British High Commission Jobs in Cape Town - South Africa Programme Manager Vacancy
British High Commission Jobs in Cape Town - South Africa Programme Manager Vacancy
Job CategoryForeign and Commonwealth Office (Policy & Political roles)
Job Subcategory
Economic and Prosperity
Main purpose of job:
In November 2015, the UK Government announced a new cross-Government Prosperity Fund with the primary aim of supporting growth in partner countries.
This came into effect in April 2016. South Africa is a priority partner country for the Fund, and the Prime Minister announced around £50m of such programmes for South Africa during her bilateral meeting with South Africa’s President Ramaphosa in London in April 2018.
The Global Future Cities Programme is one of ten Prosperity Fund programmes operating or in development in South Africa.
The three-year, £80m ODA programme seeks to promote inclusive urban growth and increase global prosperity through targeted interventions in transport, urban planning and resilience, with big data and project finance as cross-cutting enablers.
In South Africa, the programme will offer support in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg, in addition to 16 other cities in 9 other countries.
We are recruiting a Programme Manager - Future Cities & Commercial Benefits to lead this programme in Cape Town, overseeing its inception and delivery in partnership with the City administration, the contracted delivery partner (to be procured in early 2019) and multilateral/ NGO development organisations.
This part of the role is mirrored by a similar role based in Gauteng which carries out the same function for Ethekwini (Durban) and Johannesburg.
This is a challenging and exciting opportunity to deliver a key and visible component of the Prosperity Fund which – in the South African context – seeks to reduce urban poverty and break down the spatial legacy of apartheid while creating new opportunities for job creation, business and trade.
The role-holder will also spend about half their time developing and delivering commercial benefits for the UK from this programme and our work through the UK-SA Tech Hub to support digital entrepeneurship in South Africa, working closely with the rest of the Tech Hub team based in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
As the Programme Manager - Future Cities & Commercial Benefits, you will be based at the British Consulate in Cape Town within a diverse, supportive and fast-paced team which straddles three locations in South Africa (also Pretoria and Johannesburg).
You will work to the Deputy Head of the Prosperity Fund portfolio in South Africa and will coordinate with other UK Government colleagues in-country and in the UK to achieve UK policy objectives and to ensure that our work complies with all relevant rules and governance requirements of the Prosperity Fund, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the OECD.
An important aspect of the commercial benefits component of the job will be working with Department of International Trade colleagues to unlock the opportunities for increased inward trade and investment from our Future Cities programme and our Tech Hub.
Roles and responsibilities:
We are looking for an individual who is confident and capable in managing performance, finding solutions and identifying risks and opportunities in an international development context and thinking creatively about how development work and UK economic interests can be mutually supportive.
The jobholder will have three main responsibilities: overseeing programme delivery, partnering with stakeholders and coordinating with UK Government colleagues at Post and in London to deliver secondary benefits and policy outcomes.
Programme Management
Deploy robust programme management skills at scale, leading on programme risk management; Monitoring, Reporting, Evaluation and Learning; transitional procurement and financial arrangements; governance at Post and with London; and contract management.
Utilise strong insight into the impact of the programme and communicate that among programme stakeholders.
Stakeholder Engagement
Build and maintain relationships with programme partners, primarily in Cape Town, but also across the country when considering commercial benefits from the two areas of work for which you will be responsible for this agenda (Future Cities and Tech);
Global and local implementing partners; and wider stakeholders in South African Government and civil society.
This will include pre-empting risks, ensuring that projects are delivering to plan and leveraging opportunities to enhance the programme’s
sustained impact, intervening with High Commission colleagues and London-based programme leads where necessary, and robustly representing UK whole of Government interests with those partners.
Commercial Benefits
Develop a plan for commercial benefits for the Future Cities programme and the UK-SA Tech Hub, and be responsible for its overall delivery by increasing the visibility of UK investment in the programmes and thought leadership in the sectors. Partner effectively with other parts of the team working on the primary benefits of these programmes (economic development to support poverty reduction) and Department for International Trade in South Africa to ensure a coherent response to realising them.
Policy Leadership
Develop expertise in the development challenges facing Cape Town while monitoring changes in the political, social and commercial landscape.
In time, serve as a key contact between the City officials and High Commission and Prosperity Fund teams and in respect of the Future Cities programme and identify opportunities to support shared priorities – including on parallel programmes within the Prosperity Fund and beyond. Share insights from the programme to enhance UK Government understanding of development issues in city contexts.
Resources managed:
No direct line management is envisaged though the jobholder will be responsible for commissioning outputs from staff contracted for specific projects.
Direct management of small amounts of non-ODA funding (circa £20k) to support commercial benefits work; and indirect management (through quality assurance of reporting) of part of the £80m global Future Cities programme.
Essential Qualifications, Skills and experience
We are looking for a proactive, creative self-starter who can prioritise to operate in a fast-paced environment, largely unsupervised, delivering to deadlines.
S/he will need excellent interpersonal and communications skills to build strong relations within the High Commission; in South Africa; and with stakeholders in the UK.
University degree relevant to the job
Understanding of ODA/ international development
Minimum 5 years work experience, ideally managing programmes in an international development context
Experience in overseeing the delivery of complex programmes
Passion for inclusive growth
Excellent computer skills, primarily using Microsoft Office applications and managing information in compliance with departmental rules and best practice
Language requirements:
Language: Fluent written and spoken English.
Desirable: competence in South Africa’s other official languages.
Desirable Qualifications, Skills and Experience
Expertise or experience in local government in South Africa
Qualifications in urban design, infrastructure, transport, planning or resilience
Familiarity with UK city systems and commercial expertise
Familiarity with Tech Sector in the UK and/or SA and the commercial opportunities for the UK in South Africa within this sector
Familiarity with UK Government development objectives and practices
Budget management, procurement and financial reporting experience
A strong understanding of gender issues
Excellent communication and influencing skills with different audiences
Required competencies
Seeing the Big Picture, Leading and Communicating, Collaborating and Partnering, Achieving Commercial Outcomes
Other benefits and conditions of employment
Learning and development opportunities:
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office is committed to developing its staff. In addition to on-the-job learning, there will be opportunities for training covering:
Working in a diplomatic mission
Understanding how UK international development assistance is managed / implemented
Understanding Global Future Cities Programme and Tech Hub objectives and effective programme management
Application of gender and inclusion priorities
The British High Commission pays in full for the Key Care Plus option on Discovery Health for staff including spouses/partners and dependants.
Additional information
This is a 9 months fixed term contract with possibility of renewal
Employees recruited locally by the British High Commission in Pretoria are subject to the Terms and Conditions of Service according to local employment law in South Africa.
All applicants must be legally able to work in the country of application with the correct visa/status or work permit.
Employees who are not eligible to pay local income tax: e.g. certain third-country nationals and spouses/partners of UK diplomats will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount.
Reference and security clearances checks will be conducted.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply online by 13th May 2019
For more information and job application details, see; British High Commission Jobs in Cape Town - South Africa Programme Manager Vacancy
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