Save the Children recruits 01 Senior Programme Manager
The job of a Save the Children UK’s Senior Programme Manager is impactful and varied.
- Do you have extensive experience in project cycle and grant/contract management, with knowledge of institutional donor compliance requirements?
- Do you have extensive experience working with institutional donors such as FCDO, UN and multilateral agencies particularly on proposal development and report writing
- Do you have significant experience of working in the international aid sector, including in overseas roles, with practical experience and understanding of related contextual and operational issues?
- Are you motivated by our vision of creating a world where every child doesn’t just survive, but thrives, and can go on to change the world.
If the answers to these questions are yes, we would love to hear from you!
About Us
Save the Children UK believes every child deserves a future. In the UK and around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We ensure children’s unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach.
Job Purpose
The Senior Programme Manager’s(SPM) primary focus is to oversee the quality management of programmes and related awards (grants & contracts) that are part of a portfolio covering several COs or donors. The portfolio under the SPM’s overall responsibility is a sub-set within a wider portfolio covering a geographical region (‘regional portfolio’) or programmes funded by particular corporate and philanthropy donors (‘partnerships portfolio’). The composition of the portfolio under the SPM’s remit will vary over time, in line with changes and demands in SCUK’s overall international programmes funding portfolio.
This role involves both direct management of programmes and related awards implemented in specific country programmes or supported by particular corporate & philanthropy donor(s); and providing direction, support and technical advice to Programme Managers (PMs) working in the same portfolio sub-set. The SPM works with wide autonomy and decision-making capacity, both within their directly management portfolio as well as the portfolio sub-set, with regards to portfolio’s risks, issues, and workload management.
Being responsible for several COs or corporate & philanthropy donor(s), the SPM plays a key role, and works very closely with the Programme Management Lead in the effective development and implementation of regional and partnership strategies; in identifying and addressing systemic risks and issues; in improving and creating new internal processes; and in ensuring the capacity building and professional development of PMs.
Please Note: There are 3 x Senior Programme Manager roles available (1 x 18 months, 1 for 12 months and 1 for 11 months)
Main Accountabilities
The Senior Programme Manager’s key duties will be to:
Support to quality programming in Country Offices
- Drive the COAC (Country Offices as Agent of Change) agenda across relevant teams in SCUK, by making the COs’ priorities, analysis and decision-making the centre of SCUK support to Save the Children programming.
- Develop strong a knowledge of in-country context and current issues, as well as of Save the Children’s key programmatic themes and priorities, for the countries or programmes under their directly managed portfolio. Provide input to the Programme Management Lead and influencing SCUK funding strategies for the countries or programmes under their portfolio.
- Act as the focal point within SCUK for any matter or question regarding the countries or programmes under their responsibility.
- Contribute to the growth of Country Office’s funding portfolio and facilitate this is in line with their Country Strategic Plans (CSPs), Strengthen and build capacities of CO staff, particularly around quality programming and funding management and donor compliance.
- Develop a strong knowledge of donor’s priorities and interests in the country(ies) under their responsibility.
- Develop and maintain relevant donor relationships, serving as the focal point for HQ-level donor staff, for the countries or programmes under their directly managed portfolio.
- Travel to Country Office’s as required, in order to provide higher level strategic support.
Lead business development, award management and donor compliance assurance
- Monitor and oversight of all SCUK-supported programmes for the countries or programmes under their directly managed portfolio, including identifying related risks and managing issues.
- Grant and contract management, from point of contract negotiation and signature, to quality assurance during implementation, and working with other SCUK departments to support reporting. Ensure awards in the portfolio are compliant with donor requirements and SC quality standards
- Provide support to COs in meeting key programme deliverables, as well as other donor expectations.
- Act as key liaison point between programmes in their portfolio and Programme Management Team and PP senior management, ensuring they are fully briefed in order to make key major strategic decisions.
- Ensure relevant quality assurance processes are completed so that programmes are running effectively and on time.
- Identify new funding opportunities, as follow-on from existing awards and/or as part of the day-to-day interaction with donors. Provide input in or lead on bid management for SCUK institutional and non-institutional proposals
Funding portfolio sub-set oversight
- Provide oversight, support and prioritisation for the management of the portfolio sub-set under their responsibility, acting as first point of senior advice and decision-making on complex issues, involving medium to low risk, brought forward by the PMs working in the same portfolio sub-set.
