Short-term UK based Programme Manager At APT Action on Poverty

Summary

Duration: 3 months or to the end of September 2021, depending on the start date.

We are seeking a consultant/programme manager to assist with the management of two on-going programmes and to develop new opportunities and proposals. Funding opportunities permitting, this may be extended. Whilst the post is being advertised as full-time, part-time will also be considered (minimum 60% FTE). Please state this in your application.

The candidate must have experience of programme management and the livelihoods sector, and be available to start quickly. The ideal candidate will be based in the UK with some attendance at our office in Worcestershire.

Candidate Brief

1. Action on Poverty is a UK based NGO focused on providing economic solutions to address hunger, injustice and barriers to safe and lasting work for marginalised groups in Sub Saharan Africa. We aim to bring about sustainable economic and social improvements, building self-reliance by working with some of the most vulnerable people to obtain a livelihood, through enterprise (including agricultural) and employment.

Key Features:

1. Our target beneficiaries: poor and vulnerable people who are particularly marginalised, excluded through their disability, gender, age, HIV/AIDS status, conflict, ethnicity or environment. **

2. Our area of activity and expertise: Enabling people to improve their livelihoods through access to markets and decent work.

We assist these target groups to participate in mainstream markets, enabling them to access incomes and to create and/or develop sustainable livelihoods.

We also tackle the reasons for their vulnerability and exclusion, building on the self-reliance and dignity secured through economic solutions to tackle stigma, discrimination and abuse of rights. We believe the synergy between these has great value.

1. Our partnerships with local organisations, fostering their independent development. We exchange expertise and strengthen capacity according to need and aspiration.

Current Work: Our current long-term projects are in Uganda, Kenya, Sierra Leone and a new project in Tanzania. These projects support the efforts of poor and vulnerable men and women to claim their rights and access a sustainable livelihood and as a result bring about real and lasting change. Working in partnership is at the forefront of what we do. Our work includes sector-based projects (such as in camel milk or soapstone sectors) which tackle weaknesses in a market system; and more people-centred projects (such as people with disabilities or vulnerable youth) which address the needs of a marginalised group. The latter aim not only to access basic needs through livelihoods, but to build status, confidence to demand rights, reduce discrimination and catalyse attitude change.

2. Key responsibilities of the Action on Poverty’s Programme Manager

2.1 Overview

The role of the Programme Manager is to:

• Ensure effective programme delivery by working in partnership with local organisations and project donors.
• Contribute to identifying new opportunities for funding and preparing proposals for submission; including the development of ideas for new ways of working.

Responsibilities:

2.1 Programme Management

2.1.1 Contract delivery with partner

• Ensuring appropriate planning and reporting mechanisms are in place.
• Ensuring partnership agreement and donor contracts are adhered to
• Reviewing with the partner, and assisting with problem solving on:
• progress against planned activities and project objectives
• monitoring arrangements
• progress against budget
• financial reporting by partner
• Ensuring quality and timely reports to meet the requirements of donor(s) are compiled and submitted.
• Providing other key technical inputs as part of APT’s added value e.g. in Monitoring and Evaluation, Organisational Development, Market-led enterprise developments. Commissioning mid-term reviews and end of project evaluations, or other project activities as detailed in the proposal.

2.1.2. Financial Management

• Maintain records and control expenditure on both the partner’s and APT budget lines in consultation with the Finance Manager
• Compliance with APT’s policies and procedures regarding quarterly financial reporting, including ensuring partners’ compliance

· Authorising the transfer of funds to partners with consultation with the Finance Manager as appropriate

· Ensure annual audit reports are received from each partner, special audits if requested.

· Compilation in consultation with local partner, and submission to donor for approval any proposal for revision / rescheduling of project budget, and explanations for any variance between budgeted and actual expenditure.

2.1.3. Developing/Maintaining Donor Relationship

· Sharing information on key issues and topics of concern with donor(s)

2.1.4. Other

• Gathering case studies and photographs for APT publicity and fundraising.

