FCDO: Digital Access Programme Manager HEO (Maternity cover) (28/25 PTA) – Pretoria - Tenders Global
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FCDO: Digital Access Programme Manager HEO (Maternity cover) (28/25 PTA) – Pretoria

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The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer.  We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow. The FCDO operates an agile workforce and to facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time, as we may reasonably require.

Job Category
 

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Programme Roles)

Job Subcategory
 

Economic and Prosperity

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)
 

Main Purpose of Job:

  • Many countries, including middle-income countries still face considerable challenges such as youth unemployment, climate change, high and persistent inequality (including gender inequality) and digital exclusion, which can lower long-term growth prospects.
  •  The British High Commission in South Africa delivers a portfolio of activities to support the broad-based and inclusive growth needed for poverty reduction. Our strategic priorities within the Economic Development team include supporting trade and investment, improving business environment and economic reform, driving productivity in key sectors through employment interventions, improving digital access, support for entrepreneurship and SMEs and sustainable urban development.
  •  Access to the internet is a powerful catalyst to prosperity, reducing poverty and building inclusion – with a 10% increase in internet access linked to 3% growth in GDP, and a range of social and economic benefits. A UK priority is to facilitate wider and more affordable, sustainable, safer and more secure digital access for excluded and underserved populations, harnessing the power of digital inclusion and transformation to tackle poverty, build prosperity and enable millions of people – especially socio-economically disadvantaged populations – to benefit from digital services and opportunities.
  •  This role will be expected to support the Head of Digital Access in the development and delivery of pillar 1 of the Digital Access Programme in South Africa (Models and Enablers).  This will require an ability to apply programme management, financial management, procurement, coordination, monitoring, risk management, communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Digital Access programme:

  • The Digital Access Programme (DAP) aims to address the fundamental constraints to digital inclusion across five countries, including South Africa, through complementary components: ‘Models & Enablers’ Pillar – Test and validate innovative, inclusive and scalable technology and business models in order to facilitate the sustainable expansion of affordable connectivity, digital literacy, skills, locally-relevant digital content and services for excluded or underserved communities with an emphasis on gender, disability and broader inclusion. This is complemented by key enablers such as digital inclusion policy and regulatory reforms and capacity building of key institutions in partner countries.‘Sustainable Digital Ecosystems’ Pillar – Stimulate local digital economies and support local tech entrepreneurs to find innovative solutions to local development challenges (‘tech for good’ / ‘tech for social impact’), create local skilled jobs, and forge partnerships between local start-ups and international businesses (including UK firms) through a Tech Hub network to drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth.The above is also complemented by the activities of a historical programme component (‘Trust & Resilience’ Pillar) through which the UK supports partner countries’ capacity to prevent and respond to cybersecurity harms affecting governments, businesses and citizens (including by strengthening basic cyber-hygiene skills of relevant institutions).

More information on the Digital Access Programme can be found here.

Roles and Responsibilities: As Digital Access Programme Manager, you will be responsible for the delivery of Pillar 1 of the Digital Access Programme:

Project Management [30%]

  • Contribute to the development of the Digital Access Programme annual country level implementation plan, coordinating with in-country consultants and central DAP team and drawing on policy, commercial and finance colleagues as required.
  • Develop and maintain a programme Delivery Plan
  • Ensure internal management information systems have correct programme data, including budgets and in-year spending forecasts.
  • Carry out first drafts of terms of reference (ToRs) and/or administer amendments for contracts and agreements where required.
  • Ensure asset registers are established and kept up to date
  • Programme horizon scanning to ensure consistency and complementarity to other digital access programmes across FCDO and HMG as well as other development partners and the South African Government.
  • Ensure compliance with FCDO’s programme management requirements and keep up to date on developments in programme management processes and rules across FCDO

Financial Management [25%]

  • Proactively manage financial forecasts, working closely with Head of Digital Access, Head of Economic Development.
  • Provide accurate financial information to the team as required.
  • Review partner/supplier financial reports checking for variances and value for money issues.

  • Manage audit requirements, ensuring reports and/or Annual Audited Statements are received, reviewed and findings pro-actively followed up.
  • Ensure all requisitions, purchase orders and receipting/payment of invoices meet FCDO’s financial rules, and are linked to agreed programme milestones and/or partner or supplier reporting obligations.

Managing Risk & Issues [20%]

  • Contribute to the development and maintenance of programme risk strategies, focusing on mitigating the risk of fraud and corruption and ensuring other risks are addressed in liaison with Head of Digital Access and PAT and others as required.
  • Maintain programme risk register, proactively highlighting and escalating concerns, risks and issues to appropriate level.
  • Construct a delivery chain map showing key issues and risks at each stage of funds movement.
  • Conduct Due Diligence Assessments and ensure follow up on issues or actions as required.