- Monitor risks and issues developments within the portfolio sub-set, making sure that the Programme Management Lead and PP senior management are aware and fully briefed of issues requiring major strategic decisions.
- Approve and sign-off opportunities and documents, as per delegated authority, within the portfolio sub-set.
- Provide input to the Programme Management Lead and ROs in resource mobilisation strategies for COs and donors within the portfolio sub-set, making sure that agreed priorities are implemented by PMs, as well as other teams, working in the portfolio sub-set.
- Monitor KPIs and other data related to programme and funding management, providing analysis to relevant stakeholders based on information extracted from the databases and information systems managed by the team
- Ensure that input into risk management tools provide sufficient and accurate information to drive evidence-based and effective decision-making by senior leadership.
- Lead on monitoring internal processes and procedures, identifying areas of improvement and recommending changes
People management
- Provide effective support and manage workload for PMs working in the portfolio sub-set under the SPM’s responsibility (‘work management’), as part of matrix management with the Programme Management
- Train, coach and strengthen the capacities and competencies of Programme Management Team members
- Ensure there is learning and sharing of experiences within the portfolio sub-set, as well as across the Programme Management Team
Other accountabilities
- Deputise for the Programme Management Lead as necessary
- To carry out the responsibilities of the role in a way which reflects Save the Children’s commitment to safeguarding children in accordance with the Child Safeguarding Policy.
- A commitment to Save the Children’s vision, mission, values and approach.
Person Profile
Experience and Knowledge
- Extensive experience in project and grant/contract management, with knowledge of institutional donor compliance requirements
- Extensive experience working with institutional donors such as FCDO, UN and multilateral agencies (e.g. UNICEF, OCHA, World Bank), particularly on proposal development and report writing
- Significant experience of working in the international aid sector, including in overseas roles, with practical experience and understanding of related contextual and operational issues. Good working knowledge of one or more countries supported by SCUK
- Strong working knowledge of international development/humanitarian issues.
- Significant financial processes and reporting skills
- Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different organisations, functions, and cultures, often remotely.
Abilities
- A commitment to safeguarding, anti-racism, eradicating inequality and child rights in all aspects of your work.
- Ability to manage a complex and varied workload, in order to organise and prioritise multiple tasks efficiently, manage reactive and proactive work, and deliver tasks to tight deadlines.
- Proven analytical and problem-solving skills. Ability to identify and implement effective processes for achieving outcomes.
- A high degree of flexibility and adaptability to respond to changing needs and effectively address issueProven attention for detail and ability to effectively manage a high volume of data and information.
- Very strong team skills, with the ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships and collaborate both within and outside the team
- Strong communication skills, with good written and spoken English
- Willingness to travel
Ways of Working:
Remote First – The majority of our roles can be performed remotely, however you may work from the office as often as you wish. Whilst you will be predominantly working from home, we may require you to come to your contracted office up to 2-4 days per month or 6-8 days per quarter (Note: This will be agreed with your Line Manager and team) This is intended to be time spent on collaborating with colleagues and relationship building.
On-site – There are certain roles that cannot be performed remotely and so your role will be based in an office location and you may occasionally be able to work from home.
Flexible Working – We are happy to discuss flexible working options at interview.
Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:
Save the Children UK believes in a world that is fair, inclusive and equitable where all children have the opportunity to change their world. We apply this to our workforce and we are committed to developing and supporting a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organisation where all employees have a sense of belonging and feel that they can be « Free to Be Me ». We are mot looking for just one type of person – we want to recruit people who can add fresh perspectives, innovative ideas or challenge that disrupts the risk of group think.
We are especially interested in people whose childhood experiences – of life on a low income, of migration, of being in a racialised community, of the care system, of being LGBT+ or in an LGBT+ family or living with (or with someone with) a disability – help us to see things we might otherwise miss. Whatever your story is we want to hear it because we know that different voices, ideas, perspectives and knowledge, working together will enable us to better the lives of children around the world. This is the reason why we are all here.
To see our full statement please visit this link: https://jobs.savethechildren.org.uk/our-policies/diversity/
Salaire
Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract / Internal Secondment
Full / Part Time: Full time (flexible working options available)
Contract Duration: 13 months
Salary Range: £40,000 – £46,000