support to civilian protection/community resilience in the Syrian context. At present, this includes delivering programme support to first response and early warning services in north-west Syria with the aim of saving lives, lessening human suffering and strengthening civilian protection.

The programme also has a strong gender focus and the jobholder will be responsible for ensuring compliance with the International Development Gender Equality Act (2014) by demonstrating consideration for gender equality and supporting CSSF ambitions to achieve the UK’s Women, Peace and Security objectives.

In addition to leading on the civilian protection/community resilience, there is a strong emphasis on accountability and justice running through all our projects and the jobholder will act as the Programme Responsible Office for overseeing the breadth of projects and ensuring coherence across the programme strand.  The complex nature of these projects and operating environment require a senior, experienced programme manager.

As a number of the programme’s key stakeholders are based in Turkey and the region, the jobholder will be expected to travel regularly (COVID-19 and travel restrictions permitting) to engage directly with partners and other relevant donor representatives.

The jobholder will join a small programme team, which includes a Head, Deputy Head, two Project Managers, and a Finance Officer. The programme team works closely with policy officers in the UK Syria Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in London to ensure that all programming informs and effectively delivers against UK Syria policy.

 

Roles and Responsibilities:

Monitor and evaluate project performance:

  • Close engagement with Syrian and international implementing partners to understand and oversee programme delivery.
  • Identify risks and problems with projects, taking the initiative to develop solutions.
  • Coordinate with Embassy, regional and London colleagues to ensure project activities are delivering against UK Syria policy, and report on key project successes, risks and challenges.
  • Evaluate project and programme performance including monthly financial programme reports and quarterly narrative reports, providing summary conclusions and recommendations to Syria Office political officers, regional colleagues and the steering board as required.
  • With the support of the Finance Officer, ensure reconciliation of implementers’ financial reports with financial documents, ensuring accurate quarterly/final progress and financial reports received from implementers as per programme deadlines.

Design and establish new projects:

  • Assist in identifying and designing new projects and drafting project bids.
  • Lead engagement with implementing partner organisations on one or more projects.
  • Engagement with a range of Syrian civil society organizations and INGOs to identify potential project partners.
  • Draft and finalise contracts for projects.
  • Prepare projects bids for review at internal board meetings.

Additional duties:

  • Participation in wider team activity and Embassy initiatives including ad-hoc support for Syria Office Beirut political work.
  • Support on high-level official and ministerial visits.

 

Resources Managed:

  • Delivering multi-year commercial contracts at a value of over £10m (spanning 2 years).
  • As PRO overseeing programme coherence for £6.6m programme strand.
  • Potential opportunities for line management responsibilities (to be determined).

 

Key Behaviours required for the job:

  • Making Effective Decisions: Use evidence and knowledge to support accurate, expert decisions and advice. Carefully consider alternative options, implications and risks of decisions.
  • Working Together: Form effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds, sharing information, resources and support.
  • Communicating and Influencing: Communicate purpose and direction with clarity, integrity and enthusiasm. Respect the needs, responses and opinions of others.
  • Seeing the Big Picture: Understand how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives. Recognise the wider Civil Service priorities and ensure work is in the national interest.

Knowledge & Skills:

The successful candidate will have excellent communication skills as well as being a strong team player with partnering skills with a diverse range of customers.  This is a high-paced role and you will need to be resilient in order to deliver high standards of service in a challenging but rewarding environment.  We are looking for someone that can demonstrate:

  • Integrity
  • Honesty
  • Objectivity
  • Impartiality

Essential:

  • Excellent communication skills in English (both spoken and written) including report writing.
  • Experience working with national and international NGOs to design and deliver programmes.
  • Minimum 3 years of experience working on project management delivery within deadlines.
  • Demonstrated ability to provide robust scrutiny of project budgets in the design and delivery phases, with sound judgement to ensure value-for-money.
  • Ability to identify, and manage risk, in compliance with programme management best practice.
  • Ability to synthesize information, identify key issues and propose next steps and solutions to problems.
  • Team player, good interpersonal skills and ability to build strong relationships with partner organisations.
  • Strong organisational skills and time management to meet deadlines.
  • IT literacy in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint).
  • Availability to travel to Turkey (e.g. to Istanbul / Gaziantep).

Desirable:

  • Fluency in Arabic (written and spoken).
  • University degree in International Relations, International Development or related field.
  • Knowledge of Syrian conflict history and present dynamics and experience of living in or working on Syria.
Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together
10 July 2022
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Fixed Term, Full-time
40
12 months
Middle East & North Africa
Lebanon
Beirut
British Embassy
1
USD
4790
1 August 2022

Working Hours and Remuneration:

Conditioned working hours are 40 hours gross per week. The Embassy is committed to ensuring that you are able to maintain a suitable work-life balance. Leave entitlement is 20 days (on pro rata basis) plus 14 public holidays. Some flexibility in working hours will be permitted subject to negotiation and agreement. The successful candidate will be required to attend set weekly meetings and some internal and external events possibly after working hours.

The embassy offers an attractive working environment and remuneration package of $ 4,790 monthly for this role. However, for third country nationals and UKB staff spouse/partners employed by the Embassy, you are not liable to pay Lebanese income tax, your salary will be abated by an amount equivalent to the Lebanese tax that would otherwise be payable (if appropriate). This is called salary abatement.

This position is offered on a Full Time, Fixed Term contract for 12 months, with possibility of extension.

The successful candidate will be subject to a 90 days probationary period. The appointment is also subject to satisfactory reference checks and local & UK security clearances.

The jobholder will be expected to attend relevant CSSF programme training courses and commercial contract mandatory training.

In addition to formal training requirements, the British Embassy Beirut, and the UK’s Syria Office, attach great importance to personal development of all staff. This job offers ample opportunity to develop a wide range of professional skills and gain experience of a broad range of programme activity. The role in particular offers opportunities to strengthen the successful candidate’s skills in managing large-scale, complex projects as part of a high-achieving team working to make a difference in a conflict environment. You will also have access to formal training opportunities in the region, the UK and more widely, focused on particular aspects of delivering programmes in conflict-affected and fragile states.

Eligibility:

If you are selected for this position, we will be able to employ you as long as you:

  • Receive the appropriate level of security clearance;
  • Have (or be willing to obtain) the right to live and work in Lebanon. Candidate's residence permit and work permit, and the expense to obtain them, will be their own responsibility.

Application Process:

Interested candidates must attach the following documents along with the completed online application form:

  • An updated Curriculum Vita (CV)
  • A covering letter

** (Applications that do not include the above stated information will be rejected).

All applications must be received before 23:55 (Beirut Time) on 10 July 2022.

 

Applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered.

Interviews will be held at the British Embassy Beirut Office or remotely via MS Teams. Due to the large amount of applications we receive only those shortlisted for assessment/interview will be contacted.

The start date mentioned in the advert is an assumed start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security vetting procedures.  Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving suitable clearances and reference checks.

 

The British Embassy is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference.  Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy is subject to Terms and Conditions of service according to local Lebanon employment law.

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.