Project Manager-Aswat Faeela

Role Title

Project Manager – Aswat Faeela

Role Information

Role Type Fixed contract

Pay Band G

Location Lebanon-Beirut

Duration 7 months (from December 2017 to June 2018)

Reports to Aswat Faeela Team Leader

Role purpose

As the multi-country Aswat Faeela European Commission (EC)-funded youth development project is moving into the closure phase, British Council Syria is seeking a Project Manager. S/he will coordinate activities with consortium partners and facilitate the impact evaluation and exit plans to achieve the outcomes and ensure compliance with the British Council and the donor’s rules and regulations – both programmatically and financially. S/he will also support consistent and effective management of all aspects of project finances, ensuring rigorous financial control and complete, accurate and accessible information in compliance with clear financial, administrative and audit procedures, as well as monitor project spend against the agreed budget. S/he will work with consortium partners to ensure quality documentation is produced and disseminated according to necessary deadlines and standards of quality and completeness, as well as provide technical guidance on finance management and undertake troubleshooting and risk management, where relevant.

About us

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries. We do this by making a positive contribution to the UK and the countries we work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust.

We work with over 100 countries across the world in the fields of arts and culture, English language, education and civil society. Each year we reach over 20 million people face-to-face and more than 500 million people online, via broadcasts and publications. Founded in 1934, we are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body.

Geopolitical/SBU/Function overview

The British Council is present in 17 countries across the MENA region, delivering programmes that build trust and create opportunity for the UK and the people of the region. British Council Syria contributes to the MENA vision of providing tens of millions of young people with access to the UK’s language, education and culture, and equipping them with the skills and support they need to build more stable and inclusive societies. The British Council has been present in Syria since 1956 and has a long history of building cultural relations between the UK and Syria. Currently, the British Council office in Damascus is closed and our operations in-country is suspended, but we remain committed to resuming our operations on the ground in Syria as soon as the situation permits. Nonetheless, responding to the impact of the Syrian crisis in the region is a top priority for the British Council and therefore we are now looking to expand our team and work in order to develop a more coherent, coordinated and scalable response.

The British Council is the lead partner of Aswat Faeela (Active Voices), a 30-month multi-country Syrian youth development project, funded by the European Commission (EC). This project is implemented through international consortium partners and will be completed by 30 June 2018. The  aim  of  Aswat  Faeela  is  to  develop  young  Syrians’  social leadership skills and capacity through practical action both inside Syria, as well as in countries affected by  the  Syrian  Crisis  (Lebanon,  Jordan,  and  Turkey),  and  to  give  them  a  voice  in  national  and international discourse about peace-building and community resilience as an anti-dote to the dominant narrative around the impact of conflict.

This post holder will be a key member of the British Council Syria team based in Beirut, Lebanon. S/He will be responsible for overall programmatic coordination, as well as administrative and financial management of the project, S/He will be reporting to the Team Leader and work in close coordination with consortium partners in the four Aswat Faeela countries of implementation (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey), and British Council colleagues in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and in the United Kingdom (UK). Therefore, s/he is required to demonstrate excellent project management and entrepreneurial spirit, a sound ability to monitor budgets in line with the EC and BC financial compliance standards, excellent organisational skills, as well as team working and persuasive and assertive communication skills with both internal and external stakeholders.

Main opportunities/challenges for this role:

• Closely work in a highly performing team consisting of internal colleagues across British Council regionally, locally and in the UK
• Coordinate with consortium partners’ project and finance teams on programmatic aspects and grants management
• Ensure remote management best practices are in place   
• Assist in the impact evaluation of the Aswat Faeela project within a multi-country remit; Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey 
• Manage all aspects of coordination and delivery, compliance, risk and finances for the Aswat Faeela project
• Comply with British Council and EC standard procedures to ensure contract delivery and eligibility.   

Main Accountabilities

Project management

• Coordinate with consortium partners and provide regular and clear communication, supporting the achievement of the project activities
• Ensure the tracking, monitoring and quality reporting of the project activities
• Closely work with Team Leader on project work plans planning and implementation
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met 
• Participate in all meetings with a) consortium partners’ project team and b) BC Syria team
• Ensure documentation and filing of project activities in compliance with British Council policies and procedures
• Work with Team Leader on the closure phase of the project and relevant reporting and phase two planning targeted at various stakeholders.

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E)

• Support the project team in gathering data and results for reporting purposes
• Ensure that the projects M&E plan is properly coordinated and implemented accordingly
• Support the impact evaluation of the project and closely work with Team Leader, BC Technical Advisor, consortium partners’ project teams and consultants on achieving M&E standards.

Finance and grant management

• Support consistent and effective management of all aspects of project finances, ensuring rigorous financial control in compliance with clear financial, administrative and audit procedures, as well as monitor project spend against the agreed budget
• Ensure consortium partners’ grants are properly evaluated contributing to a robust evidence base and undertake expenditure reconciliation on a quarterly basis
• Work with consortium partners to ensure quality documentation is produced and disseminated according to necessary deadlines and standards of quality and completeness, as well as provide technical guidance on finance management and resolve problems on an ad hoc basis.
• Prepare and maintain financial plans and forecasts, highlighting problem areas and potential risks to the Team Leader; provide troubleshooting support and risk management
• Contribute to the analysis of financial information and preparation of internal and client reports ensuring they are accurate, complete and timely.
• Provide administrative management and logistical support to overall project activities

Key Relationships

Internal

• Aswat Faeela Team Leader
• Deputy Country Director
• British Council Syria team
• British Council local, regional and UK Education and Society teams (finance, project management, technical advisors, etc.)

External

• Consortium partners
• European Commission delegation
• Jordan local partner
• Suppliers and consultants

Role Requirements:

Threshold requirements:

Assessment stage: Shortlisting

Passport requirements/ Right to work in country

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.

Direct contact or managing staff working with children?

Assessment stage: N/A

Yes/No

IF YES. Appropriate police check

Notes

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 key deadlines.

Person Specification:

Assessment stage: Shortlisting and interview

Language requirements

• Proven Written and spoken English and Arabic/ Essential
• Good command of written and spoken French/ Desirable

Qualifications

Assessment Stage: Shortlisting   

• University Degree in related area: Social sciences, Development, Management, Communications, Accounting and Administration.

Role Specific Knowledge & Experience

Assessment stage: Shortlisting and interview

• A minimum of 2 years of experience in development sector in an international or local organisation leading and managing projects, demonstrating good planning, financial management, communications, monitoring and evaluation and reporting. Desirable: 2 years of working experience in development in regional programmes
• Sound financial administration and partners grant management experience and a track record of on-the-job experience in similar positions.

Role Specific Skills (if any)

Assessment stage: Shortlisting and interview

• Grant management and compliance

British Council Core Skills

Assessment stage: Shortlisting and interview

• Managing projects (Level 2)
• Communicating and influencing (Level 2)
• Planning and organising (Level 2)
• Managing finance and resources (Level 1)
• Using technology (Level 2)
• Managing Risk (Level 1)
• Analyse data and problems (Level 2)
• Managing accounts and partnership (Level 2)

British Council Behaviours

Assessment Stage :Interview and performance review

• 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.

• Working Together (Essential): Establish a genuinely common goal with others

• Shaping the Future (Essential); Looking for ways in which we can do things better