Project Manager

Job Title Project Manager Directorate or Region MENA Department/Country Programmes and Partnerships, Lebanon Location of post Beirut Pay Band G Reports to Assistant Director Programmes and Partnerships Duration of job Indefinite   Purpose of job   To lead on and manage assigned projects in Arts and Social Development. To manage a network of internal and external service providers and partners to meet the targets of a British Council arts program in partnership with leading arts organizations and professionals in Lebanon and the UK in different arts schemes as well as cross cutting with different other sectors. Moreover, the post holder is required to assist in income generation through full-cost recovery contracts and cost-sharing partnerships.   Context and environment   The British Council has been in Lebanon since 1946.  As the United Kingdom’s international organisation for education and cultural relations, we are building on the British Council’s respected and trusted brand by expanding existing programmes and developing new opportunities with government and key stakeholders across the public, private and NGO sectors.  We employ 42 staff, including regional and Syria post and our portfolio spans our main sectors of English, Education, Society and Arts.    The Programmes and Partnerships team within British Council Lebanon manages all aspects of business development and delivery.  Working closely with colleagues across British Council (regionally and locally), the team is responsible for ensuring the quality and consistency of projects and programmes, meeting the expectations of contractors and partners.  This includes:  managing all aspects of delivery, compliance, risk and finances across the portfolio.  The team also provides input into business development, product development, proposals and business case production to ensure that robust delivery processes and delivery models are in place.   The post holder will work closely with the Director Programmes and Partnerships, and with all the Lebanon’s Programme team along with the Arts UK Advisors and the Arts Regional Large Scale Programme Managers,  with the aim of: - Building strategic partnerships with leading cultural organisations, as well as artists and practitioners in the Arts sector. - Contributing to the growth of the involvement and participation of leaders, policy makers, influencers, artists, practitioners and the wider public in the British Council activities in the Lebanon.   - Ensuring arts is integrated within the different other sectors.   Accountabilities, responsibilities and main duties   PLANNING -       Liaise with UK and MENA arts colleagues, Lebanese Government departments, UK and Lebanese institutions and partners to develop and plan an appropriate programme of arts activities for Lebanon . The activities are usually related to integrating arts in Education and Society as well as other different art forms such as Music, Drama, Dance, Literature, Film, Creative Economy, Visual Arts, Museums, and Design/Fashion & Architecture. -       Create detailed project plans for all agreed arts projects in Lebanon, in consultation with the Director Programmes and Partnerships, MENA Regional Arts Manager, Marketing and Communication Manager and the programme team -       Work with MENA Regional Arts Manager and  Director Programmes and Partnerships to ensure that challenging sponsorship targets are agreed and met -       Seek opportunities for cross sectoral working with other British Council programme teams within Lebanon.     PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION -       Manage the implementation of agreed British Council Lebanon arts projects to deliver outcomes outlined in the project plan. This includes identifying suitable partners for the project, liaison with Lebanese and UK partners. -       Select, contract and manage suppliers/partner -       Identify, assess, report and monitor progress in addressing risks to the achievement of project objectives -       Ensure that project outcomes and impacts are measured and reported according to corporate standards including scorecard systems -       Ensuring projects are delivered within budget and on time, to agreed quality standards.  Income targets are met. -       Ensuring project annual audience, output and quality targets are met.  -       Ensuring project expenditure, income, audiences and quality indicators are monitored regularly throughout the year. Report back to Country Programme Manager on key milestones and where risks are emerging in the project. -       Working closely with Marketing and Communications Manager to secure appropriate British Council branding, as well as media coverage, in line with British Council scorecard and Marketing and Communciations policies.  -       Monitoring and evaluation carried out to agreed standards and methodology -       SAP duties in accordance with SAP guidance and/or as stated in British Council Essential Finance. SAP is an online financial system.       STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT -       Build and maintain relationships and partnerships with Ministries (i.e. Culture, Education, Economy, etc.), Heads of arts & culture organisations including organisations working on resilience, social development, education and civil society i.e. heads of NGOs, social activists, etc. Report on an ongoing basis to Programme Manager on new relationships and ways of engaging and develop initiatives with such stakeholders aligned with British Council strategic objectives. -       Develop and maintain network of practitioners and potential partner organisations in Lebanon who are aware of the breadth of contemporary UK arts and see the UK as a partner of choice for their work. Achieved through providing information and regular contact to understand their interests and priorities and to match them with organisations and potential partners in the UK. -       Maintain networks of alumni from previous British Council training and exchange programmes -       Attend a range of arts events to ensure continued visibility of British Council and our interest in the arts in Lebanon -       Support the Director Programmes and Partnerships initiatives on enhancing fundraising operations with research, mailing, proposals and materials development.     PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT -       Identify and attend internal and external training, as agreed with line manager     Key relationships:   External stakeholders include: -       Ministries (i.e. Culture, Education, Economy, etc.) -       Heads of arts & culture organisations including organisations working on entrepreneurship. -       Cultural leaders -       Civil society i.e. heads of NGOs, social activists, etc. -       Media contacts   Internal stakeholders include: -       Country Director -       Director Programmes and Partnership -       Assistant Director Programems and Partnership -       Regional Project Managers in MENA and Sector Directors. -       Lebanon’s Programmes team -       Lebanon’s Finance team. -       Arts Strategic Business Unit along with collegaues from UK. -       MENA Arts Project Managers   Other important features or requirements of the job (e.g. travel, unsocial/evening hours, restrictions on employment etc.) Working hours are variable according to events and can include evenings and occasional weekends.  The role includes representing the British Council at external events where appropriate. On certain days it may be necessary to work longer hours to cater for externally imposed deadlines. Please specify any passport/visa and/or nationality requirement. Post holder must be eligible to work in Lebanon. When required, successful candidate needs to secure, at his/her own cost and liability, the appropriate work and residency permits and any other required document, as well as any renewals thereof, from the Lebanese competent authorities. Please indicate if any security or legal checks are required for this role. N/A                                                                                                   Person Specification     Essential Desirable   Assessment stage Behaviours Creating Shared Purpose (essential): Communicating and engaging picture of how we can work together.   Making it happen (more demanding): Challenging myself and others to deliver and measure better results.   Being Accountable (more demanding): Putting the needs of the team or British Council ahead of my own   Connecting with others (essential): Actively appreciating the needs and concerns of myself and others.     Short Listing & Interview   Working Together (Essential) establish a genuinely common goal with others   Shaping the Future (Essential); looking for ways in which we can do things better     Required for the role but not assessed during the application stage   Skills and Knowledge Project and contract management and development            (Level 1) Communications (Level 1) Computer skills (Level 2) Financial planning and management   (Level 1)     Short listing & Interview Experience Minimum 3 years of experience in the arts & Culture  and or socio-economic development sector in an international or local organisation or non-profit field in Lebanon leading projects with production, planning, fundraising, communications, evaluation and reporting. 3 years of solid project management experience and track record of successful delivery of projects to agreed financial and non-financial targets.   Proven experience in income generation and full-cost recovery proposals   Relevant Sectorial knowledge of the Arts in the UK Proven track record in Marketing and Communications Short listing & Interview Qualifications University Degree in related area: Social Development. Cultural Development, Arts & Culture management, Communications, Marketing, Administration. Good understanding of the Socio Economic and Culture contacts of Lebanon as well as Civil Society in Lebanon. Proven Written and spoken English. Fluent in written and spoken Arabic.   Good command of written and spoken French Short listing & Interview