View Vacancy – Programme and Administrative Manager

Main purpose of job:

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is looking for a Programme and Administrative Manager to support the management of its Development Team’s programme activities. This is a challenging and rewarding permanent full-time position at the British Embassy in Brasilia.

The FCDO Development Team leads the UK’s work to end extreme poverty. We’re ending the need for aid by creating jobs, unlocking the potential of girls and women and helping to save lives when humanitarian emergencies hit. The Development Team does not manage any bilateral programmes in Brazil, but instead works with Brazil to help enhance its development impact in low income countries, through a combination of high-level policy dialogue and diplomacy, as well as targeted support to triangular programming. By working with Brazil in sharing and adapting its best practices and engaging in global development dialogues, the Development Team ’s objectives are to improve global development effectiveness and to encourage Brazil to take an enhanced global advocacy and leadership role on poverty reduction, within the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. On an exceptional basis, in response to the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, the Development team has mobilised resources and is working through the multilateral systems to help the most vulnerable communities in Brazil (including indigenous people and slum dwellers) to access hygiene and improve hand washing behaviours. This position is also expected to contribute to the wider efforts of the UK Embassy Network in Brazil and the chosen candidate will demonstrate willingness to be flexible to proactively respond to different requests and demands

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

The Programme and Administrative Manager main roles and responsibilities include the following:

(i) Administrative support to the Development Team in Brazil, including organising meetings, events, visits and travels; managing filing systems; drafting correspondence; translating documents; supporting the UK based staff team leader post, and the post holder’s respective transitions; and liaising with key Brazilian stakeholders (inside and outside government) as well as other contacts in the UK and worldwide.

(ii) Programme management – support the Development Team to monitor programme implementation and ensure process, reporting and financial compliance as well as raising issues when identified; ensure Smart Rules principles and Value for Money; be the point of contact for procurement, suppliers and contracting; and manage/update data in relevant FCDO systems. In addition, she/he will manage transitions from DFID and FCO legacy systems and processes into the new FCDO systems and process which are under development as part of the FCDO Transformation process. The successful candidate will contribute to corporate initiatives, for example through participation in UK Embassy in Brazil Network-wide projects to support a positive and effective working environment, among others.

(iii) Financial management of the Development Team in Brazil ’s administrative and programme budgets and related procedures to ensure that: all returns are submitted to deadline; expenditure remains within budget; Team’s expenditures achieve excellent value for money; raise requisitions and pay suppliers in line with the Embassy’s procurement system. She/he will also be responsible for the creation and submission after approval of financial reports including: monthly management reports, and monthly variance reports, accruals/prepayments reports, processing of Interim/End Year Packs, Statement of Assurance (SoA), yearly budget uploads and provisional programme budget and advise any PO accruals when necessary, maintain card expenses reconciled. She/he will be responsible for forecasting in ARIES system, processing payment of invoices in ARIES, confirm default component codes when necessary, among use of other FCDO systems. Systems and processes may change under the FCDO Transformation process and the candidate will need to be proactive in adapting to the new system.

(iii) Stakeholder management with the Development Team’s current and potential partners and stakeholders, in Brazil, in the UK and elsewhere. The successful candidate will also develop effective relationship and management with FCDO in HQ as well as across teams at the Brazil Network.

(iv) Relevant policy support. Tasks will include conducting research on policy issues related to international development (drafting briefings, reports, contributing to policy and programme development etc); and support to Team to respond to commissions that are related to topics of our region a/o department, disseminating content that add-value.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

Support FCDO Brazil Team to deliver a number of technical assistance business cases amounting to approximately £150,000 per annum. 

• Bachelors’ degree.
• Solid administrative skills and experience. Be comfortable managing budgets and spreadsheets and demonstrate a genuine interest in international development.
• At least 3-5 years of proven professional experience in programme/project management, administration and development, providing support to programme/project teams, managing budgets, financial and accounting processes as well as experience in support to policy work.
• Excellent skills in the use of Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Concise written and communication skills and ability to deliver high quality work at pace;
• Excellent command of written and spoken English and Portuguese, and excellent communication and presentation skills with both languages.
• Excellent networking and team work skills, including from a distance.
• Ability to work closely with other parts of FCDO and HMG, and to manage a variety of stakeholders.
• A team player able to work effectively and flexibly, both independently and as part of a small and busy team.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities, be a self-starter, flexible and willing to adapt to changing work priorities.