Stakeholder management [15%]

  • Develop and maintain strong relationships with partners and suppliers (including the central DAP team in London and in-country and global delivery partners) being the recognised first point of contact on programme management issues.
  • Exercise sound judgement on escalating technical and policy issues to Head of Digital Access appropriately.
  • Organise partner/supplier meetings/calls as necessary.
  • Review partner/supplier reporting, identifying areas of concern to programme team and recommending remedial actions where required.
  • Can represent FCDO in programme discussions as needed.

Monitoring, evaluation and learning [10%]

  • Work with delivery partners to ensure reporting is provided as expected to feed into ongoing programme management as well as annual review and end of programme processes.
  • Contribute to/lead Annual Reviews (ARs)/Project Completion Review (PCR) exercises, including drafting all or portions of ToRs and final reports.
  • Organise field visits and ensure findings feed back into programme Delivery Plan.
  • Ensure that the programmes can adapt to new digital access priorities and continue to support the UKs digital policy offer to South Africa.

Resources managed:

  • As all other staff at post, the post holder is expected to participate in wider British High Commission activities. These may include being active on various committees and in other corporate roles.
  • There will be some possibilities for travel in South Africa and to the UK, as needed based on the Programme’s objectives and priorities.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience
 

  • Undergraduate qualification in one of the following fields:  ICT policy and regulation, Telecommunications, social studies and/or development studies, business studies or related field
  • Experience of supporting the day-to-day administration and delivery of large and/or complex projects and programmes, with a good eye for detail.
  • Developing and applying tools to support effective project and financial management as well as supporting delivery control of implementing partners.
  • Experience of developing and executing programme/project implementation plans, and of designing and monitoring project budgets.
  • Experience of applying project coordination, monitoring, risk management and stakeholder engagement skills.
  • Supporting the commissioning of work packages or procuring delivery through external implementing partners and contract management.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience
 

  • Professional experience in at least one of the following areas will be desirable:  digital access (policies, regulations, and technology and business models for inclusive connectivity, digital skills, digital content, digital services), telecommunications, digital/ICT, online safety, community engagement.
  • Knowledge and understanding of the digital for development and cybersecurity capacity building agendas.
  • Experience working with economic development programmes, including in South Africa.
  • Experience of working in or with government, private sector or civil society in relevant fields in South Africa.

Required behaviours
 

Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Managing a Quality Service, Seeing the Big Picture

Application deadline
 

11 September 2025

Grade
 

Higher Executive Officer (HEO)

Type of Position
 

Temporary, Fixed Term

Working hours per week
 

36.5

Duration of Post
 

5 months

Region
 

Africa

Country/Territory
 

South Africa

Location (City)
 

Pretoria

Type of Post
 

British High Commission

Number of vacancies
 

1

Salary Currency
 

ZAR

Salary
 

739 696,75 (Base salary is subject to tax and other statutory deductions)

Type of Salary
 

yearly

Start Date
 

1 November 2025

Other benefits and conditions of employment
 

Learning and development opportunities:
  • We place a strong emphasis on learning and development.  You will be encouraged to undertake developmental training and get involved in corporate activities.
  • This role provides an excellent opportunity to build up programme knowledge and expertise and gain exposure to working across government.

Additional information
 

Please ensure that your application is authentically written based on your own experiences. If AI tools are used, their usage must only be limited to specific tasks such as ensuring formatting consistency and keyword relevance. The core content, personal narratives, and responses to behaviour and skill-based questions must genuinely reflect your professional journey, experiences, and achievements. We place great importance on originality and individual effort throughout the application process. Any form of plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification.

  • Please complete the application form in full as the information provided is used during screening.

  • Please check your application carefully before you submit, as no changes can be made once submitted.
  • The British High Commission will never request any payment or fees to apply for a position.
  • Employees recruited locally by the British High Commission in Pretoria are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in South Africa.
  • It is essential that the applicants already have the right to live and work in South Africa without the need to apply for a work permit.
  • Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount.   
  • Information about the Civil Service Success Profiles can be found on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles. Please note:  AA=A1, AO=A2, EO=B3, HEO=C4, SEO=C5 
  • Reference checking and security clearances will be conducted on successful candidates.
  • Please log into your profile on the application system on a regular basis to review the status of your application.
  • Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list’.  If during the reserve period of 12 months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate.

To help us track our recruitment effort, please indicate in your cover/motivation letter where (tendersglobal.net) you saw this job posting.

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