Driver at British Council

Role Type: Business Delivery
Pay Band: 1/K
Duration: Fixed term 3+ years
Reports to: Programme Officer
 
Role Purpose

• The Driver will be responsible for providing safe, secure and efficient transportation of personnel and resources and taking proper care of vehicles in accordance with the organisation’s policies and 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 are 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. 
• Agents for Citizen-driven Transformation (ACT) programme is an EU funded programme being implemented by the British Council. The programme is funded under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) and will be implemented over a period of five years from July 2018, with the first 6 months serving as the programme Inception Phase for the development of strategies for full programme implementation. The ACT programme will contribute to the progressive achievement of several of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as to the national development priorities identified in the Nigeria Vision 20:20 Economic Transformation Blueprint.
• The Overall Objective of the programme is to contribute to more inclusive, effective, accountable and gender-responsive development in Nigeria; while its specific objectives is to enhance the credibility and role of CSOs as drivers of change for sustainable development in Nigeria. The programme has an annual turnover of around £3-£4m and will be implemented at the Federal level 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 Programme Support Office is located in Abuja, but in an office that is separate from the main British Council office.  
• 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 difficult context. S/he 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
Project delivery: 

• Clearly providing timely communication regarding transport arrangements and any changes to transport users and the ACT progamme team. 
• Raising advances relating to journeys and making retirements according to agreed time standards for same.  
• To render transport assistance to officers and or consultants involved in programme delivery activities.
• To undertake logistical support to designated workshops, meetings and events according to stated requirements.
• Carry out routine mail dispatch service as may be required.

Vehicle Maintenance and record management:

• Ensure vehicles are serviced in line with the service schedule and that periodic routine vehicle checks are made and that defects and damage are reported promptly. Vehicles are clean and refuelled regularly.
• Daily internal and external maintenance checks on all programme vehicles to ensure all vehicles are roadworthy before the start of any journey.
• Carry out driving and transportation duties in relation to travel bookings, activity and event management and maintain vehicle log books, journey and fuel records.

Team Support and Contribution:

• To assist in taking photographs in events and assembling newspaper and magazine clips where necessary and practical. 
• To seek to understand the interdependencies and connections that the FCR programmes have with other organisations and manage such relationships within own work area.

Customer Service:

• Excellent customer service delivery as the first point of contact to British Council visitors and colleagues at the airport.
• Provide ad hoc advice and information to visitors regarding the local area and transport facilities (programme and non-programme).

Continuous Professional Development

• To ensure personal development on IT skills for wider adminstrative assistance.
• Regular Defensive Driver Training courses to be arranged by the British Council  

Key Relationships
Internal:

• National Programme Managers, Technical Lead, Operation Managers, Procurement and Estate Manager, HR Manager, Finance Manager, Programme Officers, Admin and Resource Assistants.
• Other members of the Support Team
• 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, consultants, external partner organisations, MDAs etc.

Requirements
Qualifications:

• National Diploma or equivalent - Essential
• Intermediate level driving certificate - Essential
• Shortlisting - Assessment Stage

Role Specific Knowledge & Experience:

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience as a driver with an international organization - Essential
• Experience of working as part of a successful team/function - Essential
• Knowledge of traffic rules and road network in the region - Essential
• Experience of work in an FCR project - Desirable
• Experience of operating in a complex, multi-cultural context - Desirable
• Basic mechanical knowledge - Desirable
• Shortlisting and interview - Assessment Stage

Role Specific Skills:     

• Basic IT skills including word and excel - Essential
• Advanced driving skills - Essential
• Customer service - Essential
• Participation in previous defensive driver training - Desirable
• Shortlisting and interview - Assessment Stage