State Office Admin and Resource Assistant at British Council

Pay Band: Pay Band 4/H
Region: Sub Saharan Africa
Department: Education & Society
Job Category: Business Solutions
Post Duration: Fixed Term
Reports to: Operations Manager
Duration: Nigeria Fixed Term (till January 2021)

Role Purpose

• To oversee the resources function in the Edo State Office in line with the programme strategy, implementation plan and financial plan and to client and corporate standards.

Geopolitical/SBU/Function Overview

• The British Council in Nigeria is implementing the European Union Conflict Management in Nigeria programme under their Trust Fund (EUTF) and the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption programme in Nigeria under their Development Fund programme (EUDF).
• We will be implementing the Agents for Citizen-driven Transformation (ACT) Programme under the European Union development fund.
• In partnership with COFFEY, we are delivering the Policing work under their Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) and are managing the Programme Coordination Office for DFID’s Deepening Democracy in Nigeria Phase 2 (DDiN2) Programme.
• To support our existing contracts as well as future contracts, we are developing flexible structures that meet the global British Council standards to provide support to our FCR (Justice, Security and Conflict) work in Nigeria.
• The Conflict Management programme in North Eastern Nigeria is a €21m EUTF-funded Programme (2017-2021) and works with the overall aim of enhancing state and community level conflict management capability to prevent the escalation of conflict into violence in a number of locations in North-Eastern Nigeria.
• The Programme has an annual turnover of around £5-£6m and work in 3 states – Adamawa, Borno and Yobe as well as in Abuja. The programme is being delivered alongside a partner (International Alert) with the British Council leading the contract.
• The Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) programme in Nigeria is a €25m EUDF-funded Programme (2017-2021) and has the overall aim of enhancing good governance in Nigeria by contributing to strengthening of the rule of law, curbing corruption and reducing impunity.
• The programme has an annual turnover of around £5-£6m and work in 4 states – Adamawa, Anambra, Kano, Lagos, as well as in Abuja. The RoLAC programme will be extending to Edo State. 
• The Agents for Citizen-Driven Transformation Programme is a €15m EDF-funded Programme which aims to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development in Nigeria through enhancing the credibility of CSOs and enhancing their role as independent development actors and drivers of change.
• The ACT programme has completed its inception phase and will be proceeding to its implementation phase. The programme will be implemented at the Federal and in selected states where EU programmes concentrate.
• The Nigerian context is generally challenging, having poor infrastructure and currently facing a volatile security situation. There is still a significant reliance on the cash economy, corruption is high and the regulatory and compliance structures that exist are highly ineffective.
• The overall economic situation is not good with the low oil prices leading to high unemployment, increasing inflation and a shortage of foreign currency causing the value of the Naira to weaken considerably. This makes Nigeria a very challenging environment in which to deliver programmes. The State Office will be located in Benin, Edo State.
• The post holder must therefore have the ability to work in an ambiguous and difficult environment in which British Council processes need to be adapted or developed to cope with unusual requirements and changing context.
• The post holder will work closely with the programme delivery and management teams as well as having significant interactions with the technical teams and Nigerian partners.

Accountabilities, Responsibilities and Main Duties

Accountabilities:

• Accountable for ensuring that the state office resources/administrative functions support the operations of the state for the EU programmes.

Responsibilities and Main Duties
Logistic and Facilities - 15%

• Handle arrangements for all incoming visitors to the state office including transport and accommodation arrangements

Main duties will include:

• Ensure transport arrangements for all incoming staff/consultants to the state offices are in line with British Council policies.
• Ensure hotel accommodation reservations are made on time and that staff and consultants are informed on arrangement of their transport and hotel arrangements.
• Ensure that appropriate service contracts are in place for the state office and necessary services of the equipment are carried out in line with the agreed schedule.

Workshops and Events - 15%:

• Assist with the running of the logistical arrangements for all workshops, events and meetings

Main duties include ensuring that:

• All workshop logistical arrangements are in line with agreed standards.
• Procurement of workshop items are in line with procurement policy.
• Logistical support is provided to workshops, meetings and events according to stated requirements so that all workshops and events are carried out successfully and to agreed standards.

