Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment and educational details, experience-based segment and the behaviours and technical/ professional skills-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only for all the required details. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.’’

Main purpose of job:

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) pursues UK’s national interests and projects the UK as a force for good in the world. We promote the interests of British citizens, safeguard the UK’s security, defend our values, reduce poverty, and tackle global challenges with our international partners.

The British High Commission in Pakistan has an exciting opportunity for a project officer to join the CSSF / Integrated Security Fund  (ISF) Pakistan Cooperation on Serious Crimes Programme (CSCP) Team to minimise and mitigate the risks of conflict and instability in Pakistan and its direct/indirect impacts on UK.

The British High Commission (Mission) takes an integrated approach to delivery and the CSSF / ISF programmes are embedded in the Campaign Goals (CG) structure of the Mission. The job-holder will need to engage with multiple quarters of the Mission, work closely with Campaign Goal (CG) leads, the policy leads, and be able to absorb information from multiple sources and track multiple conversations.

The job holder would be based in the British High Commission Islamabad and report to the Programme Responsible Owner of Cooperation on Serious Crimes Programme (CSCP).

The individual will be required to demonstrate good financial management skills, excellent knowledge of the FCDO PRoF (Programme Operating Framework) CSSF Operating Framework; self-starting with strong ability to work independently to oversee and manage the financial aspect of a programme.

This is a demanding role which requires agility, close oversight of finance and ability to meet tight deadlines, whilst ensure the Mission’s objectives, delivering the required outcomes and making the expected contribution to the Pakistan (and other) Country Business Plan. In discharging the role, the successful candidate must act in accordance with the FCDO Programme Operating Framework (PROF).

We reserve the right to review, revise or amend the roles and responsibilities from time to time reflecting the changing needs of business.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?

Leading the corporate financial management for the assigned programme: (40%)

• Supporting the Senior Responsible Owner and Programme Responsible Officer financial management of the programme by collating information on financial spend and forecast on monthly basis and reviewing them against the activities outlined in the workplan. Ensuring they are realistic and in line with PRoF guidance.
• Act as a challenge function to the project managers by quality assuring their ambition and risk adjusting the amounts where necessary.
• Appraise SRO and PRO on the financial status of the programme clearly highlighting the underspend/overspend in each component and suggestions.
• Compile and share recommendations on the corporate financial returns by RAG rating the forecasted amounts with clear recommendations after approval from SRO.
• Act as a focal point for all financial related queries and lead liaison with CSSF finance lead representing the assigned programme.

Management of individual projects (15%)

The post holder is responsible for the active and hands-on management of projects within the CSSF portfolio, as identified by the Programme Manager, ensuring projects meet CSSF requirements. This includes:

• Managing agreements (contracts, MOUs, AGAs, etc) for individual projects, including extensions, amendments.
• Monitoring partner work/delivery plans, including providing constructive challenge to implementing partners (especially around effective organisation of activities).
• Monitoring partner spending and financial management of assigned projects, ensuring accurate monthly forecasting, quality assuring financial reports and invoices, ensuring reports are linked to verifiable activities reported in narrative reports, processing payments to implementing partners, and supporting audits, where relevant.
• Overseeing monthly / quarterly narrative reporting of project activities for assigned projects, ensuring the reports arrive on time, are linked to amounts reported in financial reports, are of appropriate quality and have the required sign off by programme and policy leads.
• Identifying and monitoring project-level risks, ensuring appropriate mitigating plans are established and implemented, with relevant issues flagged to the Programme Manager.
• Overseeing project-level reviews and completion reports for assigned projects, ensuring the reports arrive on time, are of appropriate quality and have the required sign off by programme and policy leads.
• Engaging regularly with partners of assigned project, meeting project partners monthly, attending relevant workshops/monitoring visits and sharing knowledge internally to inform others of important events and, as necessary, seek their engagement.
• Ensuring updates and revisions of project level results framework for assigned projects, with guidance from Programme Manager.
• Monitoring Annual Review recommendations at project level and ensuring they are implemented by partners.
• Ensuring cross cutting themes – including gender and human rights – are appropriately addressed by projects as directed by the Programme Manager.

Managing events effectively supporting CSSF team in achieving its results: (30%)

• Lead on managing events, visits, workshops etc as assigned for the designated programme.
• Ensure administrative and logistical arrangements are made efficiently and effectively to achieve vfm and a clear record is maintained.
• Ensure all risks around the arrangements are clearly communicated and recommendations are discussed with the visit lead / Programme Responsible Officer / Senior Responsible Owner (as appropriate) for decision making.
• Process relevant invoices and ensure key documentation is archived for audit purposes in line with the guidance.

Supporting effective management of the Programmes overall. This includes: (15%)

• Contributing to the programme reporting and requirements, including reports to Working Groups, Operational and Strategic boards, other results reporting, changes (as needed) to the Programme Documents, and programme-level financial forecasts.
• Contributing to the Annual Reviews drawing on project-related information.
• As required, provide admin support to the programme.
• Supporting drafting/revision of programme-level briefs and other reports by providing information on assigned projects to the Programme Managers and other BHC staff.
• Consolidating information for due diligence processes as directed by the Programme Manager
• Identifying opportunities to add value to other work streams across the BHC and make recommendations to the Programme Manager.
• Supporting the Programme Manager to identify and address weaknesses in delivery and partner capacity.

The successful candidate should show strong programme management skills as well as good interpersonal skills and ability to communicate and liaise effectively with partners at all levels. The candidate should be able to collaborate well with other team members and contribute productively to the team’s work and output, demonstrating respect for different points of view. She/he should possess strong analytical skills, ability to understand and analyse complex problems and to identify solutions.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):  

• No line management required.
• Job holder to assist with overseeing spending through project teams of multi-million pounds per annum.

Language requirements:

Language: English
Level of language required: Fluent.

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

The FCDO is committed to provide learning and development opportunities to all its employees, including:

• Formal in-house and external training.
• Coaching, mentoring and job shadowing.
• Structured learning on the job, including stretching objectives and work.
• Potential field visits to project deliverables, and attendance to regional conferences.

 Working patterns:

Full time employment with flexibly of working from home on a case-by-case basis with line manager approval.
Operating hours are Monday – Thursday 08:00 – 16:15 (with half an hour lunch break); Friday 08:00 – 13:00

Essential on arrival:  

Bachelor’s Degree; two years relevant project management experience, experience in financial management and financial reporting.

Essential on arrival:

• Bachelor’s degree in management / administration with financial management as majors
• At least 2 years of financial management experience of complex programmes to high standards of assurance and excellence, with emphasis on collaboration and team building.
• Strong interpersonal, communication skills, financial management skills and experience
• Demonstration of ability to engage cross departmental and cross-country stakeholders for effective delivery.
• Strong demonstration of implementation of PRoF including stakeholder, commercial, financial and risk management skills.
• Ability to prioritise workload and respond flexibly as new priorities arise.