Programme Officer at British Council

Purpose of job

• To support implementation of a specified project or number of projects, ensuring project management and financial management meets client, corporate and programme quality standards.

Context and environment

• Nigeria is the British Council’s largest operation in SSA with offices in four cities: Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Kano. NSRP is a DFID-funded programme managed by the British Council (who lead a consortium including International Alert and Social Development Direct) that aims to enhance collective efforts to identify and respond effectively to potential sources of violent conflict in Nigeria and reduce the negative impacts of conflict on the most vulnerable among the Nigerian population.
• The programme will operate from four regional offices in Nigeria with a programme management unit situated in Abuja. The Programme Officer will be based in Abuja and will be required to travel to the regional offices periodically. The post will form part of the programme support team.
• The post holder must have the ability to work in difficult environments, often with limited infrastructure or support facilities. The programme will link closely with other BC-managed work in Nigeria, notably the Justice For All (J4A) programme. The post holder will work closely with the resources officers and with the technical team as well as the finance team and will report to the designated Output Manager..

Accountabilities, responsibilities and main duties

Accountabilities

•     Accountable for the successful implementation of specified projects, ensuring client, corporate and programme standards are fully met.
•     Accountable for ensuring specified project activities are accurately costed and budgets are managed effectively.
•     Accountable for ensuring timely and accurate support to financial and technical reporting.

Responsibilities and main duties

1.) Project implementation – 35%
Main duties will include:

•     Responsibility for the implementation of an agreed portfolio of projects within NSRP, ensuring documentation and processes are consistent with client, corporate and programme standards.
•     Responsibility for compliance with corporate systems.
•     Initiation of requests for procurement and management of internal and external resources for specific activities in consultation with Procurement Manager.
•     Risk management (identification, reporting and management) of designated area of work ensuring risks are identified and reported in a timely manner..
•     Designing of activity plans and schedules ensuring project activities are delivered on time, to quality and cost targets and client satisfaction.
•     Identify and implement improvements to project delivery.
•     Provision of logistical and administrative support to ensure implementation of designated portfolio ensuring client, corporate and programme policies and standards are met (e.g. for travel and accommodation) in conjunction with Resources Officer.

2.) Project evaluation and reporting – 25%
Main duties will include:

•     To support financial and technical reporting to internal/external clients and customers, ensuring reporting standards are in accordance with client and corporate standards.
•     To support project evaluation activities
•     To be responsible for activity closures and related processes, ensuring closures are completed in according to client and corporate and programme standards.
•     To be responsible for capturing and communicating the findings from feedback on project activities.

3.) Financial planning and management – 25%
Main duties will include:

•     Managing project-level finances using programme systems for an agreed portfolio of NRSP projects, ensuring client, corporate and programme standards are met.
•     Managing expenditure and activity risk for an agreed portfolio of projects to ensure financial targets are met.
•     Producing and managing activity and project budgets for an agreed portfolio of projects.
•     Managing the payment and reconciliation of advances (including supporting documentation) for workshops under an agreed portfolio of projects.
•     Ensuring all financial management for a designated portfolio of projects meets internal and external audit requirements.
•     Ensuring timely preparation and completion of reporting and checks.

4.) Marketing and customer services – 5%
Main duties include:

•     Contributing to the development of programme related activities.
•     Contributing to programme communication and promotion.
•     Ensuring excellent service delivery and act as a point of contact with the client and partners.

5.) Relationship management – 10%
Main duties include:

•     Building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders which enhance the ability in project delivery, ensuring the programme acts on feedback from the client and partners.

Qualifications

•     Bachelors degree in Social Sciences, Humanities or other relevant disciplines to development and peace studies

Experience
Project management

•     Clear ability to identify, design, plan, manage and evaluate projects from initiation to completion and to achieve the stated outputs and results and keep to budget, timescale and client satisfaction.

Financial management

•     Experience of costing and managing project budgets and using corporate financial management systems and controls.

•     Technical knowledge and/or experience of a sector relevant to the programme.