Office Management - 15%:

• Maintain appropriate filing system, accountable stationary register and asset register (in liaison with the Facilities & Procurement Manager) so that all contracts, reports and correspondence are filed properly and all stationary and equipment is recorded correctly.

Main duties include ensuring that: 

• All documents are accurately filed.
• The Accountable Stationary register is up to date.
• The Asset Register and Inventory is up to date and all the required items are correctly recorded .

Procurement - 15%:

• Liaise with all outside contractors and service suppliers concerning all services/utilities supplied to the state office.   

Main duties include:

• Ensure that all procurement is held in line with British Council’s procurement policy.
• Ensure that Purchase Orders (PO) are raised before any services are carried out or goods are supplied by selected vendors, and all payments and approvals are in line with British Council policy and delegation of authority.

Health, Safety and Security - 15%:

• Ensure the state office meets all the British Council’s standards around Health, Safety and Security.

Main duties include ensuring that:

• Fire drills are completed and fire equipment is maintained.
• Any security issues are reported promptly back to the Abuja office team
• The office vehicle fleet is maintained and that drivers complete and record details of all the vehicle safety checks     

Finance - 15%:

• Carry out basic finance duties as required in the state office in line with British Council policy.

Main duties will include:

• Holding and maintaining the office Petty Cash
• The correct filing of all finance documentation
• Distributing the monthly WHT and PAYE payments to the necessary state authorities 

IT Management - 10%:

• Assist with the maintenance of regional office IT infrastructures liaising with the IT and Web Support Officer.

Main duties include ensuring that:

• All IT equipment is properly maintained and serviced when due.
• GTI laptops are functioning well and that state office staff have the appropriate access.
• Back-ups are completed in line with agreed standards. 
• Escalate on timely basis any IT issues to be resolved – either to the IT and Web Support Officer or via Service now

Staff Management:

• Line manage the state office driver.

Other administrative work

• As required. 

Key Relationships
Internal:

• National Programme Managers,  Operation Managers, State Teams, Procurement and Estate Manager, HR Manager, Finance Manager, IT and Web Support Officer, Programme Officers, Admin and Resource Assistants in other locations.
• All Visiting National and International Consultants. 
• Other Project Teams

External:

• External relationship management where appropriate (i.e. linked to function of role), to include: EU, Civil Society Organizations,Facilitating Organizations,Vendors and other Suppliers, etc.

Role Requirements
Threshold Requirements:

• Passport requirements/ Right to work in countr - Right to live and work in Nigeria (Shortlisting)
• Direct contact or managing staff working with children - Appropriate child protection assurance checks in accordance with British Council policy
• NB: Some unsocial hours, weekend work and travel may be required where the need arises.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Essential: Graduate level education
• Desirable: Evidence of continuous professional development

Assessment Stage: Shortlisting

Role Specific Knowledge & Experience
Essential:

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience of working on programme logistics for an international organization.
• Experience of working as part of a successful team/function.
• Experience working with SAP.

Desirable:

• Experience of operating in a complex, multi-cultural context.
• Experience of managing fleet of vehicles.

Assessment Stage: Shortlisting

British Council Core Skills

• Managing People (Level 1): Support people - Provides support to less experienced members of the team and is aware of individual differences. Helps colleagues perform tasks and use systems and processes.
• Planning and Organising (Level 1): Is Methodical - Able to plan own work over short timescales for routine or familiar tasks and processes.
• Communicating and Influencing (Level 1): Communicates clearly and effectively - Listens to others and expresses self clearly, with grammatical accuracy and awareness of a diverse audience in speaking and writing.
• Managing Risk (Level 2): Supports a risk management culture - Has track record of identifying and highlighting risks and suggesting mitigating actions.

Assessment Stage: Shortlisting and Interview

British Council Behaviours Assessment Stage

• Creating shared purpose (Essential)  Creating energy and clarity so that people want to work purposefully together.
• Being accountable (More demanding) Putting the needs of the team or British Council ahead of my own. 
• Working together (More demanding) Ensuring that others benefit as well as me. 
• Connecting with others (More demanding)  Actively appreciating the needs and concerns of myself and others
• Making it happen (More demanding) Challenging myself and others to deliver and measure better results. 
• Shaping the future (Essential) Looking for ways in which we can do things better.

Assessment Stage: Interview and Performance Management