The British High Commission (BHC) Freetown is looking to recruit a passionate and motivated Senior Programme Manager (SPM) to support high quality programme, people and portfolio management. The role sits within BHC Freetown’s Economic Growth Team (EGT) with cross-cutting responsibilities for 6 programmes, direct responsibility for delivery of least one programme (as a Programme Responsible Officer (PRO)) and line management of (up to) two staff. This is a fantastic opportunity to ensure our programmes deliver results for Sierra Leoneans through excellence in programme, financial, risk and commercial management. The post requires the ability to build trusted and influential relationships with suppliers and partners to deliver effectively. It also requires a team player, that is willing to take on tasks/responsibilities beyond their own day job, to contribute to the overall priorities and objectives of the BHC.

Roles and responsibilities:

The postholder will be expected to have a solid understanding of best-practice programme oversight, extensive implementation experience and to be able to provide expert advice and guidance on complex programme delivery and compliance issues. The right candidate will demonstrate a commitment to working collaboratively, transparently and accountably with colleagues in their team and across the office. We are looking for people with a pro-active attitude, the willingness to work responsively across several issues simultaneously and the ability to work with a range of different stakeholders.

The postholder will be expected to deliver improved programme management, not just in terms of compliance, but also in terms of practice, norms and ways of working. You will need to understand the links between effective programming, policy and influencing, and be adept at working not only with programme staff but also political officers, technical advisers, and policy counterparts across the office and in the UK. A key performance indicator will be the extent to which EGT’s PROs and Senior Responsible Officers (SROs) are further grounded the demands of the organisation’s Programme Operating Framework (PrOF); that they are seen regularly challenging themselves by checking their own understanding before acting or giving advice across the team; and that overall capability in programme leadership and proactivity increases.

Key responsibilities include:

1. Portfolio oversight: ensure high quality programme management is practiced across EGT’s programme portfolio (currently 6 multimillion programmes): work in a forward leaning and supportive manner with the PROs and SROs that make up EGT to ensure:

• All programmes are compliant with the PrOF. This will require creativity and ideas generation to improve day to day behaviours and practices, as well as meeting requirements on paper
• There is an open-door policy for EGT colleagues to ask for your guidance, advice and input on any programme-related queries or concerns
• Gaps in understanding and compliance are identified, fed-back within the team, guidance and improvement suggested and actions followed up
• The team regularly discusses and challenges each other on risks, fraud, safeguarding, financial management, results and sustainability, with you providing advice and guidance to ensure the significant financial resources within the EGT portfolio is well managed
• Information is stored and managed in a way that means it is easily accessible and provides a clear audit trail for key programme decisions
• Regular (at least quarterly) cross-portfolio health-checks take place to assist PROs and SROs in managing their programmes
• EGT data (availability and quality) is present on the organisation’s internal reporting systems (AMP, HERA, Teams)
• Direction is set so that the programme portfolio continues to improve and develop its approach to monitoring, and particularly evaluating, programmes based on the creation of evidence and scrutiny of results

2. Ensuring the effective financial management of programmes to ensure agreed programme and departmental spending targets are met, variances are minimised and Value for Money is achieved. Working collaboratively with EGT’s finance lead, you will be responsible for working collaboratively with the Team Leader to effectively plan and make decisions about programme spend between and across EGT’s programmes through the provision of regular, robust financial information (including on variances). You will play a critical role in determining financial allocations for EGT, including through any forthcoming Spending Review process. You will need to be comfortable reading, understanding and interpreting complex financial information at both programme and portfolio levels. This will include a) reviewing the spending plans of each programme, working with the information provided by the finance lead b) cross-checking this with PROs and SROs through monthly meetings and c) communicating this with cross-mission leadership at month-end finance meetings. You will also support the Team Leader during periods of budget negotiations with UK headquarters, quality assure PRO and SRO’s spending forecasts and be the first point of contact for queries on financial management within programmes (e.g. invoices, liquidity, paying in advance, KPIs etc).

3. Line management of key programme staff: over the course of the performance year, coach and manage (up-to) 2x Programme Officers supporting them to maximise their contribution in line with BHC’s Country Business Plan, deliver expectations, and to fulfil their potential. Ensure clear objectives are in place, hold weekly conversations, formal quarterly check-ins and ensure that these are recorded, and action points are noted and completed on reporting systems. Identify learning needs, support opportunities for development and promotion and tackle any dips/ poor performance quickly.

1. Extensive programme management experience, ideally with a large development partner (e.g. multilaterals/INGOs/donor agencies).
2. Excellent financial management and risk management skills.
3. Ability to work independently with limited supervision, take the initiative and deliver at pace.
4. Proven experience in engaging and managing external partners.
5. Strong IT capability including MS Excel and Word (e.g. the use of Microsoft office tools like word, excel, Power Point).
6. Fluency in spoken and written English language.
7. Experience in line management and building individual and team skills.
8. Leadership experience, demonstrated by leading or managing a team.