Senior Programme Manager

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 (Policy & Political roles)
• Job Subcategory: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Programme Roles)

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

Main purpose of job:

The British Embassy (BE) in Dakar is seeking to appoint a motivated, bilingual Senior Programme Manager to lead high quality portfolio and programme management. The role sits within BE Dakar’s hard-working and friendly Prosperity, Climate & Development team with cross-cutting responsibilities for programmes, including British Embassy Dakar’s bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) and supporting centrally managed programmes. You will be line managed by the Prosperity, Climate and Development Counsellor and Team Leader. You will contribute to the leadership and professionalism of the embassy, work closely with the Ambassador, Advisers and Officers in the Embassy leading on thematic strands, and will contribute to managing up to two officers working on programmes.

The British Embassy Dakar’s core objectives in Senegal are centred around three main areas: shared prosperity, mutual security, and sustainable development. As the UK-Senegal relationship has deepened substantially in recent years, you will be joining at an exciting time for the Embassy with an expanding programme portfolio. You can expect to be involved in a wide range of programmes and projects in areas such as economic development, clean energy and climate, good governance, education, health, and empowering women and girls.

This is a fantastic opportunity to ensure our programmes deliver impact for both the UK and Senegal through excellence in programme, financial, risk and commercial management. The post requires the ability to build trusted and influential relationships with partners to deliver effectively. It also requires a team player that is willing to take on responsibilities beyond their own core job, to contribute to the overall priorities and objectives of BE Dakar. You will also be expected to build relationships with central teams in the UK and other posts in the region to identify opportunities and collaborate.

The postholder will be expected to have a solid experience of best-practice programme and financial management and a track record of delivery and improving standards 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 team leaders, technical advisers, and policy counterparts across the embassy, in the UK and in partner organisations. Guided by the organisation’s Programme Operating Framework (PrOF), you will be expected 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, attention to detail, the willingness to work responsively across several issues simultaneously, and the ability to work with a range of different stakeholders.

Roles and responsibilities:

ODA portfolio management: ensure high quality programme management is practiced across the British Embassy Dakar’s programme portfolio.

 Work with programme responsible officers (PROs) in BE Dakar to ensure:

• All programmes are compliant with the PrOF. This will require creativity and attention to detail to improve day to day practices, as well as meeting requirements on paper.
• Risks, including of fraud, are regularly reviewed and mitigated.
• 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.
• Regular (at least quarterly) cross-portfolio health-checks take place to assist PROs in managing their programmes.
• Guidance, advice and input on any programme-related queries or concerns is frequently and freely given. Gaps in understanding and compliance are identified, fed back within the team, and 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 team’s 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.
• BE Dakar data (availability and quality) is present on the organisation’s internal reporting systems (AMP, HERA, Teams).

Ensuring the effective financial management of programmes in British Embassy Dakar to ensure agreed programme and departmental spending targets are met, and Value for Money is achieved. 

• Working collaboratively with the Prosperity, Climate and Development Team Leader and wider Embassy, you will be responsible for effectively planning and making decisions about programme spend between and across team programmes through the provision of regular, robust financial information.
• You will play a critical role in determining financial allocations for BE Dakar, including through any forthcoming Spending Review process and ODA allocations.
• 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 and reviewing and challenging supplier plans; b) cross-checking this with PROs/SROs through monthly meetings; and c) communicating this with cross-mission leadership at monthly Programme Board and Finance meetings.
• You will also support the Team Leader during periods of budget negotiations with UK headquarters, quality assure PRO/SRO’s spending forecasts and be the first point of contact for queries on financial management within programmes (e.g. invoices, paying in advance, etc).

Leadership and management of key programme staff:

• Coach and manage up to 2 staff, supporting them to maximise their contribution in line with BE Dakar’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

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

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

Required behaviours : Delivering at Pace, Leadership, Managing a Quality Service, Working Together

Job details

• Application deadline: 18 February 2025
• Grade: Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
• Type of Position: Fixed Term, Fixed term, with possibility of renewal
• Duration of Post: 12 months
• Region: Africa
• Country/Territory: Senegal
• Location (City): Dakar
• Type of Post: British Embassy
• Salary: XOF 2 685 000
• Type of Salary: monthly
• Start Date: 1 April 2025