· Sharing of learning, with other APT staff and for wider sharing / publication

• Preparation of summaries of progress for Trustee meetings
• Reporting on agreed KPI’s from the APT Strategic Plan

2.2 Programme Development

Contributing to:

• Keeping abreast of relevant sectoral, thematic, and country developments
• Focussing on high quality projects which lead to lasting positive benefit for participants and communities
• Reviewing ongoing projects and assisting in the development of new projects, including the submission of proposals, in an effective mutually respectful partnership working style.
• Seeking new partnership and project opportunities in APT’s key fields of competence within and outside the traditional project format, including a range of stakeholders as partners.
• Increasing the ability for APT and partners to leverage further beneficial change through demonstrating successful results.

2.3 General:

• Contribute to monitoring and sharing donor trends.
• Contribute to the development of organisational plans and strategy.
• Represent APT at meetings, events and other networks as appropriate.
• Undertake or participate in other organisational projects as requested by the CEO.
• Contribute to the work of other Action on Poverty colleagues in communications and relationship building, including the provision of information and engagement with social media.

2.4 Reporting structure

The person in this position will report to the Chief Executive.

3.0 Person Specification

Experience:

· Field experience of living and working in the global south, preferably for 2 years in programme management and with experience in East or West Africa. The programme you will be managing initially will be in Tanzania and Kenya.

· Experience of partnership and project cycle management in the development context.

· Experience (/knowledge) of the requirements of donor reporting and bid preparation in the development context.

· Experience of livelihoods and enterprise development and issues facing particularly vulnerable groups.

· Researching and maintaining new donor relationships, particularly institutions and/or corporates.

· Budget construction and management.

Knowledge:

Some understanding of:

· Livelihood development and market systems development approaches

· Rights based approaches and of the issues facing severely vulnerable, stigmatised people.

· Development concepts, best practice and trends.

· Requirements of institutional and either corporate or trust fundraising in a development context.

· A Masters Degree in International Development is preferable but not essential

Skills:

· Ability to build lasting and positive relationships with external stakeholders

· Ability to work with remotely based partners

· Good listening and oral communication skills

· Research and analytical skills

· Good numeracy skills and a good working knowledge of excel

· Excellent written skills with a proven ability to process and analyse complex technical information and present it in the most appropriate form

· Be ‘technology savvy’ in the roles and responsibilities identified.

· Good time management skills, able to work under pressure and meet deadlines

Personal Attributes:

Ability to:

· Work in a small dynamic team with limited access to resources, and proactively on own initiative.

· Be flexible and willing to support others at times when particular organisational priorities take precedence.

· Work in a culturally sensitive and appropriate manner

· Able to identify and follow up on new ideas

· Remain positive and proactive, and quickly recover from setbacks.

· Nurture professional relationships with colleagues, partners and external contacts at all levels.

· Demonstrate attention to detail

· Commitment to the values and mission of Action on Poverty

The Programme Manager must be prepared to undertake field trips to programmes in Africa for 2-3 weeks at a time when travelling becomes accessible. Work occasional evenings and weekends, with occasional travel within the UK may be required.

Equal Opportunities

We value diversity and seek to reflect this in our staff team. We welcome applications from people from all sections of the community, irrespective of race, colour, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief.

Policies and Practice

The successful candidate must have a commitment to Action on Poverty’s values and mission; comply with Action on Poverty’s policies and practice, including our code of conduct and safeguarding policies.

Eligibility

Only people eligible to work in the UK can apply for this position. For further details please check:

https://www.gov.uk/legal-right-work-uk

4.0 Terms and Conditions

Salary: £28,000 – £35,000 per annum (pro rata if part-time) dependent upon experience. **

Hours: The post is full-time based on a 35 hour week. Core hours Monday to Friday are expected but flexi-time is in operation whereby staff can start earlier or later in agreement with his/her line manager and work corresponding hours.

Overtime/evening or weekend working: A rest day is offered to staff after an assignment outside Europe exceeding 7 days in duration; TOIL (Time Off in Lieu) is given for days worked outside normal working hours. No overtime is payable.

Location: Pershore, Worcestershire WR10 3NE. However, we operate flexible working arrangements with time working from home.

Holidays: The holiday year runs from 1 January to 31 December. The entitlement is 25 days plus Bank Holidays (all pro rata).

Probation & Notice Periods:

The notice period will be four weeks.

Equal Opportunities:

Action on Poverty has an Equality and Diversity Policy and all staff are expected to be aware of their responsibilities arising from it.